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Best Cosmetology Trade Schools in Kentucky

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2023 Best Cosmetology Trade Schools in Kentucky

14 Colleges
$16,669 Avg Salary
$10,013 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Cosmetology School for You

Out of the majors we analyze each year, cosmetology was ranked 9th in Kentucky. In fact, 1,003 were awarded in the state in 2021-2022.

When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for trade school students. 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.

The Best Cosmetology Trade Schools in Kentucky ranking is one of many tools that Trade College Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 14 schools in Kentucky to see which ones offered the best programs for trade school students.

View our full ranking methodology.

2023 Best Cosmetology Schools in Kentucky

Check out the cosmetology programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.

Top 10 Best Cosmetology Schools

Our analysis found Paul Mitchell the School Louisville to be the best school for cosmetology students who want to pursue a degree in Kentucky. Located in the suburb of Louisville, Paul Mitchell the School Louisville is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.

Read full report on Cosmetology at Paul Mitchell the School Louisville

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Empire Beauty School-Florence. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Trade Schools in Kentucky list. Empire Beauty School-Florence is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the large suburb of Florence.

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#3

Empire Beauty School-Dixie

Louisville, KY

The excellent programs at Empire Beauty School-Dixie helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best cosmetology schools in Kentucky. Empire Beauty School-Dixie is a small private for-profit school located in the large city of Louisville.

Full Cosmetology at Empire Beauty School-Dixie Report

Out of the 14 schools in Kentucky that were part of this year’s ranking, PJ’s College of Cosmetology-Bowling Green landed the # 4 spot on the list. Located in the small city of Bowling Green, PJ's College of Cosmetology-Bowling Green is a private for-profit school with a small student population.

Read full report on Cosmetology at PJ’s College of Cosmetology-Bowling Green

Out of the 14 schools in Kentucky that were part of this year’s ranking, Paul Mitchell the School Lexington landed the # 5 spot on the list. Paul Mitchell the School Lexington is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the city of Lexington.

Read full report on Cosmetology at Paul Mitchell the School Lexington

#6

Ideal Beauty Academy

Louisville, KY

Ideal Beauty Academy landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best cosmetology programs. Ideal Beauty Academy is a small private for-profit school located in the large suburb of Louisville.

Read full report on Cosmetology at Ideal Beauty Academy

PJ’s College of Cosmetology-Glasgow landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best cosmetology programs. Located in the town of Glasgow, PJ's College of Cosmetology-Glasgow is a private for-profit school with a small student population.

Full Cosmetology at PJ’s College of Cosmetology-Glasgow Report

American College of Barbering did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for cosmetology students. It came in at #8 on the list. American College of Barbering is a small private for-profit school located in the large city of Louisville.

Read full report on Cosmetology at American College of Barbering

Empire Beauty School-Elizabethtown did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for cosmetology students. It came in at #9 on the list. Empire Beauty School-Elizabethtown is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the city of Elizabethtown.

Full Cosmetology at Empire Beauty School-Elizabethtown Report

Summit Salon Academy - Lexington came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Cosmetology Trade Schools in Kentucky ranking. Summit Salon Academy Lexington is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the large city of Lexington.

Full Cosmetology at Summit Salon Academy - Lexington Report

Best Cosmetology Colleges in the Southeast Region

Explore all the Best Cosmetology Colleges in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that 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
Tennessee 2,270
Mississippi 872

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

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 14 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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