Select a program of interest to explore trade schools that match your goals.
The best beauty schools near Colonial Heights, Virginia pair accredited training with hands-on hours that prepare you for local employers and certification. This guide ranks nearby schools by proximity and shows local labor-market context so you can compare program length, cost, and credentials.
Sources: BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034; BLS OEWS, May 2025; IPEDS, 2023.
Schools below are sorted by distance from Colonial Heights, Virginia. Compare each program’s length, schedule, cost, and credential.
We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
| Percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th | $27,040 |
| 25th | $30,120 |
| 50th (median) | $35,790 |
| 75th | $48,830 |
| 90th | $71,190 |
| Year | Employment |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 575,200 |
| 2034 projected | 607,400 |
| Percent change | +5.6% |
Becoming a beauty & cosmetology in Virginia generally follows these steps. Licensing and required hours vary by occupation and locality — confirm specifics with your state board before enrolling.
Some beauty & cosmetology roles can be entered through a registered apprenticeship or supervised hours that combine paid work with related instruction. Required hour totals differ by program and occupation; confirm exact totals with the sponsoring employer or the state board before committing.
A typical beauty & cosmetology program blends classroom theory with hands-on labs or supervised practice. Coursework usually covers safety, core technical skills, tools and equipment, and preparation for any required certification exam. Course lists vary by school — review each program’s catalog.
Start with accreditation, then compare program length, schedule (day/evening/online), total cost, and whether the credential matches what local employers hire for. Use the proximity-sorted list above and the Colonial Heights labor-market figures to weigh your options.
Beauty & Cosmetology certificate programs near Colonial Heights typically take 6 to 12 months of full-time study, while associate degree programs generally run about 2 years. Many students also enter the field through a registered apprenticeship or supervised clinical hours. Actual completion time depends on schedule (full-time vs. part-time) and any prerequisite coursework. Confirm exact program lengths with each school.
Requirements vary by role and employer. Many positions value industry certifications and supervised hours, and some occupations require a state license. Always confirm current requirements with your state board or licensing authority before enrolling.
Start with accreditation, then compare program length, schedule, total cost, and whether the credential aligns with what local employers hire for. Use the proximity-sorted school list above to weigh nearby options against the local labor market figures on this page.
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/.
Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.
| Data | Provider | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | May 2025 |
| Employment Projections | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | 2024-2034 |
| Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System | National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS) | 2024 |
| College Scorecard (school-level outcomes) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release |
| College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release (updated 2026-06-12) |
| Occupational licensing requirements | CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2026-02-22) |
| Registered apprenticeship programs | CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2025-10-25) |
