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2023 Best Cosmetology Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Southeast Region
Finding the Best Cosmetology Associate Degree School for You
Cosmetology is the most popular major in the United States with 34,706 degrees and certificates handed out in 2021-2022.
Today's trade school students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Trade College Search has created its Best Cosmetology Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Our analysis looked at 7 schools in the Southeast Region to see which associate degree programs offered the best educational experiences for trade school students.
View our full ranking methodology.
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2023 Best Cosmetology Associate Degree Schools in the Southeast Region
The following schools top our list of the Best Cosmetology Associate Degree Colleges.
Top Southeast Region Trade Schools for an Associate in Cosmetology
Our analysis found Central Piedmont Community College to be the best school for cosmetology students who want to pursue a associate degree in the Southeast Region . Located in the city of Charlotte, Central Piedmont Community College is a public college with a large student population.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Central Carolina Community College is a great place for cosmetology students working on their associate degree. Central Carolina Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Sanford.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wake Technical Community College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Cosmetology Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Southeast Region list. Wake Technical Community College is a very large public school located in the large suburb of Raleigh.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Cosmetology Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in the small city of Asheville, A-B Tech is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
Cosmetology majors at A-B Tech take out an average of $14,650 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.
Full Cosmetology at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Fayetteville Technical Community College. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in the medium-sized city of Fayetteville, FTCC is a public school with a fairly large student population.
After completing their Associate Degree, cosmetology graduates from FTCC carry an average student debtload of $20,615.
Robeson Community College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Southeast Region list. Robeson Community College is a small public school located in the town of Lumberton.
Southwestern Community College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Cosmetology Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in the town of Sylva, Southwestern Community College is a public school with a small student population.
Best Cosmetology Colleges by State
Explore the best cosmetology colleges for a specific state in the Southeast region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Georgia | 4,283 |
| South Carolina | 1,516 |
| Arkansas | 1,191 |
| North Carolina | 2,549 |
| Florida | 10,801 |
| West Virginia | 377 |
| Louisiana | 3,726 |
| Virginia | 1,085 |
| Alabama | 821 |
| Kentucky | 1,003 |
| Tennessee | 2,270 |
| Mississippi | 872 |
Rankings in Majors Related to Cosmetology
One of 4 majors within the trade school area of study, cosmetology has other similar majors worth exploring.
Cosmetology Focus Areas
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Cosmetology/Cosmetologist | 50,210 |
| 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 |
Most Popular Majors Related to Cosmetology
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Culinary Arts | 22,075 |
| Funeral & Mortuary Science | 2,186 |
| Casino Operations and Services | 385 |
| Other Personal & Culinary Services | 95 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 7 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Tiffany Bumgardner.
More about our data sources and methodologies.