Cosmetology

Empire Beauty School welcomes students who have a flair for style, a dedication to learning and a passion for helping people. Since 1934, its professional instructors have provided education and training to future beauty professionals, supporting students through every phase of their education, graduation and career placement. While attending classes and working in the student salon, students discover opportunities such as working for major beauty companies or becoming a salon owner.

The comprehensive Cosmetology program teaches students to use the latest trends in haircutting, coloring and design for men, women and children; master hair texture concepts; provide nail services such as manicures and pedicures as well as esthetic skin care procedures; and develop marketing and communication skills to attract loyal salon clients, all while serving guests in the school. Program length and tuition are set by each state.

Empire Beauty School has built its reputation by focusing on outcomes: it is NACCAS accredited, family-owned and operated since 1934, has a nationwide network of schools and alumni, and follows a curriculum aligned with current industry standards. From day one the focus is on hands-on experience, career readiness and confidence behind the chair, with students training on real clients and with professional products.

The first Empire Beauty School opened in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and there are now Empire Beauty Schools in 21 states. Each school has demonstration and lecture classrooms, a library of continuing education aids, a fully equipped student salon, a student lounge and a dispensary. Students receive an education kit, and top educators, hair designers and manufacturers' technical representatives offer demonstration seminars and workshops on the newest products, equipment and design trends. Students take part in community events and charity work, such as Empire's National Day of Beauty, as well as local and national competitions and beauty shows. Empire's stated goals include offering day and evening scheduling for traditional and nontraditional students, and providing career development strategies and employment assistance to help graduates move into their careers.

A student must meet the state minimum age requirement to enter school (if applicable) and submit a copy of a valid state or federal photo ID and a copy of a high school diploma or its equivalent (such as a GED certificate, a transcript showing high school completion, or a college transcript or degree). Home-schooling credentials are accepted with the required documentation. Foreign diplomas must be translated and evaluated as equivalent to a US high school diploma. Empire does not offer Ability to Benefit.

Applicants also complete a career planning interview, pay the required fees and complete an enrollment package, and may have to complete an admissions assessment. Educator Training applicants must meet state enrollment requirements, including a current cosmetology license. No prior beauty experience is required for the entry programs, and requirements vary by state, so admissions representatives confirm them for each location. Empire may accept appropriate hours from other licensed schools based on official notarized transcripts received before enrollment, and may credit hours from a limited license in esthetics, nail technology or barbering toward Cosmetology. All courses are taught in English. All incoming students attend an orientation before the program starts.

Full-time. 29 weeks, Monday through Friday, 9:00am to 4:30pm, 7 hours a day.

Part-time. About 58 weeks, typically evenings Monday to Wednesday 5:30pm to 10:00pm and Thursday 5:30pm to 9:30pm. Part-time schedules vary; check with the campus for availability.

Breaks and calendar. Full-time students have a 30-minute lunch and two 10-minute breaks; part-time students have one 10-minute break. New classes start about every three weeks, and all Empire Beauty Schools operate year round.

Tuition (2026/27 catalog, Addendum B). Cosmetology tuition is $13,600. In Virginia the total is $16,450, including the $25 application fee, $100 registration fee and $2,750 in student supplies (Virginia 2026/27 catalog). At Malden, Massachusetts the total is $16,571.88, including a $50 registration fee, $634.38 in books, a $2,115.62 kit and $171.88 sales tax (Massachusetts 2026/27 catalog).

Financial assistance. Empire offers financial aid options for those who qualify, including scholarships, grants and loans, and its Financial Aid team reviews eligibility and walks students through the process. The catalog describes three types of federal student aid for students who qualify: the Federal Pell Grant, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (with an Empire Beauty School FSEOG match) and William D. Ford Federal Direct Loans. Some Empire Beauty Schools are approved for veterans' educational benefits. Payment can also be made by cash, check, credit card, an outside agency or a scholarship, and self-pay installment schedules are published in the catalog.

Scholarships. Students who complete the full Cosmetology program without interruption with at least 85% cumulative attendance receive a $500 Good Attendance Scholarship, or $1,000 with at least 90% attendance. High school seniors enrolling in the full Cosmetology program at select locations may apply for Empire-funded high school scholarships (deadline August 1 of senior year).

Licensed cosmetologists can offer services across the beauty industry, including hairstyling, skincare treatments and makeup: coloring, cuts and styles, curling, weaves, extensions and other hair services. Some go on to careers as beauty magazine editors or consultants, sales or marketing specialists in the cosmetics industry, or beauty school educators.

Empire's career guide lists paths such as hairstylist, haircolor specialist, nail designer, salon owner and platform artist. The catalog lists salon careers (cosmetologist, haircolor or chemical texturizing specialist, makeup artist, salon manager or owner), product careers (distributor, sales consultant, manufacturer's representative, product educator) and industry roles (school educator or owner, freelance makeup artist, image consultant, photo or movie stylist). Empire's placement assistance strives to help every graduate obtain a career-related position, but placement cannot be guaranteed, and graduates must pass the state board examination to be licensed.

Orientation and support. All incoming students attend an orientation before the program starts. The Executive Director gives students access to resources and support for balancing school, family and work, and the school may share information about housing, transportation and childcare options.

Learning on the salon floor. In a student-centered classroom, educators coach students to competency through problem solving, self-paced study, interactive theory and hands-on practice, then students serve real guests in the student salon. All salon services are performed by students under the supervision of licensed educators, and appointments may take longer than in a professional salon. Students receive a full kit of professional tools and products.

Grades and progress. Students take theory and practical assessments in each module, graded A (93-100) to F (below 70), and may retake a failed assessment up to two times. Satisfactory academic progress requires a 75% cumulative grade average and 75% cumulative attendance, checked at set evaluation points, and the program must be finished within 133% of its scheduled length.

Attendance. Students clock in and out of the attendance system, must report tardiness and absences to their educator, and are terminated after fourteen consecutive calendar days of absence. To graduate you complete the required hours and curriculum and meet your financial obligations. A state board examination is then required for a license, and the school cannot guarantee you will pass.