Program Payoff

Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services programs in Illinois

78 schools in Illinois teach this, at certificate or associate level. 44 of them report what graduates earn two years out; the highest is $25,967 at Universal Spa Training Academy.

What this work pays in Illinois

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists in Illinois earn a median of $34,040 a year across 13,190 jobs. That is what the occupation pays everyone in it — not what graduates of any one program below earned.

Also leads toMedianJobs in Illinois
Skincare Specialists$45,3302,960
First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers$49,1502,670
Manicurists and Pedicurists$37,0502,470
Shampooers$34,190240
Personal Service Managers, All Other$63,500100

Occupation wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

Schools

SchoolCredentialMedian debtGraduate earnings, 2 yrsGraduates
Universal Spa Training Academy Downers Grove Undergraduate certificate $7,917 $25,967 (107 grads) 123
G Skin & Beauty Institute Oakbrook Undergraduate certificate $7,917 $22,040 (243 grads) 280
University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology Chicago Undergraduate certificate $7,917 $21,508 (37 grads) 29
The Aveda Institute of Beauty and Wellness Chicago Chicago Undergraduate certificate $7,917 $20,796 (146 grads) 99
Cosmetology & Spa Academy Crystal Lake Undergraduate certificate $9,833 $20,140 (25 grads) 235
The University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology Downers Grove Undergraduate certificate $7,917 $19,749 (35 grads) 33
Hair Professionals School of Cosmetology Oswego Undergraduate certificate $9,833 $19,683 (40 grads) 46
G Skin & Beauty Institute Schaumburg Undergraduate certificate $6,333 $19,592 (181 grads) 375
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NE Chicago Undergraduate certificate $9,000 $19,144 (164 grads) 56
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Glendale Heights Glendale Heights Undergraduate certificate $9,000 $19,144 (164 grads) 82
Cameo Beauty Academy Oak Lawn Undergraduate certificate $11,268 $18,923 (52 grads) 22
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Bridgeview Bridgeview Undergraduate certificate $7,307 $18,680 (168 grads) 265
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Rockford Rockford Undergraduate certificate $7,307 $18,666 (98 grads) 117
Pivot Point Academy Bloomingdale Undergraduate certificate $9,833 $18,483 (171 grads) 97
Paul Mitchell the School-Tinley Park Tinley Park Undergraduate certificate $8,722 $18,474 (219 grads) 115
Paul Mitchell the School-Chicago Chicago Undergraduate certificate $12,513 $18,345 (326 grads) 74
Capri Beauty College Oak Forest Undergraduate certificate $9,833 $18,066 (127 grads) 19
Capri Beauty College New Lenox Undergraduate certificate $9,833 $18,066 (127 grads) 33
Estelle Skin Care and Spa Institute Skokie Undergraduate certificate $7,645 $17,794 (111 grads) 129
Debutantes School of Cosmetology and Nail Technology Dekalb Undergraduate certificate $7,573 $17,343 (22 grads) 29
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW Chicago Undergraduate certificate $7,307 $17,231 (171 grads) 127
Hair Professionals Career College Sycamore Undergraduate certificate $9,833 $17,118 (33 grads) 21
Oehrlein School of Cosmetology East Peoria Undergraduate certificate $9,833 $17,067 (49 grads) 26
Cosmetology Concepts Niles Niles Undergraduate certificate $16,786 (28 grads) 9
Empire Beauty School-Stone Park Stone Park Undergraduate certificate $13,583 $16,527 (1,029 grads) 52
Empire Beauty School-Vernon Hills Vernon Hills Undergraduate certificate $13,583 $16,527 (1,029 grads) 33
University of Spa & Cosmetology Arts Springfield Undergraduate certificate $4,584 $16,443 (88 grads) 106
Professional's Choice Hair Design Academy Joliet Undergraduate certificate $8,645 $16,169 (30 grads) 14
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Elgin Elgin Undergraduate certificate $9,000 $15,805 (130 grads) 78
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Libertyville Libertyville Undergraduate certificate $9,000 $15,805 (130 grads) 88
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Normal Normal Undergraduate certificate $7,307 $15,552 (108 grads) 67
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Peoria Peoria Undergraduate certificate $7,307 $15,552 (108 grads) 70
