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Cosmetology school in Illinois

6 cosmetology programs with results and funding that can make them free

6 schools offer these cosmetology programs, and Illinois has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows how past students did; Illinois files no usable prices.

Hairstylists and cosmetologists shampoo, cut, color and style hair. Every state requires a license: you finish a state-approved program, which usually leads to a certificate, and then pass a state licensing exam.1

In Illinois, 5 of the 6 programs ask for a high school diploma or equivalent and 1 asks for earlier courses first.

By kind, the 6 programs here are cosmetology license program (5 programs) and hair design, hairstyling or braiding (1 program).

See the 6 programs

How much does cosmetology school cost in Illinois?

Not reported

Illinois files no usable prices, so none can be shown.

In the typical program

Finished the program
Not reported
None of the 6 programs report it
Working 6 months later
Not reported
None of the 6 programs report it
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
None of the 6 programs report it
Length
22 to 44 weeks

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Illinois may also offer cosmetology school. How these figures are made

Is there free cosmetology school in Illinois?

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 6 cosmetology programs in Illinois approved for WIOA funding

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6 programs

  • Cosmetology license programIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Certificate in Cosmetology

    John A. Logan Community College

    Carterville

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    John A. Logan Community College, CartervilleCosmetology license program · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
    Program website, Certificate in Cosmetology at John A. Logan Community College
    More details about Certificate in Cosmetology at John A. Logan Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    40 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out
    Program website, Certificate in Cosmetology at John A. Logan Community College

  • Cosmetology license programIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Cosmetology

    Southeastern Illinois College

    Harrisburg

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Southeastern Illinois College, HarrisburgCosmetology license program · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
    Program website, Cosmetology at Southeastern Illinois College
    More details about Cosmetology at Southeastern Illinois College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    46 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out
    Program website, Cosmetology at Southeastern Illinois College

  • Cosmetology license programIn personEducation and courses

    Cosmetology

    L A Style School of Cosmetology LLC

    Chicago

    Accredited school

    Education and courses

    L A Style School of Cosmetology LLC, ChicagoCosmetology license program · Accredited schoolIn person · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
    Program website, Cosmetology at L A Style School of Cosmetology LLC
    More details about Cosmetology at L A Style School of Cosmetology LLC
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    72 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out
    Program website, Cosmetology at L A Style School of Cosmetology LLC

  • Cosmetology license programIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Cosmetology

    Fusion Natural Hair & Braid Academy LLC

    Joliet

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Fusion Natural Hair & Braid Academy LLC, JolietCosmetology license programIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
    More details about Cosmetology at Fusion Natural Hair & Braid Academy LLC
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    16 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out

  • Cosmetology license programIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Cosmetology Technology 1yr. Cert.

    Shawnee Community College

    Ullin

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Shawnee Community College, UllinCosmetology license program · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
    Program website, Cosmetology Technology 1yr. Cert. at Shawnee Community College
    More details about Cosmetology Technology 1yr. Cert. at Shawnee Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    40 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out
    Program website, Cosmetology Technology 1yr. Cert. at Shawnee Community College

  • Hair design, hairstyling or braidingIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Natural Hair Care and Braiding Program

    Next Level Mastery Center LLC

    Springfield

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Next Level Mastery Center LLC, SpringfieldHair design, hairstyling or braidingIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
    Program website, Natural Hair Care and Braiding Program at Next Level Mastery Center LLC
    More details about Natural Hair Care and Braiding Program at Next Level Mastery Center LLC
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    15 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Left out
    Program website, Natural Hair Care and Braiding Program at Next Level Mastery Center LLC

How to pay for cosmetology school in Illinois

WIOA funding can pay for cosmetology school in Illinois

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for cosmetology school

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.67

GI Bill for cosmetology school

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.8

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Cosmetology school in Chicago, Marion, Springfield and other Illinois cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above. 2 in smaller cities and towns.

Other training in Illinois

How cosmetology school compares with the rest of beauty and personal care: Beauty school in Illinois

Where the Illinois cosmetology program numbers come from

Which Illinois cosmetology programs are on this list?

These are the cosmetology programs Illinois approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).9 The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Illinois offers.

How the prices and results of Illinois cosmetology programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

How reliable are the Illinois figures?

The US Department of Labor's own results site lists Illinois among the states with "known data quality concerns".10 We leave out the share who finished for Illinois: only a few programs report it, and those at a typical 11%. We leave out prices for Illinois: the state files a code in place of each price, so no price can be shown.

Sources for the facts about cosmetology school in Illinois

Show the 10 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Barbers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
  2. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  3. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  4. Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
  5. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  6. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
  7. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Don't Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants
  8. US Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill benefits for non-college degree programs
  9. US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List
  10. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: search page, note on states with known data quality concerns