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Most Popular Cosmetology Associate Degree Trade Schools in North Carolina

2023 Most Popular Cosmetology Associate Degree Trade Schools in North Carolina

35 Colleges
$16,507 Avg Salary
$12,253 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Cosmetology Associate Degree 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.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Trade College Search has developed this Most Popular Cosmetology Associate Degree Trade Schools in North Carolina ranking. This report analyzed 35 schools in North Carolina to see which ones were the most popular associate degree programs for trade school students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from the Cosmetology program at each school on the list.

Check out the cosmetology associate degree programs at these schools if you want to attend one of the most popular in North Carolina.

Our analysis found Fayetteville Technical Community College to be the most popular school for cosmetology students who want to pursue a associate degree in North Carolina. FTCC is a fairly large public school located in the midsize city of Fayetteville.

Cosmetology majors at FTCC take out an average of $20,615 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

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The in-demand associate degree programs at Central Piedmont Community College helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the most popular cosmetology schools in North Carolina. Central Piedmont Community College is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Charlotte.

Of the 17 students majoring in cosmetology at Central Piedmont Community College, 6% are male and 94% are female.

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A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Wake Technical Community College is a great place for cosmetology students working on their associate degree. Located in the suburb of Raleigh, Wake Technical Community College is a public school with a fairly large student population.

Full Cosmetology at Wake Technical Community College Report

The in-demand associate degree programs at Central Carolina Community College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the most popular cosmetology schools in North Carolina. Located in the town of Sanford, Central Carolina Community College is a public school with a medium-sized student population.

Full Cosmetology at Central Carolina Community College Report

#5

Gaston College

Dallas, NC

The in-demand associate degree programs at Gaston College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the most popular cosmetology schools in North Carolina. Located in the medium-sized suburb of Dallas, Gaston College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

Full Cosmetology at Gaston College Report

Sandhills Community College ranked #6 on this year’s Most Popular Cosmetology Associate Degree Trade Schools in North Carolina list. SCC is a small public school located in the rural area of Pinehurst.

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Haywood Community College ranked #7 on this year’s Most Popular Cosmetology Associate Degree Trade Schools in North Carolina list. Haywood Community College is a small public school located in the suburb of Clyde.

Read full report on Cosmetology at Haywood Community College

#7

Robeson Community College

Lumberton, NC

Robeson Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for cosmetology students to get a associate degree. It came in at #7 on the list. Located in the distant town of Lumberton, Robeson Community College is a public school with a small student population.

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Western Piedmont Community College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Cosmetology Associate Degree Trade Schools in North Carolina ranking. WPCC is a small public school located in the city of Morganton.

Full Cosmetology at Western Piedmont Community College Report

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Cosmetology Associate Degree Trade Schools in North Carolina ranking. A-B Tech is a moderately-sized public school located in the small city of Asheville.

Cosmetology majors at A-B Tech take out an average of $14,650 in student loans while working on their Associate Degree.

Read full report on Cosmetology at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College

Best Cosmetology Colleges in the Southeast Region

Explore all the Most Popular Cosmetology Colleges in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
South Carolina 1,516
Georgia 4,283
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 26 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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