Cosmetology Schools in Texas
The need to look good is a trend that's not going anywhere, so it's no surprise that the outlook for jobs in cosmetology nationwide is promising. Texas notably anticipates significant growth in the field—meaning now may be the perfect time to pursue a career as a cosmetologist in the state.
Browse our directory of cosmetology schools in Texas, or skip ahead to learn about the state's cosmetology licensing requirements and job outlook.
Browse All Cosmetology Schools in Texas
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2015 East Riverside Drive Building 6
Austin, TX 78741
6001 Middle Fiskville Road
Austin, TX 78752
1110 Ayers Street
Corpus Christi, TX 78404
8188 Park Lane North Suite 150 Suite 150
Dallas, TX 75231
19241 David Memorial Drive
Shenandoah, TX 77385
21003 Encino Commons
San Antonio, TX 78259
8620 Burnet Road Suite 300
Austin, TX 78757
500 East Ben White Boulevard
Austin, TX 78704
1580 George Dieter Drive Suite 207
El Paso, TX 79936
605 Southwest Military Drive
San Antonio, TX 78238
935 North Expressway
Brownsville, TX 78520
2422 Airline Road
Corpus Christi, TX 78414
238 Southwest Military Drive Suite 101
San Antonio, TX 78221
510 West Pioneer Parkway
Grand Prairie, TX 75051
2716 West Irving Boulevard
Irving, TX 75061
1836 Fredericksburg Road
San Antonio, TX 78201
6012 Ingram Road
San Antonio, TX 78238
1712 34th Street
Lubbock, TX 79411
800 Fern Avenue
McAllen, TX 78501
Chic Academy of Nails and Cosmetology – Accredited
McAllen, TX 78501
E.L. Robertson International Beauty and Business Institute
Houston, TX 77036
I.T.S. Academy of Beauty - Wichita Falls – Accredited
Wichita Falls, TX 76308
Manuel and Theresa's School of Hair Design - Bryan – Accredited
Bryan, TX 77803
Manuel and Theresa's School of Hair Design - Victoria – Accredited
Victoria, TX 77901
Northwest Educational Center - Copperfield Campus – Accredited
Houston, TX 77084
Northwest Educational Center - Northwest Campus – Accredited
Houston, TX 77092
Ogle School of Cosmetology and Esthetics - Arlington – Accredited
Arlington, TX 76013
Ogle School of Cosmetology and Esthetics - Central Dallas – Accredited
Dallas, TX 75214
Ogle School of Cosmetology and Esthetics - Denton – Accredited
Denton, TX 76205
Ogle School of Cosmetology and Esthetics - Fort Worth – Accredited
Fort Worth, TX 76132
Ogle School of Cosmetology and Esthetics - North Dallas – Accredited
Dallas, TX 75248
Ogle School of Cosmetology and Esthetics - San Antonio – Accredited
San Antonio, TX 78216
Ogle School of Cosmetology and Esthetics - Stafford – Accredited
Stafford, TX 77477
Paul Mitchell The School Austin – Accredited
Austin, TX 78759
Paul Mitchell The School San Antonio – Accredited
San Antonio, TX 78259
Pearlands Innovative School of Beauty - Pasadena – Accredited
Pasadena, TX 77506
Pearlands Innovative School of Beauty - Pearland – Accredited
Pearland, TX 77584
Pearlands Innovative School of Beauty - Texas City – Accredited
Texas City, TX 77591
The Salon Professional Academy - Lewisville – Accredited
Lewisville, TX 75067
The Salon Professional Academy - San Antonio – Accredited
San Antonio, TX 78232
The Salon Professional Academy - Whitehouse – Accredited
Whitehouse, TX 75791
UCAS University of Cosmetology Arts & Sciences - Fredericksburg Road – Accredited
San Antonio, TX 78201
UCAS University of Cosmetology Arts & Sciences - Harlingen – Accredited
Harlingen, TX 78550
UCAS University of Cosmetology Arts & Sciences - La Joya – Accredited
La Joya, TX 78560
UCAS University of Cosmetology Arts & Sciences - McAllen – Accredited
McAllen, TX 78504
UCAS University of Cosmetology Arts & Sciences - Military Drive – Accredited
San Antonio, TX 78214
You must attend a school that meets any licensure requirements as defined by your state. Most states require that you graduate from an accredited or state-approved school.
Choosing a Cosmetology School with Delecia H.
Cosmetology Schools Near Me
Check out the Cosmetology schools these cities in Texas have to offer.
- Abilene / Sweetwater
- Amarillo
- Austin
- Beaumont / Port Arthur
- Corpus Christi
- Dallas
- El Paso / Las Cruces
- Harlingen / Weslaco / Brownsville / McAllen
- Houston
- Laredo
- Lubbock
- Odessa / Midland
- San Angelo
- San Antonio
- Tyler / Longview / Lufkin / Nacogdoches
- Victoria
- Waco / Temple / Bryan
- Wichita Falls / Lawton, OK
How to Become a Cosmetologist in Texas
- 1,000 education hours are required to become licensed.
- You must renew your license every 2 years.
- 4 continuing education hours are required to renew your license.
- The average salary for cosmetologists in Texas is $29,680.
- There is a predicted 15% job increase between 2018–2028 for cosmetologists.
Before you can work as a cosmetologist in Texas, you must meet all requirements and get licensed. To do this, you need to:
You must also complete one of the following three routes unless moving from another state where you already earned your license:
- Complete 1,000 hours of instruction at a Texas-licensed beauty school.
