Cosmetology (TN) is a Certificate program offered by Georgia Career Institute in Murfreesboro, TN. The program takes 1,500 clock hours to complete, with a total tuition of $18,700.
Program Overview
The Cosmetology course prepares students in haircutting, hairstyling, permanent waving, coloring, manicures, pedicures and basic skin care, and qualifies them to take the state board exam for a cosmetology license. It is 1,500 clock hours, offered on a day and an evening schedule.
The program runs in three levels: Pre-Clinic Freshmen (250 clock hours), Intermediate (500) and Clinic Seniors (750). Hands-on training is central: students work alongside, and on, their classmates in school clinics, and once they reach a reasonable level of proficiency they serve real clients in GCI’s salon, beginning to build their own book of clients during the senior phase.
In Murfreesboro the program meets the Tennessee Board of Cosmetology’s requirement of 300 general, 600 physical and 600 chemical topic hours.
What sets this Program apart
- Real clients before graduation. Senior students serve the public in GCI’s salon and are encouraged to take the clients they build with them.
- Pivot Point LAB. Most of the curriculum runs on Pivot Point’s LAB platform for theory assignments, program tasks and benchmark tests, with downloadable ebooks and online access to Pivot Point’s instructional library.
- A full kit is included. A carrying case, blow dryer, curling iron, flat iron, clipper and trimmer set, shear set, five practice mannequins and stand, manicure, makeup and acrylic nail kits, capes, combs, brushes and consumables.
- Beyond hair. The curriculum also covers nail care, skin care and hair removal.
Admission Requirements and Process
Georgia Career Institute admits students through a short sequence: an interview and tour, a financial aid meeting, the enrollment agreement and orientation. The admission requirements and each step are listed below.
General Requirements
- High school diploma or GEDA regular high school diploma or GED. Tennessee lets students start at 16 with 10 years of secondary education, but GCI will not admit anyone without a diploma or GED.
- English fluencyAll courses, textbooks, agreements and documents are in English only, so students must be fluent in written and spoken English.
Application Process
- 1Meet with Admissions and tour the schoolInterview with an admissions representative, tour the facility and complete the Prospective Student Background Information Sheet.
- 2Meet with Financial AidExplore your finance and payment options with a financial aid representative.
- 3Sign the enrollment agreementMeet the minimum admission requirements, complete the pre-enrollment checklist and sign the enrollment agreement.
- 4Attend orientationOrientation is required for all new students and is held on or before the start of classes.
- 5Start schoolYour first day of school.
Program Schedule
1,500 clock hours on a day or an evening schedule; meeting days and times are set in the enrollment agreement. GCI admits students on an ongoing basis; the Murfreesboro Admissions office has the next start date.
Required Courses
| Name |
|---|
| Theory |
| Permanent Waving |
| Chemical Relaxing |
| Hair Color |
| Hair and Scalp |
| Hair Cutting |
| Hair Styling |
| Lab |
| Nails |
| Skin |
| Shampooing |
| Social Skills |
| Hair Removal |
| Totals |
Campus Location
Why Accreditation Is Important
When you attend an accredited institution, you attend a school that has been independently evaluated for educational quality.
This program: Georgia Career Institute is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education (COE). In August 2026 COE issued the school a Show Cause Order over its annual financial reporting; the school states it remains accredited. Licensed by the Tennessee Board of Cosmetology and Barbering; authorized by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
- A reliable indicator of quality
- Approved program of study
- Qualified instructors
- Recognition by employers nationwide
Accreditations
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $18,700 |
| Books/Supplies | $2,100 |
| Fees | $100 |
| Included license/fees | $140 |
| Total | $21,040 |
Prices are from the school’s tuition sheet for the Murfreesboro campus, effective January 1, 2025, which the school links as its current tuition. Tuition and fees are assessed on a program basis, are due at the beginning of the program and are subject to change. The school states that tuition includes the textbooks, required supplies, kit and equipment, and the fees for the licensing examination.
