RetrainMap / Training costs by state / California / Cosmetology
Free · the federal list, by published cost · California
Cosmetology programs in California on the federal training list, by published cost
59 programs in California’s Training Provider Results index carry one of the occupation codes for Cosmetology (39-5012). Published costs run from $0 to $23,650; 0 programs report no cost and sit at the end. Sorted by the cost each provider reported — “cheapest” here means the lowest published figure on the federal list on the snapshot date, not a verdict on quality, and never a price you are promised. Snapshot taken 2026-09-02.
| # | Published cost basis | Program (provider’s page) · credential · code | Provider · city | Length | Exited | Completed | Employed Q2 after exit | Median earnings, Q2 (one quarter) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $0 | San Diego Cosmetology Apprenticeship Program | San Diego Cosmetology Apprenticeship Program | 260 wk · 40 hrs | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | $966 | Cosmetology Specialist Esthetician | West Valley Occupational Center - LAUSD | 4 wk · 15 hrs | 287 | 90% | 47% | $9,200 |
| 3 | $990 | Cosmetology Specialist | Richard N. Slawson Occupational Center - LAUSD | 4 wk · 15 hrs | 52 | 69% | 79% | $9,200 |
| 4 | $1,146 | Cosmetology Specialist Hairstylist | West Valley Occupational Center - LAUSD | 4 wk · 15 hrs | 121 | 80% | 69% | $9,200 |
| 5 | $2,374 | Cosmetology | Baldwin Park Adult and Community Education | 28 wk · 36 hrs | 137 | 84% | 30% | $1,100 |
| 6 | $2,450 | Barber Apprenticeship | Hierarch Academy | 96 wk · 37 hrs | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | $2,575 | Cosmetology Apprenticeship | Hierarch Academy | 96 wk · 40 hrs | — | — | — | — |
| 8 | $2,913 | Esthetician | Hacienda La Puente Adult Education | 18 wk · 33 hrs | 255 | 91% | 76% | $10,696 |
| 9 | $3,000 | Paramedical | Elite Permanent Makeup & Cosmetology College | 1 wk · 15 hrs | 12 | 100% | 100% | $9,800 |
| 10 | $3,318 | Cosmetology (Certificate of Achievement) | Butte College | 34 wk · 35 hrs | 108 | 55% | 36% | $8,089 |
| 11 | $3,499 | San Bernardino Cuts Unilateral Apprenticeship Program | San Bernardino Cuts Unilateral Apprenticeship | 20 wk · 12 hrs | — | — | — | — |
| 12 | $3,663 | Cosmetology | Hacienda La Puente Adult Education | 35 wk · 29 hrs | 187 | 91% | 65% | $9,292 |
| 13 | $3,699 | Hair Lab Twenty-Four | Hair Lab Twenty-Four | 260 wk · 40 hrs | 11 | 100% | 100% | $16 |
| 14 | $4,200 | Microblading Course | Elite Permanent Makeup & Cosmetology College | 1 wk · 30 hrs | 433 | 73% | 74% | $6,306 |
| 15 | $4,500 | Refresher | The Brothers & Sisters BarberCosmo Academy | 10 wk · 40 hrs | — | — | — | — |
| 16 | $5,000 | Cosmetology | ABC Adult School | 45 wk · 22 hrs | 93 | 78% | 55% | $8,814 |
| 17 | $5,000 | Cosmetology | La Moda Apprenticeship Academy | 104 wk · 6 hrs | — | — | — | — |
| 18 | $5,000 | Cosmetology Apprenticeship | Simply Divine Apprentice Cosmetology and Barbering Training | 7 wk · 31 hrs | 21 | 95% | 62% | $4,506 |
| 19 | $5,200 | Cosmetology | Hesperia Unified School District - Hesperia Adult School | 44 wk · 24 hrs | 56 | 98% | 95% | $4,690 |
| 20 | $5,225 | Five Star Barber & Cosmo Academy | Five Star Barber & Cosmo Academy | 80 wk · 36 hrs | 109 | 36% | 100% | — |
| 21 | $5,315 | Cosmetology | East Los Angeles Skills Center - LAUSD | 30 wk · 40 hrs | 266 | 72% | 71% | $9,200 |
