Career Training Path › Pennsylvania › Empire Beauty School-Center City Philadelphia
Empire Beauty School-Center City Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Private for-profit career school · Training programs available:
Address: 1522 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19102 · Phone: (800) 920-4593 · School website ↗ · Verify on College Scorecard ↗
No accreditor sanctions in the last 36 months
Empire Beauty School-Center City Philadelphia is a private for-profit trade school in Philadelphia, PA offering cosmetology programs, accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences.
Per the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, this campus has a 36.4% completion rate versus a 66.2% state average, with median graduate debt of $10,667 and median earnings of $22,377 ten years after entry.
Annual cost of attendance at Empire Beauty School-Center City Philadelphia is $23,460, federal financial aid can be used since it participates in Title IV, and 76.8% of students receive Pell Grants.
What these trades pay once you're working
| Occupation | Starting (10th pct) | Median | Experienced (75th) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists | $23,700 | $36,790 | $55,360 |
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wages for everyone employed in the occupation in Pennsylvania (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 | 69 | $18,217 | $16,897 | $11,743 |
| Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | Certificate, 300–899 hours | 4 | $18,217 | $16,897 | $11,743 |
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-Center City Philadelphia is a private for-profit trade school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 to attend. The campus's primary program area is cosmetology, with cosmetology schools accounting for 73 completions among its students.
Federal data shows a completion rate of 36.4%, which is below the Pennsylvania state average of 66.2% for similar programs. Graduates who took out loans carried a median debt of $10,667, and median earnings 10 years after entry were reported at $22,377. The annual cost of attendance is listed at $23,460, and 76.8% of students received Pell Grants, indicating a large share of the student body relies on need-based federal aid.
This campus centers on a single trade family—cosmetology—and may suit students seeking focused, hands-on training in that field rather than a broad multi-program associate-degree environment. Whether the format fits an adult career-changer depends on scheduling details not reported here; contact the school directly to ask. To verify accreditation status and review the latest federal outcome figures yourself, check the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard listing for this campus.
Questions students ask
What trade and career programs does this campus offer?
This campus's primary listed program family is cosmetology schools, with 73 completions reported in that field. Two program offerings total are recorded for this location.
Is this school accredited, and by whom?
Yes, the school is accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences, and its accreditation status is listed as accredited.
Can I use federal financial aid (FAFSA, Pell Grants) at this school?
Yes, this campus participates in Title IV federal aid programs, so FAFSA and Pell Grants can be used. About 76.8% of students here receive Pell Grants.
What share of students finish their program here, and how does that compare to the state?
The completion rate is 36.4%, which is below the Pennsylvania state average of 66.2% per the College Scorecard.
How much debt do graduates of this school typically carry?
Median debt among graduates is reported at $10,667.
What do graduates of this school earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entry are reported at $22,377.
How much does it cost to attend for a year?
The reported annual cost of attendance is $23,460.
Is this a public, non-profit, or for-profit school, and why does that matter?
This is a private for-profit school, which can affect cost, financial aid terms, and institutional funding compared to public or non-profit schools.
How long do the programs here take to complete?
Program length is not reported for this campus in federal data; contact the school at (800) 920-4593 or visit its website to ask directly.
How do I verify this school's accreditation and outcomes myself?
You can check accreditation status with the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences and review federal outcome data at the College Scorecard link for this school.
Is this school a good fit for an adult changing careers?
Program schedules and format for career-changers are not reported in this data; contact the school to confirm whether options fit your needs.
What license or certification will I need after finishing a program here?
Licensing requirements are not reported for this campus in federal data; contact the school directly to ask about state cosmetology licensing steps.
How do I contact the school or apply?
You can reach the school by phone at (800) 920-4593 or visit https://www.empire.edu/ for application information.
How does this campus compare with other schools offering the same trade nearby?
Comparative data against nearby schools is not reported here; use the College Scorecard at https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?375984 to compare outcomes across schools.
Other trade and career schools in Philadelphia, PA
- Jean Madeline Aveda InstitutePhiladelphia, PA · 80% completion
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- KAT Beauty SchoolPhiladelphia, PA · career school
- Philadelphia Technician TrainingPhiladelphia, PA · 50% completion
- Orleans Technical CollegePhiladelphia, PA · 90% completion
- Lincoln Technical Institute-PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PA · 58% completion
- Community College of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PA · 24% completion
- Aviation Institute of Maintenance-PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PA · 63% completion
See all trade and career schools in Pennsylvania 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.