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Cosmetology schools in Illinois
Illinois has 71 accredited campuses awarding cosmetology credentials. If you finish and work as a cosmetologist in Illinois, expect to start around $31,200–$31,200 and reach a median of $34,040 with experience; the top quarter earn $41,110 or more (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025, Illinois). Graduates of these Illinois programs — every graduate, whatever job they took — earned a median of $17,393 in their first year, against $17,178 nationally; that is the figure used to rank campuses below.
What hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists earn in Illinois
$31,200starting (10th percentile)
$31,200early career (25th)
$34,040median, all experience
$41,110experienced (75th)
$58,960top earners (90th)
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; 13,190 employed in Illinois. National median: $35,790.
Campuses in Illinois, ranked by what their graduates earned
71campuses in Illinois
1,848credentials awarded / yr
$17,393median earnings, yr 1 (Illinois)
$17,178median earnings, yr 1 (U.S.)
Cities: BloomingdaleBloomingtonBridgeviewCalumet CityCartervilleCentraliaChicagoCiceroCrystal LakeDecaturDekalbDowners GroveEast PeoriaElginFreeportGlen EllynGlendale HeightsGlenviewHarrisburgHillsideInaJolietLibertyvilleLombardMattoonMolineNew LenoxNilesNormalOak ForestOak LawnOakbrookOlneyOswegoPalos HillsPeoriaPeruQuincyRichton ParkRockford
| Campus | City | Type | Grads / yr | Earnings, yr 1 | Program debt | Completion | Cost / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aveda Institute-Chicago | Chicago | for-profit career college | 30 | $23,341 | $7,917 | 78% | $35,942 |
| Universal Spa Training Academy | Downers Grove | for-profit career school | 3 | $23,043 | $7,917 | 97% | $24,756 |
| The University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology | Downers Grove | for-profit career school | 7 | $21,721 | $7,917 | 72% | $20,700 |
| G Skin & Beauty Institute | Oakbrook | for-profit career college | 12 | $20,790 | $7,917 | 56% | $28,826 |
| Cosmetology & Spa Academy | Crystal Lake | for-profit career school | 93 | $20,756 | $9,833 | 70% | $21,104 |
| G Skin & Beauty Institute | Schaumburg | for-profit career college | 37 | $20,335 | $6,333 | 64% | $25,538 |
| Debutantes School of Cosmetology and Nail Technology | Dekalb | for-profit career school | 21 | $19,806 | $7,573 | 63% | $16,026 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Normal | Normal | for-profit career school | 38 | $19,718 | $9,833 | not reported | not reported |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Libertyville | Libertyville | for-profit career school | 42 | $19,581 | $9,000 | 84% | $26,542 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Elgin | Elgin | for-profit career school | 37 | $19,581 | $9,000 | 89% | $24,708 |
| Hair Professionals Career College | Sycamore | for-profit career college | 21 | $18,937 | $9,833 | 67% | $23,691 |
| Lake Land College | Mattoon | Public community college | 30 | $18,707 | not reported | 58% | not reported |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW | Chicago | for-profit career school | 52 | $18,388 | $7,307 | 0.0% | $26,042 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Rockford | Rockford | for-profit career school | 26 | $18,302 | $7,307 | 78% | $25,208 |
| Cosmetology Concepts Niles | Niles | for-profit career school | 14 | $18,231 | not reported | 100% | $22,231 |
| University of Spa & Cosmetology Arts | Springfield | for-profit career school | 37 | $18,172 | $4,584 | 64% | $21,024 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Bridgeview | Bridgeview | for-profit career school | 61 | $18,021 | $7,307 | 67% | $24,121 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Chicago | Chicago | for-profit career school | 103 | $17,977 | $12,513 | 60% | $29,477 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Lombard | Lombard | for-profit career school | 59 | $17,977 | $12,513 | not reported | not reported |
| Pivot Point Academy | Bloomingdale | for-profit career school | 71 | $17,841 | $9,833 | 91% | $16,391 |
| Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Rockford | Rockford | for-profit career college | 42 | $17,414 | $9,833 | 65% | $15,962 |
| Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Sterling | Sterling | for-profit career college | 12 | $17,414 | $9,833 | 59% | $16,377 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Tinley Park | Tinley Park | for-profit career school | 34 | $17,393 | $8,722 | 60% | $26,892 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NE | Chicago | for-profit career school | 23 | $17,281 | $9,000 | 53% | $25,167 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Glendale Heights | Glendale Heights | for-profit career school | 20 | $17,281 | $9,000 | not reported | $28,376 |
| Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Peru | Peru | for-profit career college | 34 | $17,065 | $9,500 | 83% | $15,288 |
| Empire Beauty School-Stone Park | Stone Park | for-profit career school | 46 | $16,897 | $13,583 | 38% | $22,537 |
| Empire Beauty School-Vernon Hills | Vernon Hills | for-profit career school | 30 | $16,897 | $13,583 | 70% | $20,180 |
| Trenz Beauty Academy | Calumet City | for-profit career school | 45 | $16,708 | $16,500 | 61% | $3,318 |
| Hair Professionals School of Cosmetology | Oswego | for-profit career school | 29 | $16,293 | $9,833 | 63% | $24,098 |
| Capri Beauty College | New Lenox | for-profit career college | 46 | $16,153 | $9,833 | 96% | $19,335 |
