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2025 Best Cosmetology Schools in California

4 Colleges in California
14,111 Cosmetology Degrees Awarded
$17,300 Avg Early-Career Salary
Cosmetology is about average in terms of popularity for degree programs. That is, it ranks #226 out of the 395 majors across the country that we analyze each year. As such, the degree program isn't offered at every college in the United States, but there are schools that do have a program in the field that are top-notch when it comes to quality.

College Factual reviewed 4 schools in California to determine which ones were the best for degree seekers in the field of cosmetology. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 14,111 degrees in cosmetology annually.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Cosmetology School

Best Cosmetology Schools in California The cosmetology program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Cosmetology rankings. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for cosmetology schools, we combine our degree-level rankings, weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each level.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

Pick Your Cosmetology Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Cosmetology

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Cosmetology Schools in California list, to help you choose the best school for you. You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.

In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.

More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.

Best Schools for Cosmetology in California

Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the cosmetology degree levels they offer.

Top California Schools in Cosmetology

1
Golden West College crest
Golden West College
Huntington Beach, CA
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
2nd Most Popular In CA
55 Cosmetology Degrees Awarded

Golden West College is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in cosmetology. Golden West College is a fairly large public college located in the large suburb of Huntington Beach. A Best Colleges rank of #373 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Golden West College is a great college overall.

There were about 55 cosmetology students who graduated with this degree at Golden West College in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in cosmetology from Golden West College

2
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
95 Cosmetology Degrees Awarded
$23,253 Median Starting Salary

San Jose City College is a great decision for students pursuing a degree in cosmetology. Located in the city of San Jose, San Jose City College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population. This college ranks 123rd out of 161 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were roughly 95 cosmetology students who graduated with this degree at San Jose City College in the most recent year we have data available. Cosmetology degree recipients from San Jose City College receive an earnings boost of about $5,953 over the typical earnings of cosmetology majors.

More information about a degree in cosmetology from San Jose City College

3
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
71 Cosmetology Degrees Awarded
32.4% Growth in Graduates

Riverside City College is a good option for students interested in a degree in cosmetology. Riverside City College is a fairly large public college located in the city of Riverside. A Best Colleges rank of #576 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Riverside City College is a great college overall.

There were about 71 cosmetology students who graduated with this degree at Riverside City College in the most recent data year. Soon after graduating, cosmetology degree recipients usually earn around $13,431 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in cosmetology from Riverside City College

4
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
6th Most Popular In CA
100 Cosmetology Degrees Awarded

Any student who is interested in cosmetology needs to look into Los Angeles Trade Technical College. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Trade Technical College is a public college with a fairly large student population. This college ranks 140th out of 161 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were about 100 cosmetology students who graduated with this degree at Los Angeles Trade Technical College in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in cosmetology from Los Angeles Trade Technical College

Best Cosmetology Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Explore all the Best Cosmetology Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Washington 300 152
Oregon 266 11
Hawaii 164 20

View All Rankings >

Cosmetology is one of 4 different types of Personal & Culinary Services programs to choose from.

Cosmetology Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Aesthetician/Esthetician & Skin Care Specialist 5,247
General Cosmetology/Cosmetologist 4,769
Nail Technician/Specialist & Manicurist 2,202
Barbering/Barber 1,455
Master Aesthetician/Esthetician 219
Facial Treatment Specialist/Facialist 106
Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, & Nail Instructor 65
Other Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Arts 48

View All Cosmetology Focus Areas >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Culinary Arts 1,794
Other Personal & Culinary Services 84
Funeral & Mortuary Science 59

View All Cosmetology Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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