General Cosmetology

Types of Degrees General Cosmetology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many general cosmetology/cosmetologist graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Undergraduate Certificate	46,081
Basic Certificate	3,236
Associate Degree	893

What General Cosmetology Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, general cosmetology majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for General Cosmetology Majors

General Cosmetology majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Sales and Marketing - Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
• Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

Skills for General Cosmetology Majors

A major in general cosmetology prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
• Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Abilities for General Cosmetology Majors

General Cosmetology majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
• Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

What Can You Do With a General Cosmetology Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with general cosmetology:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists	13.0%	$24,730
Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance	12.5%	$64,250
Manicurists and Pedicurists	13.2%	$24,330
Skincare Specialists	13.7%	$31,290

Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in General Cosmetology?

The major attracts more women than men. About 97% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of general cosmetology majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	38
Black or African American	140
Hispanic or Latino	292
White	348
International Students	6
Other Races/Ethnicities	69

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in General Cosmetology, too. About 0.7% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do General Cosmetology Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

General Cosmetology majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $25,860 to $36,350 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to General Cosmetology

Some degrees associated with general cosmetology may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to general cosmetology have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	11.7%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	17.5%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	59.2%
Some College Courses	6.4%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	1.6%
Bachelor’s Degree	3.3%

Online General Cosmetology Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	1,346	2
Certificate (2-4 Years)	92	0
Associate’s Degree	138	2
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	0	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in General Cosmetology Worth It?

The median salary for a general cosmetology grad is $30,190 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

Trades Related to General Cosmetology

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to general cosmetology.

Major	Number of Grads
Aesthetician/Esthetician & Skin Care Specialist	40,040
Nail Technician/Specialist & Manicurist	13,960
Barbering/Barber	9,893
Facial Treatment Specialist/Facialist	2,907
Other Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Arts	2,184
Master Aesthetician/Esthetician	1,729
Hair Styling/Stylist & Hair Design	1,238
Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, & Nail Instructor	1,230
Make-Up Artist/Specialist	440
Electrolysis/Electrology & Electrolysis Technician	354
Salon/Beauty Salon Management/Manager	336
Permanent Cosmetics/Makeup & Tattooing	90

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Tiffany Bumgardner under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.