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General Cosmetology

Types of Degrees General Cosmetology Majors Are Earning

Those studying General Cosmetology can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	49,913
Associate’s Degree	1,008
Master’s Degree	4,873

What General Cosmetology Majors Need to Know

Coursework for General Cosmetology develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that General Cosmetology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in General Cosmetology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Sales and Marketing — Importance 3.0 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 2.7 / 5; level 2.5 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 2.6 / 5; level 2.7 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a General Cosmetology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 2.8 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 2.9 / 7.
• Service Orientation — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 2.9 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.0 / 5; level 2.7 / 7.
• Social Perceptiveness — Importance 3.0 / 5; level 2.9 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to General Cosmetology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Finger Dexterity — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, General Cosmetology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	3.8 / 7
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public	3.6 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	3.5 / 7
Thinking Creatively	3.5 / 7
Getting Information	3.4 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.4 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.4 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.3 / 7
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others	3.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.2 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by General Cosmetology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Facebook	Web page creation and editing software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Appointment scheduling software	Calendar and scheduling software	—
Intuit QuickBooks	Accounting software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
DaySmart Software Salon Iris	Data base user interface and query software	—
Aknaf ADVANTAGE Salon Software and Spa Software	Data base user interface and query software	—
DaySmart Software Appointment-Plus	Calendar and scheduling software	—
Customer information databases	Customer relationship management CRM software	—
AppointmentQuest Online Appointment Scheduler	Calendar and scheduling software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for General Cosmetology graduates include:

• Beauty Therapist
• Beauty Specialist
• Hair and Makeup Designer
• Beauty Advisor
• Salon Nail Technician (Salon Nail Tech)
• Fingernail Technician
• Fingernail Sculpturer
• Manicurist
• Fingernail Former
• Spa Nail Technician (Spa Nail Tech)
• Nail Artist
• Licensed Nail Technician (Licensed Nail Tech)
• Fingernail Sculptor
• Pedicurist
• Nail Technician (Nail Tech)

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to General Cosmetology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Postsecondary certificate	44.7%
High school diploma or equivalent	32.0%
Less than a high school diploma	15.0%
Some college courses	2.9%
Bachelor’s degree	2.4%
First professional degree	1.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	1.2%
Master’s degree	0.5%
Post-doctoral training	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in General Cosmetology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 96.1% of General Cosmetology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	53,693	96.1%
Men	2,182	3.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of General Cosmetology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	25,656	45.9%
Asian	1,383	2.5%
Hispanic or Latino	14,714	26.3%
Black or African American	9,482	17.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native	517	0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	121	0.2%
Two or More Races	2,021	3.6%
Race Unknown	1,776	3.2%
International Students	205	0.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do General Cosmetology Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of General Cosmetology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$17,533
4 years	$20,210
5 years	$22,425

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $22,425 — roughly 28% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online General Cosmetology Programs

Fully online options is tracked by IPEDS for General Cosmetology. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	2	3

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in General Cosmetology Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, General Cosmetology graduates earn a median of $20,210 four years after completion — about 47% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services	136,936
Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist	42,738
Nail Technician/Specialist and Manicurist	14,442
Barbering/Barber	12,398
Facial Treatment Specialist/Facialist	2,901
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Arts, Other	2,497
Master Aesthetician/Esthetician	1,882
Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor	1,436
Hair Styling/Stylist and Hair Design	1,386
Salon/Beauty Salon Management/Manager	514
Make-Up Artist/Specialist	426
Electrolysis/Electrology and Electrolysis Technician	351

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.