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2023 Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools
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.
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which trade school program is right for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Trade College Search has developed this Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools ranking. This report analyzed 720 schools in the United States 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.
When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. 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.
Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. 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 United States
Check out the cosmetology basic certificate programs at these schools if you want to get the best value for your educational dollar.
Top 25 Best Schools for Affordable Quality for an Award Taking Less Than 1 Year in Cosmetology
Our analysis found Saint Paul College to be the best value school for cosmetology students who want to pursue a basic certificate in the United States. Located in the city of Saint Paul, Saint Paul College is a public school with a medium-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Saint Paul College are $6,318 per year.
In addition to its great value ranking, Saint Paul College is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools list.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Chippewa Valley Technical College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools list. CVTC is a medium-sized public school located in the small city of Eau Claire.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at CVTC are $6,793 per year.
CVTC also claimed a spot on our Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.
Full Cosmetology at Chippewa Valley Technical College Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lee College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools list. Lee College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Baytown.
Lee College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,302 in tuition and fees each year.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Lee College also did well on our Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Athens Technical College. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools list. Located in the midsize city of Athens, Athens Technical College is a public college with a small student population.
Athens Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,462 in tuition and fees each year.
The excellent basic certificate programs at Georgia Northwestern Technical College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best value cosmetology schools in the United States. Located in the city of Rome, Georgia Northwestern Technical College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
Georgia Northwestern Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,512 in tuition and fees each year.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Georgia Northwestern Technical College also is in the top 15% of our Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools ranking.
Waukesha County Technical College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools ranking. WCTC is a medium-sized public school located in the suburb of Pewaukee.
WCTC undergraduate students pay an average of $6,722 in tuition and fees each year.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, WCTC also is in the top 20% of our Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools ranking.
Read full report on Cosmetology at Waukesha County Technical College
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate cosmetology programs. Located in the suburb of Valdosta, Wiregrass Georgia Technical College is a public school with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College are $5,562 a year.
Full Cosmetology at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Report
Ridgewater College landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate cosmetology programs. Located in the town of Willmar, Ridgewater College is a public college with a small student population.
Ridgewater College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,114 in tuition and fees each year.
Kansas City Kansas Community College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools ranking. Kansas City Kansas Community College is a small public school located in the midsize city of Kansas City.
Kansas City Kansas Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,244 in tuition and fees each year.
Kansas City Kansas Community College also claimed a spot on our Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
Read full report on Cosmetology at Kansas City Kansas Community College
West Georgia Technical 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 #10 on the list. Located in the rural area of Waco, West Georgia Technical College is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at West Georgia Technical College are $5,522 a year.
Oconee Fall Line Technical 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 #11 on the list. OFTC is a small public school located in the rural area of Sandersville.
OFTC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,472 in tuition and fees each year.
Full Cosmetology at Oconee Fall Line Technical College Report
Gateway Technical College landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate cosmetology programs. Located in the suburb of Kenosha, Gateway Technical College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Gateway Technical College are $6,917 per year.
Gateway Technical College also claimed a spot on our Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
Mid-State Technical College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools list. Mid-State is a small public school located in the rural area of Wisconsin Rapids.
Mid-State undergraduate students pay an average of $6,850 in tuition and fees each year.
Central Georgia Technical 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 #14 on the list. Located in the small city of Warner Robins, CGTC is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.
CGTC undergraduate students pay an average of $5,482 in tuition and fees each year.
Savannah Technical College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools list. Savannah Tech is a small public school located in the medium-sized city of Savannah.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Savannah Tech are $5,442 a year.
Read full report on Cosmetology at Savannah Technical College
Houston Community College landed the #16 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate cosmetology programs. Located in the city of Houston, Houston Community College is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Houston Community College are $5,460 per year.
Wisconsin Indianhead Technical 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 #17 on the list. Located in the rural area of Shell Lake, WITC is a public school with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at WITC are $6,624 a year.
WITC also claimed a spot on our Best Cosmetology Basic Certificate Trade Schools list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
Ogeechee Technical College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools list. Located in the distant town of Statesboro, Ogeechee Technical College is a public college with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Ogeechee Technical College are $5,540 a year.
Del Mar College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools ranking. DMC is a medium-sized public school located in the city of Corpus Christi.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at DMC are $5,990 per year.
Southern Crescent Technical 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 #20 on the list. Located in the suburb of Griffin, Southern Crescent Technical College is a public school with a medium-sized student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Southern Crescent Technical College are $5,526 per year.
Full Cosmetology at Southern Crescent Technical College Report
Howard 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 #21 on the list. Howard County Junior College is a small public school located in the town of Big Spring.
Howard County Junior College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,030 in tuition and fees each year.
Pickens Technical College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools list. Pickens Technical College is a fairly small public school located in the large city of Aurora.
Pickens Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $8,830 in tuition and fees each year.
Georgia Piedmont Technical 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 #23 on the list. Located in the suburb of Clarkston, Georgia Piedmont Technical College is a public college with a small student population.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Georgia Piedmont Technical College are $5,558 per year.
Augusta Technical 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 #24 on the list. Located in the city of Augusta, Augusta Technical College is a public college with a small student population.
Augusta Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,662 in tuition and fees each year.
Frank Phillips 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 #25 on the list. Located in the distant town of Borger, FPC is a public school with a small student population.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at FPC are $4,882 a year.
Rest of the Top 50 Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools
Remaining Award Winners
This section shows the remainder of the schools awarded a Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools badge. Showing in this list means the college was ranked in the top 15% of the 720 different United States cosmetology schools we analyzed.
Additional Noteworthy Schools
Here are some additional great value schools for Cosmetology students seeking value that almost earned our Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|
Cosmetology by Region
View the Best Value Cosmetology Basic Certificate Schools for a specific region near you.
| Region |
|---|
| Southeast |
| New England |
| Rocky Mountains |
| Plains States |
| Middle Atlantic |
| Far Western US |
| Southwest |
| Other U.S. Territories |
| Great Lakes |
Cosmetology Related Majors for Cosmetology
Cosmetology is one of 4 different types of trade school programs to choose from.
Cosmetology Concentrations
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.
- 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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