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2023 Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Finding the Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate School for You
In 2021-2022, 124,611 degrees and certificates were awarded to cosmetology students, making the major the most popular in the country.
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for trade school students. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Also there are many trade schools that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Trade College Search has developed this Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Our analysis looked at 114 schools in the Great Lakes Region to see which basic certificate programs offered the best educational experiences for trade school students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region
The colleges and universities below are the best for cosmetology majors pursuing a basic certificate.
Top 15% Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools
Our analysis found University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology to be the best school for cosmetology students who want to pursue a basic certificate in the Great Lakes Region . Located in the large city of Chicago, University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
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The excellent basic certificate programs at The Institute of Beauty and Wellness helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best cosmetology schools in the Great Lakes Region . The Institute of Beauty and Wellness is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the large city of Milwaukee.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Universal Spa Training Academy. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Universal Spa Training Academy is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Downers Grove.
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Out of the 114 schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Aveda Fredric’s Institute - Indianapolis landed the # 4 spot on the list. Located in the small city of Carmel, Aveda Fredric's Institute - Indianapolis is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Aveda Institute - Madison. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Aveda Institute - Madison is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the city of Madison.
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With a ranking of #6, The University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology did quite well on this year’s best schools for cosmetology students working on their basic certificate. The University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology is a small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Downers Grove.
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G Skin & Beauty Institute came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. G Skin and Beauty Institute is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the small city of Schaumburg.
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Aveda Institute - Chicago did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for cosmetology students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #8 on the list. Located in the city of Chicago, Aveda Institute - Chicago is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
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Aveda Fredric’s Institute - Cincinnati came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Aveda Fredric's Institute - Cincinnati is a small private for-profit school located in the large suburb of West Chester.
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The Salon Professional Academy - Onalaska ranked #10 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. TSPA - Onalaska is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Onalaska.
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G Skin & Beauty Institute did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for cosmetology students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #11 on the list. Located in the suburb of Oakbrook, Naperville Skin Institute is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
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With a ranking of #12, Estelle Skin Care and Spa Institute did quite well on this year’s best schools for cosmetology students working on their basic certificate. Estelle Skin Care and Spa Institute is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Skokie.
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Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Indianapolis landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate cosmetology programs. Located in the suburb of Indianapolis, Tricoci INE is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
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Aveda Institute - Columbus did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for cosmetology students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #14 on the list. Aveda Institute - Columbus is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the city of Columbus.
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Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Libertyville came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Tricoci LBV is a small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Libertyville.
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Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Elgin came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in the midsize city of Elgin, Tricoci Elgin is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
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L’esprit Academy ranked #17 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. L'esprit Academy is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the large suburb of Canton.
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Here are some additional great schools for Cosmetology students in the Great Lakes Region that almost earned our Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Cosmetology & Spa Academy | Crystal Lake, IL |
| 19 | The Salon Professional Academy - Evansville | Evansville, IN |
| 20 | Chippewa Valley Technical College | Eau Claire, WI |
| 21 | Brown Aveda Institute - Strongsville | Strongsville, OH |
| 22 | Douglas J Aveda Institute | East Lansing, MI |
Best Cosmetology Colleges by State
Explore the best cosmetology schools for a specific state in the Great Lakes region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Michigan | 2,766 |
| Indiana | 1,897 |
| Wisconsin | 1,320 |
| Ohio | 3,404 |
| Illinois | 3,922 |
Cosmetology Related Rankings by Major
Cosmetology is one of 4 different types of trade school programs to choose from.
Cosmetology Concentrations
| 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 Related Majors
| 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 25 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.
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