How to Become a Cosmetologist in Virginia (2026)

Updated September 2, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Virginia employs about 10,200 cosmetologists (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 Professional and Occupational Regulation - Board for Barbers and Cosmetology.

Compare Cosmetologist Schools in Virginia

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
1Not ratedContact school for pricingNot reported100%—71 mi
257.2$1,944 in-state / $6,552 out-of-state$47,63353%Yes*68 mi
Sponsored Ad
352.4$2,556 in-state / $8,700 out-of-state$37,25120%Yes*61 mi
4Not ratedContact school for pricingNot reported67%—72 mi
Sponsored Ad
548.5Contact school for pricingNot reported71%—64 mi
646.0Contact school for pricing$27,92488%—91 mi
Sponsored Ad
743.0$1,966 in-state / $6,574 out-of-state$44,27835%—85 mi
839.6$2,608 in-state / $8,752 out-of-state$45,57535%—84 mi
Sponsored Ad
923.3Contact school for pricing$28,99159%—69 mi
1018.1Contact school for pricing$27,55944%—59 mi
Sponsored Ad

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.

Virginia employs approximately 10,200 cosmetologists according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 1. The state’s concentration of cosmetologist jobs is 1.26x 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 Virginia, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Quick Answers About How to Become a Cosmetologist in Virginia

How to become a Cosmetologist in Virginia? 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 Professional and Occupational Regulation - Board for Barbers and Cosmetology.

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 Professional and Occupational Regulation - Board for Barbers and Cosmetology.

Do I need a license in Virginia? Yes. Virginia credentials this role through Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation - Board for Barbers and Cosmetology 3. See the licensing section below.

How to Become a Cosmetologist in Virginia

  1. Meet board entry rules. Confirm age and education rules with Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation - Board for Barbers and Cosmetology. Do not treat minimum age as years of work experience.
  2. Complete a board-approved program. Finish a school program that meets Virginia’s current hour requirement. Confirm the total with Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation - Board for Barbers and Cosmetology; 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 Professional and Occupational Regulation - Board for Barbers and Cosmetology 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 Professional and Occupational Regulation - Board for Barbers and Cosmetology 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 Virginia

Cosmetologists in Virginia complete board-approved school hours, pass written and practical exams, and apply to Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation - Board for Barbers and Cosmetology for a practitioner license. Hour totals are set by that board. See Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation - Board for Barbers and Cosmetology 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 Professional and Occupational Regulation - Board for Barbers and Cosmetology for the practitioner license.

Hour totals, fees, and reciprocity rules change. Confirm current requirements with Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation - Board for Barbers and Cosmetology before you enroll.

Cosmetologist Wages by Metro Area in Virginia

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Wages by Metro Area in Virginia

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

Metro AreaEmploymentMedian Annual WageAvg. Annual WageEntry Level
(10th pctile)		Experienced
(90th pctile)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria7,010$37,020$49,360$26,900$78,900
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk2,060N/AN/AN/AN/A
Richmond1,660N/AN/AN/AN/A
Roanoke340$27,750$34,610$25,810$48,550
Charlottesville290$28,720$38,880$25,810$58,450
Winchester180N/AN/AN/AN/A
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford170$29,700$49,720$25,810$82,950
Kingsport-Bristol120$28,820$32,800$23,440$45,190
Harrisonburg110$27,730$33,800$25,810$48,080
Staunton-Stuarts Draft70N/AN/AN/AN/A

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 Virginia? Virginia currently employs approximately 10,200 cosmetologists 1. Nationally, cosmetologist employment is projected to grow 5.6% from 2024 to 2034 2.

Can I work as a cosmetologist in Virginia with an out-of-state license? Contact the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation - Board for Barbers and Cosmetology for details on reciprocity and credential transfer.

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

In Virginia

Related trades & nearby areas

Explore More Trades in Virginia

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 Professional and Occupational Regulation - Board for Barbers and Cosmetology - Licensing Information: https://www.dpor.virginia.gov/Boards/BarberCosmo/ ↩︎ ↩︎

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)