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Cosmetology school in Virginia

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

6 schools offer these cosmetology programs, and Virginia has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

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 Virginia, 5 of the 6 programs take students without a high school diploma and 1 asks for earlier courses first.

By kind, the 6 programs here are cosmetology license program (5 programs) and advanced, crossover or short course (1 program).

See the 6 programs

How much does cosmetology school cost in Virginia?

$9,156 to $15,950 is what most cosmetology programs in Virginia cost if you pay yourself

That is the middle half of the 6 programs with a price. All of them: $675 to $18,500

In the typical program

Finished the program
Not enough data
3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Working 6 months later
Not enough data
2 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
None of the 6 programs report it
Length
24 to 42 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 Virginia may also offer cosmetology school. How these figures are made

Is there free cosmetology school in Virginia?

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

All 6 cosmetology programs in Virginia approved for WIOA funding

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Kind of program
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How to show the list

6 programs

  • Cosmetology license programIn personNo diploma needed

    Cosmetology

    Spectrum Beauty Academy LLC

    Alexandria

    No diploma needed

    Spectrum Beauty Academy LLC, AlexandriaCosmetology license programIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$8,875

    3 students trained with WIOA funding

    More details about Cosmetology at Spectrum Beauty Academy LLC
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    20 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $1,040
    Students counted
    75
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $8,875
    students trained with WIOA funding
    3

  • Cosmetology license programHybridNo diploma needed

    Cosmetology

    CC's Beauty Institute LLC

    Richmond

    No diploma needed

    CC's Beauty Institute LLC, RichmondCosmetology license programHybrid · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$10,000

    4 students trained with WIOA funding

    Program website, Cosmetology at CC's Beauty Institute LLC
    More details about Cosmetology at CC's Beauty Institute LLC
    Finished
    96%
    Working at 6 months
    100%
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    40 weeks, 50 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    21
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $10,000
    students trained with WIOA funding
    4
    Program website, Cosmetology at CC's Beauty Institute LLC

  • Cosmetology license programIn personNo diploma needed

    Cosmetology 1500

    Avi Career Training

    Great Falls

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Avi Career Training, Great FallsCosmetology license program · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$15,500
    More details about Cosmetology 1500 at Avi Career Training
    Finished
    75%
    Working at 6 months
    100%
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    43 weeks, 34 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $1,445
    Students counted
    15
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $15,500

  • Advanced, crossover or short courseHybridNo diploma needed

    Cosmetology Pre-Apprenticeship

    Charlottesville Albemarle Technical Education Center (CATEC)

    Charlottesville

    No diploma needed

    Charlottesville Albemarle Technical Education Center (CATEC), CharlottesvilleAdvanced, crossover or short courseHybrid · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$675
    More details about Cosmetology Pre-Apprenticeship at Charlottesville Albemarle Technical Education Center (CATEC)
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    6 weeks, 12 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $675

  • Cosmetology license programIn personNo diploma needed

    Cosmetology (On MD's ETPL)

    Topcurl Beauty Academy LLC

    Alexandria

    No diploma needed

    Topcurl Beauty Academy LLC, AlexandriaCosmetology license programIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$16,100
    More details about Cosmetology (On MD's ETPL) at Topcurl Beauty Academy LLC
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    38 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $2,705
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $16,100

  • Cosmetology license programIn personEducation and courses

    Cosmetology

    Jolie Hair Academy

    Great Falls

    Education and courses

    Jolie Hair Academy, Great FallsCosmetology license programIn person · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$18,500
    More details about Cosmetology at Jolie Hair Academy
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    43 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $1,952
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $18,500

How to pay for cosmetology school in Virginia

WIOA funding can pay for cosmetology school in Virginia

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.

Quick facts: Cosmetology school in Virginia

lowest typical price among the states with enough programs to compare
10th of 20
cosmetology programs here, against the typical state's 4
6 vs 4

State comparisons use the same figures as the cosmetology school by state table: the middle program of each state, and only states with three or more schools for prices. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).

Cosmetology school in Washington, Richmond, Charlottesville and other Virginia cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above.

Other training in Virginia

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

Where the Virginia cosmetology program numbers come from

Which Virginia cosmetology programs are on this list?

These are the cosmetology programs Virginia 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 Virginia offers.

How the prices and results of Virginia 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.

Sources for the facts about cosmetology school in Virginia

Show the 9 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