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2023 Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
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.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Trade College Search has created the Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 114 schools in the Great Lakes Region to see which ones offered the best value basic certificate programs for cosmetology students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.
This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.
For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
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2023 Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region
The colleges and universities below are the best value schools for cosmetology majors pursuing a basic certificate.
Top 25 Best Great Lakes Region Schools for Affordable Quality for an Award Taking Less Than 1 Year in Cosmetology
Our 2023 rankings named Chippewa Valley Technical College the best value school in the Great Lakes Region for cosmetology students working on their basic certificate. CVTC is a medium-sized public school located in the small city of Eau Claire.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at CVTC are $6,793 a year.
CVTC excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Read full report on Cosmetology at Chippewa Valley Technical College
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Waukesha County Technical College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. WCTC is a moderately-sized public school located in the large suburb of Pewaukee.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at WCTC are $6,722 per year.
WCTC also claimed a spot on our Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
Read full report on Cosmetology at Waukesha County Technical College
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Gateway Technical College. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in the midsize suburb of Kenosha, Gateway Technical College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Gateway Technical College are $6,917 per year.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Gateway Technical College also is in the top 15% of our Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking.
Read full report on Cosmetology at Gateway Technical College
The excellent basic certificate programs at Mid-State Technical College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best value cosmetology schools in the Great Lakes Region . Mid-State is a small public school located in the rural area of Wisconsin Rapids.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Mid-State are $6,850 per year.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in the rural area of Shell Lake, WITC is a public college with a small student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at WITC are $6,624 per year.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, WITC also did well on our Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Fox Valley Technical College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in the midsize suburb of Appleton, FVTC is a public school with a large student population.
FVTC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,977 in tuition and fees each year.
FVTC also took the #5 spot in our Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region rankings.
Read full report on Cosmetology at Fox Valley Technical College
Milwaukee Area Technical College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in the city of Milwaukee, MATC is a public college with a fairly large student population.
MATC undergraduate students pay an average of $7,018 in tuition and fees each year.
Read full report on Cosmetology at Milwaukee Area Technical College
Northern Michigan University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in the town of Marquette, Northern Michigan University is a public school with a medium-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Northern Michigan University are $18,570 per year.
Read full report on Cosmetology at Northern Michigan University
City Colleges of Chicago - Harry S Truman College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for cosmetology students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #9 on the list. Harry S Truman College is a medium-sized public school located in the large city of Chicago.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Harry S Truman College are $14,430 a year.
G Skin & Beauty Institute ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in the suburb of Oakbrook, Naperville Skin Institute is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
Read full report on Cosmetology at G Skin & Beauty Institute
With a ranking of #10, Paul Mitchell the School Farmington Hills did quite well on this year’s best value schools for cosmetology students working on their basic certificate. Paul Mitchell the School Farmington Hills is a small private for-profit school located in the small city of Farmington Hills.
Read full report on Cosmetology at Paul Mitchell the School Farmington Hills
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Rockford landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate cosmetology programs. Tricoci RFD is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the midsize city of Rockford.
Read full report on Cosmetology at Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Rockford
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Peoria ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Tricoci PEO is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Peoria.
Debutantes School of Cosmetology and Nail Technology landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate cosmetology programs. Debutantes School of Cosmetology and Nail Technology is a small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Dekalb.
Full Cosmetology at Debutantes School of Cosmetology and Nail Technology Report
Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Sterling 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. Located in the distant town of Sterling, Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Sterling is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
Full Cosmetology at Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Sterling Report
Summit Salon Academy - Anderson landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate cosmetology programs. Summit Salon Academy Anderson is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the small city of Anderson.
Michigan College of Beauty-Troy landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate cosmetology programs. Michigan College of Beauty-Troy is a small private for-profit school located in the small city of Troy.
Paul Mitchell the School Lombard came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in the suburb of Lombard, Paul Mitchell the School Lombard is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Indianapolis 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. Located in the large suburb of Indianapolis, Tricoci INE is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
Full Cosmetology at Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Indianapolis Report
With a ranking of #10, Paul Mitchell the School Michigan did quite well on this year’s best value schools for cosmetology students working on their basic certificate. Located in the large suburb of Sterling Heights, Paul Mitchell the School Michigan is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
Full Cosmetology at Paul Mitchell the School Michigan Report
Paul Mitchell the School Grand Rapids 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. Paul Mitchell the School Grand Rapids is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Kentwood.
Aveda Institute - Madison came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Aveda Institute - Madison is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Madison.
Read full report on Cosmetology at Aveda Institute - Madison
University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in the large city of Chicago, University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
Full Cosmetology at University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology Report
With a ranking of #10, Twin City Beauty College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for cosmetology students working on their basic certificate. Twin City Beauty College is a small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Saint Joseph.
PJ’s College of Cosmetology-Clarksville landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate cosmetology programs. Located in the suburb of Clarksville, PJ's College of Cosmetology-Clarksville is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.
Full Cosmetology at PJ’s College of Cosmetology-Clarksville Report
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 Majors for Cosmetology
Cosmetology is one of 4 different types of trade school programs to choose from.
Cosmetology Concentrations
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 114 schools only.
- 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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