Federal financial aid. GCI participates in the Pell Grant, FSEOG, subsidized and unsubsidized federal loans, Parent PLUS loans and Veterans Administration benefits (Federal School Code 030054). The school’s financial aid page lists the Conyers programs eligible for Title IV funding and does not list the Tennessee programs, so confirm eligibility with Student Financial Services.
Scholarships. Limited ACE Grant scholarships are available through the American Association of Cosmetology Schools, submitted before enrollment. GCI’s own scholarship for current-year high school or GED graduates is worth up to $1,000 for this program, and requires a one-page essay and two letters of recommendation. In-house payment plans are also available.
Other charges. The catalog charges a $100 non-refundable application fee, fulfilled during the financial aid process. A student who needs longer than the contracted time frame pays $15.00 per clock hour to finish, and re-entering students pay a $100 re-entry fee.
Curriculum
Thirteen courses totalling 1,500 clock hours, meeting Tennessee’s 300 general, 600 physical and 600 chemical topic hours. Many courses are introduced in the Freshman phase and honed in the Senior phase.
Required Courses
| Name | Total |
|---|---|
| Theory | 140 |
| Permanent Waving | 172.5 |
| Chemical Relaxing | 161.5 |
| Hair Color | 200 |
| Hair and Scalp | 69 |
| Hair Cutting | 149.5 |
| Hair Styling | 290 |
| Lab | 55 |
| Nails | 100 |
| Skin | 67.5 |
| Shampooing | 15 |
| Social Skills | 50 |
| Hair Removal | 30 |
| Totals | 1,500 |
Career Outcomes
Graduates are qualified to take the Tennessee state board exam for a cosmetology license. Tennessee requires a high school diploma or GED before the licensing exam.
The catalog lists occupations open to graduates, including: stylist, colorist, chemical texture specialist, salon or spa owner-operator, booth renter, salon or spa manager, product consultant and educator.
GCI publishes an annual Completion, Placement and Licensure report for its Conyers campus on its Consumer Info page; this page does not restate its rates.
What to expect as a Georgia Career Institute student
Georgia Career Institute was founded in 1975 as Artistic Beauty College and took its current name in 2001. It prepares students to enter the beauty and wellness industries, blending classroom theory with extensive hands-on practice in a supervised student salon and spa. Once students have developed core skills they work with real clients in the school’s salon, and graduates are encouraged to take the clients they gained while studying with them to start their clientele.
The school keeps at least one instructor for every twenty students in its beauty classes, adding instructional assistance or more teachers where attendance is larger, and will try to provide tutoring as needed at no extra cost. Attendance is tracked electronically every day, makeup hours can be scheduled with approval, and students wear solid black professional attire and closed-toe shoes with their department’s apron or smock. Graduate Services helps graduates with job placement and networking, though placement is not guaranteed.
The work is physically demanding. The catalog asks that students be able to stand or sit for long periods, bend and stretch, show manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination, work with chemicals and skin care products, and keep a customer-service attitude through long days and flexible schedules. Students prone to psoriasis, dermatitis or other chronic skin conditions that may involve open lesions should consider this before enrolling.
Accreditation notice. On August 14, 2026, Georgia Career Institute disclosed that its accreditor, the Council on Occupational Education (COE), has issued a Show Cause Order related to the institution’s required annual financial reporting: GCI did not submit its audited financial statements and the required COE financial forms for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025, by the June 30, 2026 due date. The school states that it remains accredited, that the order has not resulted in the loss of its accreditation, and that at this time it does not affect current students’ enrollment or their eligibility for financial aid. A Show Cause Order gives the institution an opportunity to demonstrate to COE why its accreditation should not be withdrawn.
The Murfreesboro branch campus at 1691 Memorial Blvd, about 30 minutes outside Nashville, has more than 24,000 square feet of classrooms, clinics, dispensaries, supply rooms and a retail area. Its student salon is open Monday to Friday, 10:30 am to 9:00 pm.