Esthetician Schools in Alabama

If you enjoy beauty and helping others feel good in their skin, an esthetician career in Alabama may be for you! Browse our directory of esthetician schools in Alabama, or skip ahead to learn about the state's esthetician licensing requirements and job outlook.

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3200 Riverchase Galleria
Hoover, AL 36532

(205) 769-3500
Programs:
Cosmetology, Esthetics

2970 Cottage Hill Road Suite 175
Mobile, AL 35242

(251) 473-2220
Programs:
Cosmetology, Esthetics, Massage Therapy
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Alabama School of Barbering – Accredited

321 2nd Avenue Southeast Suite B
Decatur, AL 36545

Body Logic School of Cosmetology and Esthetics – Accredited

5510 Highway 280 East Suite 203
Birmingham, AL 35020

Dreamer's School of Cosmetology – Accredited

844 Highway 31 Suite E
Alabaster, AL 35816

European School of Esthetics – Accredited

1580 Sparkman Drive Northwest #207
Huntsville, AL 36109

Fortis College

3736 Atlanta Highway
Montgomery, AL 35903

J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College

3421 Meridian Street North
Huntsville, AL 35503

LEARN School of Esthetics & Medical Esthetics

1612 Beltline Road Southwest
Decatur, AL 36420

Lurleen B Wallace Community College

1000 Dannelly Boulevard
Andalusia, AL 35660

New Beginning College of Cosmetology – Accredited

421 Martling Road
Albertville, AL 35986

Northeast Alabama Community College

138 AL Highway 35
Rainsville, AL 35661

Salon 34 Too Beauty Academy – Accredited

3258 Dauphin Island Parkway
Mobile, AL 35203

Shelton State Community College

9500 Old Greensboro Road
Tuscaloosa, AL 35208

St. John's School Of Esthetics – Accredited

7525 South Memorial Parkway Suite E
Huntsville, AL 36201

Transitions Technical College – Accredited

6005 Monticello Drive
Montgomery, AL 35401

Wallace Community College

1141 Wallace Drive
Dothan, AL 35077

Wallace State

801 Main Street Northwest
Hanceville, AL 35244
Accredited School

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.

Esthetician Schools Near Me

Check out the Esthetics/Skin Care schools these cities in Alabama have to offer.

How to Become a Esthetician in Alabama

Alabama Esthetician Careers At a Glance
  • 1,000 education hours or 2,000 apprentice hours are required to become licensed.
  • You must renew your license every 2 years.
  • 0 continuing education hours are required to renew your license.
  • The average for estheticians in Alabama is $37,560.
  • There is a predicted 16% job increase between 2018 - 2028 for estheticians nationally.

Estheticians in Alabama perform skin care services, including facials, waxing, and makeup application.

To qualify for an esthetics license in Alabama, you must:  

Esthetician Salary and Projected Job Growth in Alabama

$37,560

Average yearly salary for esthetics in Alabama

On average, estheticians in Alabama earn an average salary of $37,560 per year or $18.06 per hour. Though this is 10% below the national average of $41,700 for annual esthetician pay, the cost of living in Alabama is also 12% lower than average. Housing is particularly inexpensive on average, costing 30% less than the national average.

Salaries for estheticians in Alabama range from around $17,720 to $71,750. Factors like location, specialty, and experience may affect earnings.

The job outlook for estheticians in Alabama is bright. The state expects positions to grow by 16% from 2020 to 2030.

The highest-paying metro areas for estheticians in Alabama are:

Metro Area 2021 Median Salary
Montgomery, Alabama $36,840
Huntsville, Alabama $31,120
Birmingham-Hoover, Alabama $31,030
Mobile, Alabama $30,420
Columbus, Georgia-Alabama $23,990

Table information sourced from O*Net (2022)

State License Requirements

1,000 Education Hours

Required to earn a esthetics license

Before your esthetics exams, you must take 1,000 training hours at a board-approved school.

Curriculum topics vary from program to program but include:

  • Bacteriology and sanitation, personal hygiene, and public health
  • History of the skin, cells, and tissue
  • Dermatology—structure, functions, types, color, elasticity, and disorders
  • Structure and function of human systems
  • Skin types, color, and nutrition
  • Facial treatments—massage, analysis, preparation, and manipulations
  • Equipment, including electrical current facial treatments, their benefits, and safety
  • Other facial treatments—their purpose, effects, and safety
  • Hair removal—depilatories, tweezing, and waxing
  • Makeup—supplies and implements, preparation, and safety procedures
  • Body wraps—purpose and effects, types of treatment, and supplies
  • Business/ management practices, and salon and client development

Estheticians in Alabama can't perform microblading and micro-needling without specific permits or licenses, so these topics are not part of the standard curriculum.

Like individual practitioners, Alabama esthetics schools need licensure. They need to provide the necessary space, equipment, and instructors to stay licensed.

In Alabama, schools must have at least 1,200 square feet of floor space to accommodate 20 students. For each extra student, they need 15 more square feet.

Schools with fewer than 20 students need at least one full-time and one on-call instructor. Beyond that, at least one more full-time instructor must join the staff per 20 students.

