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Best Cosmetology Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in North Carolina

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2023 Best Cosmetology Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in North Carolina

28 Colleges
$17,041 Avg Salary
$8,995 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Cosmetology Undergraduate Certificate School for You

Out of the majors we analyze each year, cosmetology was ranked 4th in North Carolina. In fact, 2,549 were awarded in the state in 2021-2022.

With all the trade school programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best 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.

To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Trade College Search has created its Best Cosmetology Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in North Carolina ranking. Our analysis looked at 28 schools in North Carolina to see which undergraduate certificate programs offered the best educational experiences for trade school students.

View our full ranking methodology.

2023 Best Cosmetology Undergraduate Certificate Schools in North Carolina

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

Top 10 Best Cosmetology Undergraduate Certificate Schools

Our 2023 rankings named Paul Mitchell the School Raleigh the best school in North Carolina for cosmetology students working on their undergraduate certificate. Located in the large city of Raleigh, Paul Mitchell the School Raleigh is a private for-profit school with a small student population.

On average, cosmetology graduates from Paul Mitchell the School Raleigh take out $12,565 in student loans while working on their Undergraduate Certificate.

Full Cosmetology at Paul Mitchell the School Raleigh Report

#2

Aveda Institute - Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Aveda Institute - Chapel Hill. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in North Carolina list. Aveda Institute - Chapel Hill is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the city of Chapel Hill.

Cosmetology majors at Aveda Institute - Chapel Hill take out an average of $9,150 in student loans while working on their Undergraduate Certificate. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $146.

Full Cosmetology at Aveda Institute - Chapel Hill Report

A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Elevate Salon Institute - Durham is a great place for cosmetology students working on their undergraduate certificate. Elevate Salon Institute - Durham is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the large city of Durham.

While working on their Undergraduate Certificate, cosmetology majors at Elevate Salon Institute - Durham accumulate an average of around $7,889 in student debt.

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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Alexander Paul Institute of Hair Design. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Cosmetology Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in North Carolina list. Located in the city of Greenville, Alexander Paul Institute is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.

Read full report on Cosmetology at Alexander Paul Institute of Hair Design

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Mitchell’s Academy - Raleigh. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in North Carolina list. Located in the medium-sized city of Raleigh, Mitchell's Academy is a private for-profit college with a small student population.

The average amount in student loans that cosmetology majors at Mitchell's Academy take out while working on their Undergraduate Certificate is $5,789.

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Pinnacle Institute of Cosmetology did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for cosmetology students to get a undergraduate certificate. It came in at #6 on the list. Located in the suburb of Mooresville, Pinnacle Institute of Cosmetology is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.

The average amount in student loans that cosmetology majors at Pinnacle Institute of Cosmetology take out while working on their Undergraduate Certificate is $12,390.

Full Cosmetology at Pinnacle Institute of Cosmetology Report

#7

Health and Style Institute

Greensboro, NC

Health and Style Institute did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for cosmetology students to get a undergraduate certificate. It came in at #7 on the list. Health and Style Institute is a small private for-profit school located in the large city of Greensboro.

Cosmetology majors at Health and Style Institute take out an average of $9,115 in student loans while working on their Undergraduate Certificate. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $98.

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Mitchell’s Academy - Wilson did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for cosmetology students to get a undergraduate certificate. It came in at #8 on the list. Located in the fringe town of Wilson, Mitchell's Academy is a private for-profit college with a small student population.

The average amount in student loans that cosmetology majors at Mitchell's Academy take out while working on their Undergraduate Certificate is $5,789.

Full Cosmetology at Mitchell’s Academy - Wilson Report

Empire Beauty School-West Greensboro ranked #9 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in North Carolina list. Located in the large city of Greensboro, Empire Beauty School-West Greensboro is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.

The average amount in student loans that cosmetology majors at Empire Beauty School-West Greensboro take out while working on their Undergraduate Certificate is $12,906. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $81.

Read full report on Cosmetology at Empire Beauty School-West Greensboro

Empire Beauty School-Pineville did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for cosmetology students to get a undergraduate certificate. It came in at #10 on the list. Empire Beauty School-Pineville is a small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Charlotte.

After completing their Undergraduate Certificate, cosmetology graduates from Empire Beauty School-Pineville carry an average student debtload of $12,856. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $79, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

Read full report on Cosmetology at Empire Beauty School-Pineville

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
Florida 10,801
West Virginia 377
Louisiana 3,726
Virginia 1,085
Alabama 821
Kentucky 1,003
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

Majors Similar 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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