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2023 Best Cosmetology Trade Schools in California
Finding the Best Cosmetology School for You
In 2021-2022, cosmetology students earned 10,294 degrees and certificates from a California school, making the subject the 2nd in the state.
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which trade school program is right for you. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Trade College Search has created the Best Cosmetology Trade Schools in California to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 89 schools in California to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for trade school students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Cosmetology Schools in California
The following schools top our list of the Best Cosmetology Colleges.
Top 15% Best Cosmetology Schools
Our 2023 rankings named San Francisco Institute of Esthetics & Cosmetology Inc the best school in California for cosmetology students. Located in the large city of San Francisco, SFIEC is a private for-profit college 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 J D Academy of Salon and Spa. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Trade Schools in California list. J D Academy of Salon and Spa is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the large suburb of Danville.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Academy for Salon Professionals. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Trade Schools in California list. Academy for Salon Professionals is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the city of Northridge.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend International College of Cosmetology. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Trade Schools in California list. International College of Cosmetology is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the large city of Oakland.
Full Cosmetology at International College of Cosmetology Report
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Paul Mitchell the School Sacramento. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Cosmetology Trade Schools in California list. Located in the large suburb of Sacramento, Paul Mitchell the School Sacramento is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
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With a ranking of #6, Hoss Lee Academy did quite well on this year’s best schools for cosmetology students. Located in the large suburb of Roseville, Hoss Lee Academy is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
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With a ranking of #7, Lytles Redwood Empire Beauty College Inc did quite well on this year’s best schools for cosmetology students. Located in the large suburb of Santa Rosa, Lytle's Beauty College is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
Full Cosmetology at Lytles Redwood Empire Beauty College Inc Report
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With a ranking of #8, Cinta Aveda Institute did quite well on this year’s best schools for cosmetology students. Located in the city of San Francisco, Cinta Aveda Institute is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
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Hilltop Beauty School came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Cosmetology Trade Schools in California ranking. Located in the suburb of Daly City, Hilltop Beauty School is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
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The Salon Professional Academy - San Jose landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best cosmetology programs. TSPA - San Jose is a small private for-profit school located in the city of San Jose.
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With a ranking of #12, Beyond 21st Century Beauty Academy did quite well on this year’s best schools for cosmetology students. Beyond 21st Century Beauty Academy is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the large suburb of Santa Fe Springs.
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Cosmo Beauty Academy did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for cosmetology students. It came in at #13 on the list. Located in the suburb of Sacramento, CBA is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
Full Cosmetology at Cosmo Beauty Academy Report
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These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Cosmetology Trade Schools in California award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Blake Austin College | Vacaville, CA |
| 15 | Paul Mitchell the School East Bay | Pleasant Hill, CA |
| 16 | Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy-Santa Monica | Los Angeles, CA |
| 17 | Paul Mitchell the School Pasadena | Pasadena, CA |
Best Cosmetology Colleges in the Far Western US Region
Explore all the Best Cosmetology Schools in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Washington | 2,041 |
| Oregon | 1,020 |
| Nevada | 1,575 |
| Hawaii | 183 |
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 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 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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