Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services programs in Wisconsin
31 schools in Wisconsin teach this, at certificate or associate level. 23 of them report what graduates earn two years out; the highest is $27,048 at Waukesha County Technical College.
What this work pays in Wisconsin
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists in Wisconsin earn a median of $36,230 a year across 6,260 jobs. That is what the occupation pays everyone in it — not what graduates of any one program below earned.
| Also leads to | Median | Jobs in Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers | $46,350 | 4,740 |
| Manicurists and Pedicurists | $36,680 | 2,350 |
| Skincare Specialists | $46,220 | 1,190 |
| Barbers | $36,540 | 450 |
| Personal Service Managers, All Other | $104,860 | 60 |
Occupation wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.
Schools
| School | Credential | Median debt | Graduate earnings, 2 yrs | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waukesha County Technical College Pewaukee | Undergraduate certificate | $8,675 | $27,048 (13 grads) | 43 |
| The Institute of Beauty and Wellness Milwaukee | Undergraduate certificate | $6,333 | $23,923 (195 grads) | 180 |
| The Institute of Beauty and Wellness Madison Madison | Undergraduate certificate | $6,333 | $23,923 (195 grads) | 79 |
| First Class Cosmetology School Beloit | Undergraduate certificate | $10,194 | $22,871 (38 grads) | 76 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Milwaukee Wauwatosa | Undergraduate certificate | $10,666 | $21,891 (99 grads) | 27 |
| Chippewa Valley Technical College Eau Claire | Undergraduate certificate | $8,174 | $21,660 (30 grads) | 28 |
| The Salon Professional Academy-Appleton Appleton | Undergraduate certificate | $10,311 | $21,632 (45 grads) | 43 |
| The Salon Professional Academy-Kenosha Kenosha | Undergraduate certificate | $10,194 | $21,234 (77 grads) | 64 |
| The Salon Professional Academy-Onalaska Onalaska | Undergraduate certificate | $12,000 | $21,166 (71 grads) | 47 |
| VICI Beauty School Greenfield | Undergraduate certificate | $6,216 | $21,102 (263 grads) | 98 |
| Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Fennimore | Undergraduate certificate | — | $20,824 (26 grads) | 12 |
| State College of Beauty Culture Wausau | Undergraduate certificate | — | $19,358 (15 grads) | 44 |
| Gateway Technical College Kenosha | Undergraduate certificate | $6,334 | $18,315 (30 grads) | 59 |
| Northwood Technical College Rice Lake | Undergraduate certificate | $5,500 | $17,859 (32 grads) | 39 |
| Empire Beauty School-Green Bay Ashwaubenon | Undergraduate certificate | $12,500 | $17,848 (900 grads) | 27 |
| Empire Beauty School-Milwaukee Milwaukee | Undergraduate certificate | $12,500 | $17,848 (900 grads) | 93 |
| Mid-State Technical College Wisconsin Rapids | Undergraduate certificate | $5,250 | $17,128 (11 grads) | 30 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Janesville Janesville | Undergraduate certificate | $13,333 | $16,663 (31 grads) | 61 |
| Milwaukee Area Technical College Milwaukee | Undergraduate certificate | $9,500 | $15,817 (11 grads) | 69 |
| Moraine Park Technical College Fond du Lac | Undergraduate certificate | — | $14,442 (15 grads) | 25 |
| Academy of Beauty Professionals Madison | Undergraduate certificate | $9,833 | $13,331 (34 grads) | 45 |
| Academy of Beauty Professionals Appleton | Undergraduate certificate | $9,833 | $13,331 (34 grads) | 54 |
| Academy of Beauty Professionals Green Bay | Undergraduate certificate | $9,833 | $13,331 (34 grads) | 67 |
| Advanced College of Cosmetology Waupun | Undergraduate certificate | $11,110 | not published | 15 |
| Madison Area Technical College Madison | Undergraduate certificate | $8,875 | not published | 29 |
| The Professional Hair Design Academy Eau Claire | Undergraduate certificate | $10,500 | not published | 25 |
| Fox Valley Technical College Appleton | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 40 |
| Milwaukee Area Technical College Milwaukee | Associate's degree | — | not published | — |
| Nicolet Area Technical College Rhinelander | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 6 |
| Northcentral Technical College Wausau | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 11 |
| Waukesha County Technical College Pewaukee | Associate's degree | — | not published | 5 |
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.
Email me when these figures change
The U.S. Department of Education publishes new cost, debt and earnings figures once a year, and every number on this page changes at once. One email when that happens for Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services — nothing else, and nothing in between.
Program and outcome figures: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, released 2026-06-10.