by our College Data Analytics Team
[Cosmetology](/majors/personal-and-culinary-services/cosmetology/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find where cosmetology graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose cosmetology graduates go on to earn the most.
Leading the list is Stewart School, our #1 for cosmetology graduate salaries in South Dakota. Located in the city of Sioux Falls, Stewart School is a private for-profit institution. Cosmetology graduates of Stewart School earn a median of about $28,344 a year early in their careers.
A rank of #2 makes Black Hills Beauty College one of the highest-paying schools for cosmetology. Black Hills Beauty College is a private for-profit school located in the city of Rapid City. Cosmetology graduates of Black Hills Beauty College earn a median of about $26,073 a year early in their careers.
Lake Area Technical Institute came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying cosmetology schools. Located in the town of Watertown, Lake Area Technical Institute is a public institution. Early-career cosmetology graduates from Lake Area Technical Institute make a median of around $25,629 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at Headlines Academy Inc earned it the #4 place for cosmetology. Headlines Academy Inc is a private for-profit school located in the city of Rapid City. After graduating, cosmetology degree recipients from Headlines Academy Inc typically earn about $21,731 annually.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries cosmetology graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 4 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.