| 22 | $5,435 | Cosmetology | Abram Friedman Occupational Center-LAUSD | 34 wk · 29 hrs | 247 | 60% | 42% | $9,200 |
| 23 | $5,900 | Cosmetology Apprentice | Untouchable Apprentice Training | 104 wk · 31 hrs | — | — | — | — |
| 24 | $6,000 | Barber Crossover | The Brothers & Sisters BarberCosmo Academy | 8 wk · 40 hrs | 18 | 100% | 100% | — |
| 25 | $6,100 | Cosmetology Crossover | The Brothers & Sisters BarberCosmo Academy | 5 wk · 40 hrs | — | — | — | — |
| 26 | $6,130 | Cosmetology | West Valley Occupational Center - LAUSD | 40 wk · 25 hrs | 521 | 83% | 43% | $9,386 |
| 27 | $6,463 | Cosmetologist | Richard N. Slawson Occupational Center - LAUSD | 36 wk · 28 hrs | 169 | 85% | 82% | $9,200 |
| 28 | $6,900 | Permanent Makeup Triple Certificate Course | Elite Permanent Makeup & Cosmetology College | 3 wk · 18 hrs | 101 | 81% | 79% | $8,500 |
| 29 | $6,950 | Cosmetology | KZ Academy | 25 wk · 40 hrs | 73 | 84% | 76% | $19,800 |
| 30 | $7,000 | Cosmetology Apprenticeship | TNN Beauty Barber, Cosmetology, Permanent Makeup of CA & TC | 90 wk · 44 hrs | 81 | 100% | 100% | — |
| 31 | $7,000 | Cosmetology Apprentiship Program | Dental Tech, LLC. | 8 wk · 30 hrs | — | — | — | — |
| 32 | $7,250 | 5190 - Above The Rest Academy - Cosmetology | ABOVE THE REST ACADEMY | 99 wk · 40 hrs | 42 | 100% | — | — |
| 33 | $7,300 | Fourm Education Apprenticeship - Cosmetology | Fourm Education Apprenticeship | 99 wk · 40 hrs | 5 | — | — | — |
| 34 | $7,500 | The League XS Apprenticeship Academy of Cosmetology and Barbering | The League XS Apprenticeship Academy of Cosmetology and Barb | 80 wk · 8 hrs | 76 | 11% | 100% | — |
| 35 | $8,855 | Cosmetology | International Academy of Cosmetology | 52 wk · 19 hrs | 115 | 63% | 100% | $9,360 |
| 36 | $9,000 | Cosmetology | Watsonville/Aptos/Santa Cruz Adult Education | 17 wk · 30 hrs | 29 | 90% | 58% | $9,600 |
| 37 | $10,000 | Barber Course | Bakersfield Barber College, Inc. | 38 wk · 26 hrs | 54 | 83% | 53% | $6,744 |
| 38 | $10,000 | California Barbering & Cosmetology Unilateral Apprenticeship Committee | California Barbering & Cosmetology Unilateral Apprenticeship | 99 wk · 40 hrs | 13 | 85% | 50% | $3,822 |
| 39 | $11,235 | Cosmetology | Cosmetica Beauty and Barbering Academy | 60 wk · 17 hrs | 190 | 80% | 35% | $13,000 |
| 40 | $12,900 | Permanent Makeup Apprenticeship | TNN Beauty Barber, Cosmetology, Permanent Makeup of CA & TC | 80 wk · 25 hrs | 51 | 98% | 100% | — |
| 41 | $13,450 | Barber | Cosmotek College | 30 wk · 40 hrs | 33 | 100% | 89% | — |
| 42 | $13,675 | Cosmetology | Maiquela's Cosmetology Academy | 63 wk · 16 hrs | — | — | — | — |
| 43 | $13,872 | Cosmetology | American Beauty Academy | 40 wk · 40 hrs | 30 | 97% | 31% | $7,699 |
| 44 | $13,950 | Cosmetology | Cosmotek College | 30 wk · 40 hrs | 96 | 95% | 73% | — |
| 45 | $14,000 | Cosmetology (direct) | Marmel Beauty Academy, Inc. | 46 wk · 22 hrs | 24 | 92% | 74% | $9,875 |
| 46 | $14,000 | Cosmetology | SUTTER COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS | 36 wk · 27 hrs | 33 | 76% | 100% | $17,000 |
| 47 | $15,200 | Cosmetology | Paris Beauty School | 25 wk · 40 hrs | — | — | — | — |
| 48 | $15,450 | Cosmetology Course | Shasta School of Cosmetology | 42 wk · 24 hrs | 163 | 82% | 66% | $8,525 |
| 49 | $15,636 | Barbering | Institute of Technology | 50 wk · 40 hrs | 102 | 63% | 51% | $8,555 |