- Complete 1,000 hours of instruction in a Texas-licensed beauty school alongside 500 hours of related high-school courses as part of a vocational cosmetology program in a public school.
- Already hold a Class A barber certificate and have completed 300 hours of instruction in cosmetology through an approved training program in a Texas beauty school.
Cosmetologist Salary and Projected Job Growth in Texas
Average yearly salary for cosmetology in Texas
Cosmetologists in Texas earn an average of $29,680 ($14.27/hour) as of 2021.
The number of cosmetologist jobs in the state is predicted to grow by 25% from 2020 to 2030. This is higher than the national expectation of 19% in that same period.
The highest-paying areas for cosmetologists in Texas are:
Metro Area | 2021 Median Salary |
Odessa, TX | $29,220 |
Austin-Round Rock, TX | $28,700 |
Midland, TX | $28,700 |
Victoria, TX | $28,430 |
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $28,270 |
Table information sourced from O*Net (2022)
What to Expect From a Cosmetology Program in Texas
Required to earn a cosmetology license
Your 1,000-hour program will cover hair cutting, manicuring, anatomy, sanitation, and more. Schools are expected to divide training as follows:
The 300-hour pathway is split into more specific topics, as this path means you've already completed the 1,000-hour Class A barber license:
Your school needs to be licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), so check on this before beginning your program.
Beauty schools are regularly inspected and have to meet specific requirements. For example, the schools need to have different clinical and instructional workspaces, implement good hygiene practices, and keep their licenses current.
Can I Apprentice as a Cosmetologist in Texas?
No. Apprenticeships aren't permitted as a training path for cosmetology licensure in Texas.
Texas Cosmetology Licensing Requirements
Once you complete 900 of the 1,000 required training hours, you can apply to take your written exam. You have to pass both the written and practical exams to earn licensure.
You can't take the practical test until you've passed the written one. However, you remain eligible to take exam for five years. You can retake the test as often as you need to within this period–though you must pay for each attempt.
Written exams are $50, and practical exams are $72. You must have finished all training hours before applying to take the practical test.
Upon confirming your eligibility, the TDLR will contact you with instructions for scheduling an appointment to take the examinations created and managed by PSI. You can track your progress on the TDLR website.
Both exams are administered in English. However, you can request to take them in Spanish or Vietnamese for no additional cost. You may also ask to have the exam translated into other languages by contacting PSI and paying an additional fee.
PSl examination centers meet the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 standards. If you need accommodations, contact them directly.
When it's time to take the test, get to the site 30 minutes early with a valid photo ID and all your supplies and equipment. Your supplies have to be labeled as specified in the exam bulletin.
The written test has 100 scored items and takes two hours to complete. You need to get at least 70% to pass. Points are divided across the following areas:
The practical examination includes 130 scored items and takes three hours and 45 minutes to complete. Like the written test, you need at least 70% to pass.
The exam covers a range of practical tasks, in the following order:
- Pre-examination set up and disinfection: 10 minutes
- Monomer and polymer over nail tip: 32 minutes
- Blood exposure incident: 12 minutes
- Eyelash strip application: 14 minutes
- Facial: 17 minutes
- Waxing with soft wax: 14 minutes
- Haircut: 42 minutes
- Permanent wave: 22 minutes
- Blow drying and thermal curling: 22 minutes
- Mannequin preparation: 10 minutes
- Foil highlights: not timed
- Hydroxide virgin relaxer: 10 minutes
- Hydroxide relaxer retouch: 10 minutes
- End of examination disinfection: 10 minutes
After the test, a proctor will give you your results and a report covering your strengths and areas for improvement.
Texas Cosmetology Licensure Reciprocity
You may be eligible for reciprocity in Texas if you have a cosmetology license in another state. This allows you to carry your current license without new training or testing.
Eligibility requirements vary according to the state you trained in. Once you confirm reciprocity is possible, you need to do the following to gain licensure in Texas:
Cosmetology Specialties in Texas
Once you're trained and licensed as a cosmetologist, you may choose to specialize in a specific area. Some of these specialties may require additional licensure. For example:
For each of these, you must pass written and practical exams and pay a non-refundable fee of $50.
License Renewal
License renewal period
Continuing education required
All Texas cosmetologists need to renew their licenses every two years. To renew, you must complete four hours of state-approved continuing education courses (including a mandatory hour on sanitation) and pay a $50 renewal fee.
You can begin your renewal process 60 days before your license expires. Continuing education can be completed at any time in the two years before expiration.
If you're 65 or older and have had a license for at least 15 years, you only need to complete one hour of continuing education on sanitation.
If your license has been expired for more than 90 days but less than 18 months, you can renew by paying a $100 fee. This is also true if your license has been expired for at least 18 months but fewer than three years, though you likely need approval from the licensure board.
If your license expired three or more years ago, you have to retake your tests and get a new license.
Renewal can take several weeks, and you can't work as a cosmetologist in Texas if your license has expired, so plan ahead.
Contact the Texas State Board of Cosmetology
- PO Box 12157, Austin, TX 78711
- Website: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations
- Call: 512-463-6599
- Fax: 512-463-9468
Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation
TDLR is the state department for all matters relating to Texas licensure and job regulation.
PSI
PSI creates and manages all cosmetology exams in Texas.