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2023 Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest 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.
There are so many trade school programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. 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 Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Our analysis looked at 109 schools in the Southwest 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 Southwest 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 Avenue Five Institute to be the best school for cosmetology students who want to pursue a basic certificate in the Southwest Region . Located in the large city of Austin, Avenue Five Institute is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
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The excellent basic certificate programs at Avenue Five Institute - South Austin Campus helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best cosmetology schools in the Southwest Region . Located in the city of Austin, Avenue Five Institute - South Austin Campus is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
Full Cosmetology at Avenue Five Institute - South Austin Campus Report
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Studio Academy of Beauty. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list. Studio Academy of Beauty is a small private for-profit school located in the large city of Chandler.
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A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Penrose Academy is a great place for cosmetology students working on their basic certificate. Penrose Academy is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the city of Scottsdale.
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Out of the 109 schools in the Southwest Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Aveda Institute - Tucson landed the # 5 spot on the list. Aveda Institute - Tucson is a small private for-profit school located in the large city of Tucson.
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With a ranking of #6, Aveda Institute - Phoenix did quite well on this year’s best schools for cosmetology students working on their basic certificate. Aveda Institute - Phoenix is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the city of Tempe.
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Paul Mitchell the School Austin landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate cosmetology programs. Located in the city of Austin, Paul Mitchell the School Austin is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
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Tint School of Makeup and Cosmetology-Irving came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Located in the city of Irving, Tint School of Makeup and Cosmetology-Irving is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
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Pure Aesthetics ranked #9 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in the large city of Tucson, Pure Aesthetics is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
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The Salon Professional Academy - Lewisville did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for cosmetology students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #10 on the list. TSPA - Lewisville is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the large suburb of Lewisville.
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DuVall’s School of Cosmetology landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best basic certificate cosmetology programs. DuVall's School of Cosmetology is a small private for-profit school located in the large suburb of Bedford.
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Texas College of Cosmetology-Lubbock did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for cosmetology students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #12 on the list. Texas College of Cosmetology-Lubbock is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the large city of Lubbock.
Read full report on Cosmetology at Texas College of Cosmetology-Lubbock
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With a ranking of #13, International Beauty College did quite well on this year’s best schools for cosmetology students working on their basic certificate. Located in the large suburb of Garland, International Beauty College is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
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Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy-Albuquerque ranked #14 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in the large city of Albuquerque, Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy-Albuquerque is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
Read full report on Cosmetology at Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy-Albuquerque
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Total Transformation Institute of Cosmetology did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for cosmetology students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #15 on the list. Total Transformation Institute is a small private for-profit school located in the small city of San Marcos.
Read full report on Cosmetology at Total Transformation Institute of Cosmetology
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Aveda Institute - San Antonio did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for cosmetology students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #16 on the list. Aveda Institute - San Antonio is a small private for-profit school located in the large city of San Antonio.
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Here are some additional great schools for Cosmetology students in the Southwest Region that almost earned our Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Southwest Region award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Metro Technology Centers | Oklahoma City, OK |
| 18 | Baldwin Beauty School - North Austin | Austin, TX |
| 19 | Exposito School of Hair Design | Amarillo, TX |
| 20 | Vogue College of Cosmetology | San Antonio, TX |
| 21 | UCAS University of Cosmetology Arts & Sciences-San Antonio 410 | San Antonio, TX |
Best Cosmetology Colleges by State
Explore the best cosmetology colleges for a specific state in the Southwest region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Arizona | 2,673 |
| Texas | 10,777 |
| Oklahoma | 1,553 |
| New Mexico | 956 |
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 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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