In California, most cosmetology program projects cost between $10,000 and $30,000 per program, with a typical price near $18,000. Local labour, permits and materials move the final price, so treat the range below as a planning guide.
Typical cosmetology program cost
$10,000 – $30,000
per program · typical $18,000
A general planning range, not a quotation.
Cosmetology program cost breakdown
- Public technical school$10,000 – $20,000typical $15,000
- Private beauty school$18,000 – $30,000typical $25,000
- Fast-track program$12,000 – $22,000typical $17,000
At a glance
- Typical range$10,000 – $30,000
- Unitper program
- Cities covered200
What Cosmetology Programs costs
Covers tuition for a state-licensed cosmetology program, typically 1,500 hours and 9-12 months. Includes kits, textbooks, and some licensing fees. Costs vary by school and location.
By city in California
- Adelanto
- Alameda
- Alhambra
- Aliso Viejo
- Altadena
- Anaheim
- Antelope
- Antioch
- Apple Valley
- Arcadia
- Arden-Arcade
- Azusa
- Bakersfield
- Baldwin Park
- Bell Gardens
- Bellflower
- Berkeley
- Brea
- Buena Park
- Burbank
- Calexico
- Camarillo
- Campbell
- Carlsbad
- Carmichael
- Carson
- Castro Valley
- Cathedral City
- Ceres
- Cerritos
- Chico
- Chino
- Chino Hills
- Chula Vista
- Citrus Heights
- Claremont
- Clovis
- Coachella
- Colton
- Compton
- Corona
- Costa Mesa
- Covina
- Culver City
- Cupertino
- Cypress
- Daly City
- Danville
- Davis
- Delano
- Diamond Bar
- Downey
- Dublin
- East Los Angeles
- Eastvale
- El Cajon
- El Centro
- El Dorado Hills
- El Monte
- El Paso de Robles
- Elk Grove
- Encinitas
- Escondido
- Fairfield
- Florence-Graham
- Florin
- Folsom
- Fontana
- Foothill Farms
- Fountain Valley
- Fremont
- French Valley
- Fresno
- Fullerton
- Garden Grove
- Gardena
- Gilroy
- Glendora
- Hacienda Heights
- Hanford
- Hawthorne
- Hayward
- Hemet
- Hesperia
- Highland
- Hollister
- Huntington Beach
- Huntington Park
- Indio
- Inglewood
- Irvine
- Jurupa Valley
- La Habra
- La Mesa
- La Mirada
- La Presa
- La Puente
- La Quinta
- Laguna Niguel
- Lake Elsinore
- Lake Forest
- Livermore
- Lodi
- Lompoc
- Long Beach
- Los Angeles
- Los Banos
- Lynwood
- Madera
- Manteca
- Martinez
- Menifee
- Merced
- Milpitas
- Mission Viejo
- Modesto
- Monrovia
- Montclair
- Montebello
- Monterey Park
- Moorpark
- Moreno Valley
- Morgan Hill
- Mountain View
- Murrieta
- Napa
- National City
- Newport Beach
- North Highlands
- Norwalk
- Novato
- Oakland
- Oakley
- Oceanside
- Ontario
- Orange
- Oxnard
- Pacifica
- Palm Desert
- Palm Springs
- Palmdale
- Palo Alto
- Paramount
- Perris
- Petaluma
- Pico Rivera
- Pittsburg
- Placentia
- Pleasanton
- Pomona
- Porterville
- Poway
- Rancho Cordova
- Rancho Cucamonga
- Rancho Palos Verdes
- Rancho Santa Margarita
- Redding
- Redlands
- Redondo Beach
- Redwood City
- Rialto
- Riverside
- Rocklin
- Rohnert Park
- Rosemead
- Roseville
- Rowland Heights
- Sacramento
- Salinas
- San Bernardino
- San Bruno
- San Buenaventura
- San Clemente
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Gabriel
- San Jacinto
- San Jose
- San Leandro
- San Luis Obispo
- San Marcos
- San Mateo
- San Rafael
- San Ramon
- Santa Ana
- Santa Barbara
- Santa Clara
- Santa Clarita
- Santa Cruz
- Santa Maria
- Santa Monica
- Santa Rosa
- Santee
- Seaside
- Simi Valley
- South Gate
- South San Francisco
- South Whittier
- Stanton
- Stockton
Frequently asked questions
What's the average cosmetology school cost?
Typically $10,000–$30,000 for tuition and fees. Private schools are pricier but may offer more modern facilities.
What's included?
Tuition, student kit (brushes, tools), textbooks, and sometimes salon supplies. Licensing exam fees may be extra.
How to pay for it?
Federal financial aid, scholarships, and beauty school-specific loans. Some schools offer payment plans.