| 50 | $15,650 | Barbering Course (1000 Hours) | Shasta School of Cosmetology | 42 wk · 24 hrs | 45 | 80% | 69% | $7,962 |
| 51 | $15,935 | Cosmetology | LC Beauty College | 55 wk · 20 hrs | 21 | 95% | — | — |
| 52 | $16,371 | Cosmetology (50% DE) | International College of Beauty Arts & Sciences | 28 wk · 38 hrs | 56 | 88% | 80% | $7,860 |
| 53 | $16,520 | Cosmetology | Designs School of Cosmetology | 32 wk · 32 hrs | 245 | 76% | 56% | $3,475 |
| 54 | $16,765 | Cosmetology | Modern Beauty Academy | 50 wk · 30 hrs | — | — | — | — |
| 55 | $16,782 | Cosmetology | Los Angeles College of Aesthetics | 40 wk · 25 hrs | 73 | 67% | 28% | $6,750 |
| 56 | $16,900 | Cosmetology | Asel Beauty College, Inc. | 30 wk · 25 hrs | 64 | 92% | 59% | $6,875 |
| 57 | $18,450 | Cosmetology | Waynes College of Beauty | 48 wk · 35 hrs | 28 | 100% | 55% | $15,000 |
| 58 | $18,776 | Cosmetology Training Program 1000 Hours | Moler Barber College - OAKLAND main campus | 29 wk · 35 hrs | 75 | 56% | 44% | — |
| 59 | $23,650 | Cosmetology | San Francisco Institute of Esthetics & Cosmetology | 29 wk · 35 hrs | 228 | 71% | 70% | — |
Source and date: U.S. Department of Labor, Training Provider Results — the open program index behind trainingproviderresults.gov, snapshot taken 2026-09-02 (3,266 programs for California in the index that day); the site states the data cover programs approved as of June 30, 2025 and outcomes for July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2025. Cost is Out-of-Pocket Cost for a Non-WIOA Participant: Tuition and Requested Fees (DE111) where the provider reported it, otherwise Average number of dollars the training program received from each WIOA participant Individual Training Account (ITA) during the time period (DE138/DE135) — the basis is printed under each figure; books and supplies are added only when reported separately. “Completed” = Percent of All Students who completed the program (DE122/DE121); “Employed Q2” = Percent of All Students Exiters who were employed in the 2nd Quarter after Exit (DE123/DE129); “Median earnings” = Median Earnings in the 2nd Quarter after Exit of All Students that are Employed in the 2nd Quarter after Exit (DE125) — one calendar quarter, not a year. A dash means the federal file prints −1: Values displayed as "-1" indicate data that have been suppressed to protect confidentiality. Your local job center decides eligibility — this shows what is on the list and what it cost and produced, not whether you will be approved.
The list is free. The ranking by what each program produced is $39.
This page sorts cosmetology programs in California by the cost their providers published. The Retraining ROI report takes one target occupation and one state, ranks every listed program by the employment its completers reported, and — if you give your current pay — prints a payback estimate per program with its basis. Built on order from the same federal record; free sample on that page.
The $39 ROI report Free funding finder The $19 Directions plan
Other program types in California: CDL truck driving · Nursing assistant (CNA) · Medical assistant · LPN / LVN · Registered nurse (RN) · Phlebotomy · EMT / paramedic · Dental assistant · Pharmacy technician · Medical billing and coding · Surgical technologist · Radiologic technologist · Veterinary technician · HVAC · Welding · Electrician · Plumbing · Automotive technician · IT support.