| Capri Beauty College | Oak Forest | for-profit career college | 26 | $16,153 | $9,833 | 50% | $17,723 |
| Midwest Technical Institute-Illinois | Springfield | for-profit career college | 18 | $15,720 | $11,450 | 69% | $33,634 |
| Professional's Choice Hair Design Academy | Joliet | for-profit career school | 19 | $15,639 | $8,645 | 82% | $17,799 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Peoria | Peoria | for-profit career school | 30 | $15,493 | $7,307 | 100% | $27,642 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Normal | Normal | for-profit career school | 13 | $15,493 | $7,307 | 79% | $22,874 |
| Oehrlein School of Cosmetology | East Peoria | for-profit career school | 18 | $15,490 | $9,833 | 81% | $15,611 |
| John Amico School of Hair Design | Oak Forest | for-profit career school | 77 | $15,449 | $7,917 | 84% | $23,310 |
| Cameo Beauty Academy | Oak Lawn | for-profit career school | 30 | $15,428 | $11,268 | 59% | $19,983 |
| Tricoci University of Beauty Culture | Urbana | for-profit career school | 39 | $14,603 | $9,000 | 53% | $27,459 |
| Rosel School of Cosmetology | Niles | for-profit career school | 47 | $14,482 | not reported | 88% | $10,903 |
| Hair Professionals Career College | Palos Hills | for-profit career college | 11 | $13,532 | $8,203 | 71% | $20,010 |
| Larry's Barber College | Chicago | for-profit career college | 4 | $12,417 | $3,481 | 63% | $18,595 |
| Larry's Barber College-Joliet | Joliet | for-profit career college | 1 | $12,417 | $3,481 | 91% | $21,239 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College | Chicago | Public community college | 45 | $11,858 | not reported | 32% | not reported |
| John A Logan College | Carterville | Public community college | 32 | not reported | not reported | 46% | not reported |
| Hairmasters Institute of Cosmetology | Bloomington | for-profit career college | 31 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Bell Mar Beauty College | Cicero | for-profit career college | 29 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Cannella School of Hair Design-Chicago | Chicago | for-profit career school | 20 | not reported | not reported | 53% | $16,248 |
| Cannella School of Hair Design-Villa Park | Villa Park | for-profit career school | 20 | not reported | not reported | 71% | $15,532 |
| Gem City College | Quincy | for-profit career college | 19 | not reported | not reported | 87% | $16,347 |
| Ms Roberts Academy of Beauty Culture | Hillside | for-profit career school | 19 | not reported | not reported | 44% | $17,705 |
| Steven Papageorge Hair Academy | Chicago | for-profit career school | 18 | not reported | not reported | 50% | $14,366 |
| Kaskaskia College | Centralia | Public community college | 17 | not reported | not reported | 49% | not reported |
| Rend Lake College | Ina | Public community college | 17 | not reported | not reported | 63% | not reported |
| Capital Area Career Center | Springfield | Public technical college | 15 | not reported | not reported | 100% | not reported |
| Cannella School of Hair Design-Chicago | Chicago | for-profit career school | 14 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Creative Touch Cosmetology School | Waterloo | for-profit career school | 14 | not reported | not reported | 75% | $15,032 |
| College of DuPage | Glen Ellyn | Public community college | 12 | not reported | not reported | 25% | not reported |
| Olney Central College | Olney | Public community college | 12 | not reported | not reported | 63% | not reported |
| Highland Community College | Freeport | Public community college | 8 | not reported | not reported | 45% | not reported |
| Reflections Academy of Beauty | Decatur | for-profit career school | 7 | not reported | not reported | 50% | $26,713 |
| Shawnee Community College | Ullin | Public community college | 5 | not reported | not reported | 60% | not reported |
| Networks Barber College | Calumet City | for-profit career college | 3 | not reported | $9,833 | 73% | $21,092 |
| Phipps Academy of Barbering | Richton Park | for-profit career school | 2 | not reported | $10,389 | 76% | $21,207 |
| Southeastern Illinois College | Harrisburg | Public community college | 1 | not reported | not reported | 55% | not reported |
| Cannella School of Hair Design | Chicago | career school | — | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology | Sterling | career school | — | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| I. M. Beauty School | Glenview | career school | — | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| LA Style School of Cosmetology | Chicago | career school | — | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| New Style Hair Academy | Moline | career school | — | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
Earnings are median wages and self-employment income reported to the IRS (W-2 and Schedule SE) for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled, measured in the calendar year after finishing. They are pay only: health insurance, retirement contributions and other benefits are not included.
Ranked by median earnings of this program's graduates one year after completion (College Scorecard field-of-study, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey; College Scorecard June 2026; Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), September 2026); campuses without a reported figure follow, by credentials awarded. "Program debt" is the median federal loan debt for graduates of this program at this campus. Completion is the campus-wide 150%-of-time rate. "Not reported" means the federal file suppresses the value for privacy.
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