Best Beauty Schools in Michigan (2026)

Updated October 14, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Quick answer: Cosmetologists in Michigan earn a median of $34,820 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). This page lists accredited cosmetologist schools in Michigan with local wage data and median graduate earnings for each school.

Cosmetologist training in Michigan prepares students for entry-level work across the wider Michigan labor market. For context, the state median annual wage for this occupation is approximately $34,820 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Michigan Quick Facts

MetricValueSource
State median annual wage$34,820BLS OEWS, May 2025
Michigan pay range (10th to 90th percentile)$25,960 to $95,370BLS OEWS, May 2025
Top-paying Michigan metro for this fieldGrand Rapids, MI, $38,740BLS OEWS, May 2025
National job outlook (2025 to 2035)+7.7% growth, about 73,400 openings per yearBLS Employment Projections, 2025-2035
State employment8,970 workersBLS OEWS, May 2025
Michigan location quotient1.04BLS OEWS, May 2025

Explore the Cosmetologist Career

What You’ll Find Below

The school listings below are sorted by proximity to Programs. Each entry includes the school name, address, and the credentials offered. Use the Michigan figures above as a reference point when comparing program length, schedule, and tuition.

How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention. Advertising plays no part.

This page lists 12 schools within 57 miles, ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 12 of them carry a score.

Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%

Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.

#2

M J Murphy Beauty College of Mount Pleasant

Mount Pleasant, MI 26.8 miles away BOC Score 60.8
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 92.9%
  • Programs offered: 3
  • Annual completions: 37
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $17,566 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

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#3

Bayshire Academy of Beauty Craft Inc

Bay City, MI 45.4 miles away BOC Score 56.5
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 72.2%
  • Programs offered: 4
  • Annual completions: 34
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $20,225 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

Douglas J Aveda Institute

East Lansing, MI 35.1 miles away BOC Score 43.0
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 83.3%
  • Programs offered: 4
  • Annual completions: 857
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $29,058 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

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#5

Paul Mitchell the School-Grand Rapids

Kentwood, MI 52.7 miles away BOC Score 42.8
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 84.2%
  • Programs offered: 2
  • Annual completions: 53
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $27,013 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#6

Montcalm Community College

Sidney, MI 23.4 miles away BOC Score 40.9
Tuition $4,662 in-state / $10,362 out-of-state
Contact
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 30.6%
  • Programs offered: 24
  • Annual completions: 62
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $55,704 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

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#8

Mott Community College

Flint, MI 49.9 miles away BOC Score 38.0
Tuition $6,845 in-state / $11,460 out-of-state
Contact
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 31.9%
  • Programs offered: 49
  • Annual completions: 386
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $52,696 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

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#10

Creative Hair School of Cosmetology

Flint, MI 47.4 miles away BOC Score 33.5
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 62.5%
  • Programs offered: 4
  • Annual completions: 16
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $21,571 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

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#11

Empire Beauty School-Michigan

Grand Rapids, MI 55.4 miles away BOC Score 30.8
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 57.3%
  • Programs offered: 2
  • Annual completions: 126
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $26,668 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

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Cosmetologist Pay and Job Outlook

Annual Wage by Percentile, United States - Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists annual wage percentiles, BLS OEWS May 2025P10 $27040, P25 $30120, P50 $35790, P75 $48830, P90 $71190.10th$27,04025th$30,12050th (median)$35,79075th$48,83090th$71,190
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists annual wage percentiles
PercentileAnnual wage
10th$27,040
25th$30,120
50th (median)$35,790
75th$48,830
90th$71,190
Projected employment growth, United States, Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists, 2025-2035
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists employment 2025 vs 2035 projection, BLS Employment Projections2025 employment 595000; 2035 projected employment 640900; percent change +7.7%.2025595,000 jobs2035 (proj.)640,900 jobsChange: +7.7%
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025-2035
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists employment projection 2025 to 2035
YearEmployment
2025595,000
2035 projected640,900
Percent change+7.7%

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does cosmetologist training take in Michigan?

Cosmetologist certificate programs in Michigan typically take 6 to 12 months of full-time study, while associate degree programs generally run about 2 years. Actual completion time depends on schedule (full-time vs. part-time) and any prerequisite coursework.

How much do cosmetologists earn in Michigan?

According to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), cosmetologists in Michigan earned a median annual wage of approximately $34,820. Pay varies with experience, certification, and employer; the 10th to 90th percentile range was approximately $25,960 to $95,370 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

How many cosmetologist schools are in Michigan?

The schools listed above are within about 800 miles of Programs. Compare them by tuition, program length, and the credential each one awards.

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

DataProviderVintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMay 2025
Employment ProjectionsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2025-2035
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data SystemNational Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirementsCareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programsCareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2025-10-25)