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Empire Beauty School-Aurora
Aurora, Colorado · Private for-profit career school · Training programs available:
Address: 16800 E. Mississippi Ave., Aurora, CO 80017 · Phone: (800) 920-4593 · School website ↗ · Verify on College Scorecard ↗
Sanction on record, not yet lifted — Nov 2023 · Monitoring · National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences.
Empire Beauty School-Aurora is a private for-profit trade school in Aurora, Colorado offering cosmetology programs, accredited by NACCAS.
Per the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, Empire Beauty School-Aurora has a 40.9% completion rate versus a 69.2% state average, median graduate debt of $10,667, and median earnings of $24,022 ten years after entry.
Annual cost of attendance at Empire Beauty School-Aurora is $22,990, federal financial aid including Pell Grants can be used, and 56.9% of students receive Pell Grants.
What these trades pay once you're working
| Occupation | Starting (10th pct) | Median | Experienced (75th) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists | $31,520 | $37,690 | $59,710 |
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wages for everyone employed in the occupation in Colorado (May 2025; national where the state figure is not published). The program table below shows what this campus's own graduates earned in their first year, whatever job they took.
Trade programs at this campus
| Program | Credential | Grads / yr | Earnings, yr 1 | Earnings, yr 2 | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | Certificate, 1–2 years | 20 | $17,754 | $16,649 | $10,667 |
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.
Graduates per year from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey. Earnings and debt are College Scorecard field-of-study medians for graduates of this program at this campus (reported at the 4-digit program level, so closely related programs share a figure); "not reported" means too few graduates were counted to publish a figure.
About this school
Empire Beauty School-Aurora is a private for-profit trade campus in Aurora, Colorado. It is accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences, and federal financial aid, including FAFSA and Pell Grants, can be used here. The campus's primary offering is cosmetology, with cosmetology schools accounting for its top program (20 completers) out of about 70 undergraduate students enrolled.
Federal data shows a completion rate of 40.9%, which is below the Colorado state average of 69.2%. Graduates carry a median debt of $10,667, and median earnings 10 years after entry are reported at $24,022. Annual cost of attendance is listed at $22,990, and 56.9% of students receive Pell Grants, indicating a substantial share of low-income enrollment. Any figures not listed here are not reported for this campus in federal data.
This campus centers on a single-program focus in cosmetology, which may suit students seeking a shorter, hands-on path into a specific trade rather than a multi-year associate degree. Given the concentrated program offering and location in a large city, it may appeal to those wanting a direct entry into cosmetology work, though program length itself is not detailed in the data provided. Prospective students should verify current accreditation status directly with NACCAS and review outcome data on the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard before enrolling, since completion, debt, and earnings figures shown here come from federal reporting and can change year to year.
Questions students ask
What trade and career programs does this campus offer?
Empire Beauty School-Aurora offers cosmetology programs, with cosmetology schools listed as its top program (20 completers). This is the campus's sole reported program family.
Is this school accredited, and by whom?
Yes, the school is accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences (NACCAS), and its accreditation status is listed as accredited.
Can I use federal financial aid (FAFSA, Pell Grants) at this school?
Yes, this school participates in Title IV federal financial aid programs, meaning FAFSA and Pell Grants can be used here.
What share of students finish their program here, and how does that compare to the state?
The completion rate is 40.9%, which is below the Colorado state average of 69.2%, per federal data.
How much debt do graduates of this school typically carry?
Median debt among graduates is reported at $10,667, per the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
What do graduates of this school earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entry are reported at $24,022, per federal Scorecard data.
How much does it cost to attend for a year?
The annual cost of attendance is reported at $22,990.
Is this a public, non-profit, or for-profit school, and why does that matter?
Empire Beauty School-Aurora is a private for-profit school, which can affect tuition levels and typically means it relies more heavily on Title IV aid revenue than public institutions.
How long do the programs here take to complete?
Program length is not reported for this campus in federal data; contact the school directly at (800) 920-4593 or visit empire.edu for details.
How do I verify this school's accreditation and outcomes myself?
You can confirm accreditation with NACCAS and review official outcome data on the College Scorecard at https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?447175.
Is this school a good fit for an adult changing careers?
The campus offers a focused, single-program cosmetology path, which may suit those seeking a targeted trade credential, though specific scheduling or adult-learner accommodations are not reported in this data.
What license or certification will I need after finishing a program here?
Licensing requirements for cosmetology are not detailed in this data; contact the school or Colorado's cosmetology licensing board for specifics.
How do I contact the school or apply?
You can reach Empire Beauty School-Aurora at (800) 920-4593 or through its website, https://www.empire.edu/.
How does this campus compare with other schools offering the same trade nearby?
Comparative data with other nearby cosmetology schools is not reported in this dataset; check the College Scorecard for side-by-side comparisons.
Other trade and career schools in Aurora, CO
- Pickens Technical CollegeAurora, CO · 76% completion
- Avalon Institute-AuroraAurora, CO · 81% completion
- Cosmo Beauty AcademyAurora, CO · state-licensed school
- Max International Beauty SchoolAurora, CO · state-licensed school
- Concorde Career College-AuroraAurora, CO · college
- Community College of AuroraAurora, CO · 34% completion
- Pima Medical Institute-AuroraAurora, CO · 72% completion
- Colorado Dental Assisting School - AuroraAurora, CO · state-licensed school
See all trade and career schools in Colorado or search by ZIP code.
Data: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey; College Scorecard June 2026; Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), September 2026. Figures are the U.S. Department of Education's official measures, not Career Training Path's opinion. Tuition, schedules and program availability change — confirm with the school before enrolling.