Midwest Technical Institute-Illinois Springfield Undergraduate certificate $11,450 $15,398 (94 grads) 13
Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Rockford Rockford Undergraduate certificate $9,833 $15,182 (100 grads) 34
Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Sterling Sterling Undergraduate certificate $9,833 $15,182 (100 grads) 26
Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Peru PERU Undergraduate certificate $9,500 $15,090 (36 grads) 25
Hair Professionals Career College Palos Hills Undergraduate certificate $8,203 $14,879 (58 grads) 51
John Amico School of Hair Design Oak Forest Undergraduate certificate $7,917 $14,299 (112 grads) 136
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture Urbana Undergraduate certificate $9,000 $13,365 (38 grads) 76
Rosel School of Cosmetology Niles Undergraduate certificate $12,776 (13 grads) 48
Networks Barber College Calumet City Undergraduate certificate $9,833 $10,740 (13 grads) 14
Larry's Barber College Chicago Undergraduate certificate $3,481 $10,067 (36 grads) 34
Larry's Barber College Chicago Undergraduate certificate $3,481 $10,067 (36 grads) 20
Larry's Barber College-Joliet Joliet Undergraduate certificate $3,481 $10,067 (36 grads) 4
City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College Chicago Undergraduate certificate not published 32
Lake Land College Mattoon Undergraduate certificate not published 32
Phipps Academy of Barbering Richton Park Undergraduate certificate $10,389 not published 11
Trenz Beauty Academy Calumet City Undergraduate certificate $16,500 not published 168
Cannella School of Hair Design-Chicago Chicago Undergraduate certificate not published 20
Cannella School of Hair Design-Chicago Chicago Associate's degree not published
Cannella School of Hair Design-Villa Park Villa Park Undergraduate certificate not published 23
Capital Area Career Center Springfield Undergraduate certificate not published
Carl Sandburg College Galesburg Undergraduate certificate not published 0
Carl Sandburg College Galesburg Associate's degree not published 0
City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College Chicago Associate's degree not published 1
College of DuPage Glen Ellyn Undergraduate certificate not published 11
College of DuPage Glen Ellyn Associate's degree not published 13
Creative Touch Cosmetology School Waterloo Undergraduate certificate not published 6
Gem City College Quincy Undergraduate certificate not published 21
Highland Community College Freeport Undergraduate certificate not published 12
Illinois Eastern Community Colleges Olney Undergraduate certificate not published 9
John A Logan College Carterville Undergraduate certificate not published 19
John A Logan College Carterville Associate's degree not published 2
Joliet Junior College Joliet Undergraduate certificate not published 0
Kaskaskia College Centralia Undergraduate certificate not published 15
Kaskaskia College Centralia Associate's degree not published 0
Kishwaukee College Malta Undergraduate certificate not published 8
Larry's Barber College Chicago Associate's degree not published
Ms Roberts Academy of Beauty Culture Hillside Undergraduate certificate not published 25
Reflections Academy of Beauty Decatur Undergraduate certificate not published 14
Rend Lake College Ina Undergraduate certificate not published 23
Rend Lake College Ina Associate's degree not published 2
Shawnee Community College Ullin Undergraduate certificate not published 6
Shawnee Community College Ullin Associate's degree not published 0
South Suburban College South Holland Undergraduate certificate not published 9
South Suburban College South Holland Associate's degree not published 1
Southeastern Illinois College Harrisburg Undergraduate certificate not published 6
Steven Papageorge Hair Academy Chicago Undergraduate certificate not published 20

A dash under earnings or debt means the U.S. Department of Education has not published a figure for that program — it withholds any median computed from too few graduates, which covers about four of every five programs. It never means zero, and it says nothing about whether the program is any good. Where a figure is shown, the number of graduates behind it is shown with it.

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Program and outcome figures: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, released 2026-06-10.