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Best Value Cosmetology Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Colorado

2023 Best Value Cosmetology Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Colorado

Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices

19 Colleges
$7,303 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$17,041 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Cosmetology Undergraduate Certificate School for You

Out of the majors we analyze each year, cosmetology was ranked 4th in Colorado. In fact, 1,843 were awarded in the state in 2021-2022.

When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for trade school students. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent.

Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Trade College Search has created the Best Value Cosmetology Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Colorado to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 19 schools in Colorado to see which ones offered the best value undergraduate 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.

Top 10 Best Cosmetology Undergraduate Certificate Schools

Our 2023 rankings named Pickens Technical College the best value school in Colorado for cosmetology students working on their undergraduate certificate. Pickens Technical College is a small public school located in the large city of Aurora.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Pickens Technical College are $4,930 per year.

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#2

Arapahoe Community College

Littleton, CO

Out of the 19 schools in Colorado that were part of this year’s ranking, Arapahoe Community College landed the # 2 spot on the list. Located in the suburb of Littleton, Arapahoe Community College is a public school with a fairly large student population.

Arapahoe Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,080 in in-state tuition and fees each year.

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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Trinidad State Junior College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Cosmetology Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Colorado list. Located in the town of Trinidad, Trinidad State Junior College is a public school with a small student population.

Trinidad State Junior College undergraduate students pay an average of $5,240 in in-state tuition and fees each year.

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#4

IBMC College

Fort Collins, CO

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend IBMC College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Cosmetology Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Colorado list. IBMC is a small private for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of Fort Collins.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at IBMC are $14,960 per year. While working on their Undergraduate Certificate, cosmetology majors at IBMC accumulate an average of around $8,428 in student debt. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $81.

IBMC also took the #1 spot in our Best Cosmetology Undergraduate Certificate Trade Schools in Colorado rankings.

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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Empire Beauty School-Thornton. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Cosmetology Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Colorado list. Located in the large suburb of Thornton, Empire Beauty School-Thornton is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.

On average, cosmetology graduates from Empire Beauty School-Thornton take out $11,800 in student loans while working on their Undergraduate Certificate. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $72, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

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#5

International Salon and Spa Academy

Colorado Springs, CO

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend International Salon and Spa Academy. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Cosmetology Undergraduate Certificate Schools in Colorado list. International Salon and Spa Academy is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Colorado Springs.

After completing their Undergraduate Certificate, cosmetology graduates from International Salon and Spa Academy carry an average student debtload of $6,817.

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Out of the 19 schools in Colorado that were part of this year’s ranking, Elevate Salon Institute - Westminster landed the # 5 spot on the list. Elevate Salon Institute - Westminster is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Westminster.

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A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Paul Mitchell the School Denver is a great value for cosmetology students working on their undergraduate certificate. Paul Mitchell the School Denver is a small private for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of Lakewood.

On average, cosmetology graduates from Paul Mitchell the School Denver take out $11,382 in student loans while working on their Undergraduate Certificate.

Full Cosmetology at Paul Mitchell the School Denver Report

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Out of the 19 schools in Colorado that were part of this year’s ranking, Cheeks Beauty Academy-Forty Collins landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in the suburb of Loveland, Cheeks Beauty Academy is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.

Cosmetology majors at Cheeks Beauty Academy take out an average of $7,363 in student loans while working on their Undergraduate Certificate.

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A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy-Colorado Springs is a great value for cosmetology students working on their undergraduate certificate. Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy-Colorado Springs is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the city of Colorado Springs.

The average amount in student loans that cosmetology majors at Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy-Colorado Springs take out while working on their Undergraduate Certificate is $12,799. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $108.

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Best Value Cosmetology Colleges in the Rocky Mountains Region

Explore all the Best Value Cosmetology Schools in the Rocky Mountains Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
Utah 2,876
Idaho 1,174
Montana 184
Wyoming 65

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 19 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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