Esthetician schools must have the following equipment available to maintain licensure:

  • Three facial treatment chairs, hydraulic chairs, or treatment tables
  • Three esthetician stools
  • Three facial vaporizers
  • Three Woods lamps
  • Three footed magnifying lamps
  • One electric wax heater
  • Three utility tables or one adequately sized continuous countertop
  • Three high-frequency apparatuses
  • One galvanic or faradic/sinusoidal apparatus
  • One sink
  • Any reference books, charts, and other equipment necessary for following the curriculum

Can I Apprentice as an Esthetician in Alabama?

2,000 Education Hours

Required to complete an esthetician apprenticeship

Alabama allows esthetician licensure through apprenticeship. Apprentices must apply for a work permit and pay a $75 fee before training can begin.

Esthetician apprentices must complete 2,000 training hours within three years. Subjects may include:

  • Bacteriology and sanitation, personal hygiene, and public health: 200 hours
  • History of the skin, cells, and tissue: 200 hours
  • Dermatology—structure, functions, types, color, elasticity, and disorders: 200 hours
  • Structure and function of human systems: 100 hours
  • Skin types, color, and nutrition: 100 hours
  • Facial treatments—massage, analysis, preparation, and manipulations: 200 hours
  • Equipment, including electrical current facial treatments' benefits and safety: 150 hours
  • Other facial treatments—their purpose, effects, and safety: 150 hours
  • Hair removal, including depilatories, tweezing, and waxing: 75 hours
  • Makeup—supplies and implements, preparation, safety procedures: 200 hours
  • Body wraps—their purpose and effects, types of treatment, and supplies: 75 hours
  • Business/ management practices and salon and client development: 125 hours
  • Unassigned: 225 hours

Alabaman Esthetician Licensing Requirements

You should be ready for exams after 1,000 training or 2,000 apprenticeship hours. After getting board authorization, you can register for the tests on the Iso-Quality Testing (IQT) website. The written exam costs $75, and the practical test costs $130.

You must bring a printed admission letter and two forms of ID to your test.

If you need accommodations, you must apply through Alabama's ADA process. The state board must approve ADA documents for submission to IQT before you can take the exam.

The theory exam for esthetics in Alabama lasts 90 minutes and is made up of 110 items, of which 100 are scored. The written test content includes:

1. Scientific Concepts (55%)

  • Basic microbiology
  • Infection control procedures
  • Safety procedures and guidelines
  • Basics of human physiology and anatomy
  • Histology and physiology of the skin
  • Skin disorders and diseases
  • Function and composition of the hair
  • Basic chemistry

2. Skin care and services (45%)

  • Client consultation and documentation
  • Apply knowledge of client protection
  • Skin analysis
  • Contraindications for skin services
  • Treatment protocol
  • Cleansing procedures
  • Steaming procedures
  • Exfoliation procedures
  • Basic massage movements
  • Extraction methods
  • Mask functions and applications
  • Conclusion of facial services
  • Electrical equipment used in skin services
  • Makeup
  • Other facial, body, lash and brow, hair removal, and wellness services

The practical exam for esthetics in Alabama consists of:

  • Work area preparation and set up of supplies: 10 minutes
  • Client preparation and basic facial: 25 minutes
  • Work area preparation for a new client and set up of supplies: 10 minutes
  • New client preparation and eyebrow hair removal with simulated soft wax and tweezing: 5-minute set-up, untimed procedure
  • Facial makeup: 20 minutes
  • Blood exposure procedure: 10 minutes
  • Particle microdermabrasion on the forehead: 10 minutes
  • Eyelash enhancement: 10 minutes
  • Hair removal of the upper lip using hard wax: 10 minutes


The practical exam is only offered in English. You must achieve a score of 70% to qualify as passing. You have three chances to pass each test. If you fail on the third try, you must complete 375 hours of school before applying for re-examination.

Esthetician students and apprentices have two years to pass their tests after training. If you go beyond that, you must complete an extra 375 hours of schooling before applying to take the exams.

Alabaman Esthetician Licensure Reciprocity

If you hold an esthetician's license in another state, you can apply for an Alabama license through reciprocity.

To apply, you must:

  • Request that a licensure certification from the state where you're licensed be sent to Alabama's State Board
  • Complete a reciprocity application and pay a $100 fee

The board will notify you if you need to take the practical test, written exam, or both.

Active duty military spouses may waive reciprocity fees and get expedited reciprocal licenses. They do this by filling out a military spouse fee waiver form.

Esthetician License Renewal in Alabama

2 Years

License renewal period

0 Hours

Continuing education required

Alabama esthetics licenses expire on the last day of a licensee's birth month in every odd-numbered year. To renew, you must pay a renewal fee of $100.

There are no continuing education requirements for Alabama estheticians to renew their licenses.

Expired licenses may be reinstated within four years of the expiration date. After that, you must pay renewal fees for the lapsed period, a current renewal fee, and a late fee.

Licenses that have expired for more than four years may be reinstated, too. It's just more complicated. You must show proof of prior licensure, pass exams, and pay several fees.

Contact the Alabama State Board of Esthetics

Alabama Board of Cosmetology and Barbering

National Coalition of Estheticians Association - Alabama Branch
Organization helping Alabama estheticians further their careers via certification and continuing education

Alabama Esthetician Group
Facebook group where Alabama estheticians can network, post opportunities, and share advice

Commercial_Combo_Program-Career-Geo
Esthetics/Skin Care
Alabama

How to Become a Esthetician in Your State