How to Become a Cosmetologist in New Jersey (2026)

Updated September 2, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

New Jersey employs about 15,500 cosmetologists earning a median $36,150 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Training as a Cosmetologist here means completing a board-approved beauty program that meets this state’s hour requirement, written and practical exams, and a practitioner license, then applying through Department of Law and Public Safety - Division of Consumer Affairs - Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling.

Compare Cosmetologist Schools in New Jersey

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Tuition is the published annual figure for the latest reported year and excludes room, board, books and fees. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#SchoolBOC Score (0–100)Tuition (published, per year)Median grad earnings (all majors)Graduation rateOnlineDistance
175.0Contact school for pricing$27,94480%—17 mi
267.5Contact school for pricing$37,62699%—2 mi
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362.9Contact school for pricing$34,47083%—17 mi
456.5Contact school for pricing$21,41582%—12 mi
Sponsored Ad
554.9Contact school for pricing$30,08984%—11 mi
654.6Contact school for pricingNot reported94%—8 mi
Sponsored Ad
746.6Contact school for pricing$26,78967%—6 mi
837.5Contact school for pricingNot reported68%—4 mi
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928.1Contact school for pricingNot reported54%—15 mi
1027.4Contact school for pricing$27,17544%—6 mi
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Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

New Jersey employs approximately 15,500 cosmetologists according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $36,150 1. The state’s concentration of cosmetologist jobs is 1.84x the national average, indicating strong demand. Nationally, cosmetologist employment is projected to grow 5.6% from 2024 to 2034, with about 75,800 openings per year 2. This page covers how to become a Cosmetologist in New Jersey, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Quick Answers About How to Become a Cosmetologist in New Jersey

How to become a Cosmetologist in New Jersey? Complete a board-approved beauty program that meets this state’s hour requirement, written and practical exams, and a practitioner license. Apply through Department of Law and Public Safety - Division of Consumer Affairs - Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling.

How long does it take? Most people finish a board-approved beauty program that meets this state’s hour requirement, written and practical exams, and a practitioner license. Confirm current hour totals with the program and Department of Law and Public Safety - Division of Consumer Affairs - Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling.

Do I need a license in New Jersey? Yes. New Jersey credentials this role through Department of Law and Public Safety - Division of Consumer Affairs - Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling 3. See the licensing section below.

What do cosmetologists earn in New Jersey? The median annual wage for cosmetologists in New Jersey is $36,150 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $32,220 and experienced professionals can earn $92,090 or more 1.

How to Become a Cosmetologist in New Jersey

  1. Meet board entry rules. Confirm age and education rules with Department of Law and Public Safety - Division of Consumer Affairs - Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling. Do not treat minimum age as years of work experience.
  2. Complete a board-approved program. Finish a school program that meets New Jersey’s current hour requirement. Confirm the total with Department of Law and Public Safety - Division of Consumer Affairs - Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling; do not copy another state’s hours. This is not a DAS registered apprenticeship, though some boards offer a shop-apprentice route.
  3. Pass written and practical exams. Pass the exams Department of Law and Public Safety - Division of Consumer Affairs - Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling uses (often NIC). Instructor and shop licenses are later rungs, not the first practitioner license.
  4. Apply for the practitioner license. Apply to Department of Law and Public Safety - Division of Consumer Affairs - Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling before taking paying clients.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the state board before you apply.

Cosmetologist License Requirements in New Jersey

Cosmetologists in New Jersey complete board-approved school hours, pass written and practical exams, and apply to Department of Law and Public Safety - Division of Consumer Affairs - Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling for a practitioner license. Hour totals are set by that board. See Department of Law and Public Safety - Division of Consumer Affairs - Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling 3.

Typical path

  1. Meet board entry rules.

  2. Complete a board-approved program for this state’s hours.

  3. Pass written and practical exams.

  4. Apply to Department of Law and Public Safety - Division of Consumer Affairs - Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling for the practitioner license.

Hour totals, fees, and reciprocity rules change. Confirm current requirements with Department of Law and Public Safety - Division of Consumer Affairs - Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling before you enroll.

Cosmetologist Wages by Metro Area in New Jersey

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Wages by Metro Area in New Jersey

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists wages in New Jersey vary by metro area.

Metro AreaEmploymentMedian Annual WageAvg. Annual WageEntry Level
(10th pctile)		Experienced
(90th pctile)
New York-Newark-Jersey City27,660$36,120$51,650$33,480$91,780
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington9,960$37,320$43,990$28,600$64,530
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton1,350$37,690$48,540$28,490$95,840
Trenton-Princeton690$39,990$57,850$32,220$101,350
Atlantic City-Hammonton630$42,350$49,120$33,770$81,010
Vineland220$37,680$48,930$32,220$77,770

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for cosmetologists in New Jersey? New Jersey currently employs approximately 15,500 cosmetologists 1. Nationally, cosmetologist employment is projected to grow 5.6% from 2024 to 2034 2.

Can I work as a cosmetologist in New Jersey with an out-of-state license? Contact the Department of Law and Public Safety - Division of Consumer Affairs - Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling for details on reciprocity and credential transfer.

What training programs are available in New Jersey? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in New Jersey.

How much do cosmetologists earn in New Jersey compared to the national average? The median annual wage for cosmetologists in New Jersey is $36,150, which is $900 above the national median of $35,250 according to BLS data 1.

In New Jersey

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Citations

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/.

References

  1. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  2. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎

  3. Department of Law and Public Safety - Division of Consumer Affairs - Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling - Licensing Information: https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/cos/Pages/default.aspx ↩︎ ↩︎

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 Statistics2024-2034
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)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)