Empire Beauty Schools
Empire Beauty Schools are a popular chain of beauty schools across the U.S.
The schools come up frequently in "best beauty school" lists primarily for the established success of their programs, exclusive curriculum, educator programs, and the quality of their student training salons.
Are Empire Beauty Schools worth the hype? Let's dig in and find out.
Empire Beauty Schools: An Overview
Empire Beauty Schools offer different types of beauty education, including cosmetology, esthetics, and cosmetology instructor programs. Not all school locations offer all of these programs, so be sure to check with the location you're interested in if you have a particular program and career in mind.
Empire Beauty Schools' core purpose is "to create opportunities for people to improve their lives." Its mission is to "provide each of our students with marketable skills and professional attitudes."
The length and topics of each type of program will differ depending on state requirements, but the highlights of each of the programs offered at Empire Beauty Schools are broken down below:
Cosmetology
Empire's cosmetology program offers "basic, contemporary, and advanced" hair styling techniques, including how to work with different hair textures and styles; facials and other skincare services; manicurist techniques to offer expert nail services; and the marketing/communication skills necessary to secure a job and enjoy long-term career success in the beauty industry.
Note that Empire does not currently offer a nail tech program, but its cosmetology program includes instruction in manicuring techniques, including spa manicuring, gel and acrylic enhancements, and nail art.
Esthetics
In the esthetics program, Empire Beauty Schools instructors teach basic and advanced facial techniques, including formulations and use of tools; waxing and other methods of hair removal; and makeup skills that enable you to create looks for everyday and major life events.
Cosmetology Instructor Training
For practicing cosmetologists, Empire’s instructor program offers the chance to educate the next generation of beauty professionals. In the educational training program at Empire, aspiring teachers are taught to train students in expert beauty methods, as well as become a supervisor in the Empire Beauty School student salons.
Speaking of its student salons: Empire is also well-known for the training salons their locations offer. Although most beauty trainees in general may not offer services on par with fully trained and licensed cosmetologists, Empire is known for the professional quality of their student salons’ services.
Why Students Choose Empire Beauty Schools
Each school offers the same exclusive "Certified Learning in Cosmetology" curriculum. So, no matter which school you choose, your education quality should not vary. That said, state licensure requirements vary by state, so the hours and some learning criteria are location-dependent.
You should consider attending Empire Beauty School if you're interested in a consistent and proven curriculum and experience in a well-known and professional student salon.
With the goal of improving the future of its students through exciting lifelong career prospects in the beauty industry, Empire Beauty Schools participate in programs to help their students with the financial burden of cosmetology school.
Such programs include:
Another draw of attending an Empire Beauty School is the possibility of employment in one of its well-known salons. In fact, three-fourths of the employees in Empire salons attended one of their beauty schools.
Empire Beauty Schools also provide career services for their graduates who want to work outside the chain of schools and salons.
Empire Beauty Schools' graduation rates vary by school, but most graduation rates are competitive with similar schools nationally.
Empire Beauty Schools Student Reviews
Most of the positive reviews centered on the fun learning environment at Empire, the real-life experience the schools offer, and how well the programs prepare students for their licensure exams.
Here are a couple examples:
"Empire Beauty School was the first 'college' I attended. The academics and educators were my favorite part of the school. The educators I had made the academics fun and interesting. They did an awesome job at making the curriculum fun and easy to learn. The educators also had awesome ways of helping the students retain the information and remember what they were learning. The only thing I would want to see Empire change is the way they communicate the cost of their program."
"Empire is the ultimate school for beauty education. In just 18 short weeks, you are already prepared to work on live clients and build your career."
In terms of challenges, students most often mentioned large class sizes.
Empire Beauty Schools: Company Info
Founded in 1934, Empire Beauty Schools has grown from one location to over 75 across the nation today. It was the first beauty school to offer a state-licensed cosmetology program – so its curriculum is tried and true.
The first Empire Beauty School location opened in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It was originally a small chain with three campuses in the area. By the 1980s, the chain of beauty schools had expanded across the state of Pennsylvania. It had gained a reputation as one of the top beauty school programs in the Northeast.
Today, Empire Beauty Schools has locations in 21 states and over 75 campuses. The chain of schools is "one of the largest centrally owned and operated cosmetology school systems in North America."
Empire Beauty Schools Locations
2190 Henderson Mill Road
Atlanta, GA 30345
16800 East Mississippi Avenue
Aurora, CO 80017
9945 West McDowell Road Suite 112
Avondale, AZ 85323
9749 Lyndale Avenue
Bloomington, MN 55420
7106 Moores Lane Suite A
Brentwood, TN 37027
2978 North Alma School Road 1-3
Chandler, AZ 85224
8700 Pineville-Matthews Road Suite 700
Charlotte, NC 28226
4901-B North Tryon Street
Charlotte, NC 28213
2190 Walden Avenue
Cheektowaga, NY 14225
2100 State Highway 38 Plaza Cherry Hill
Cherry Hill, NJ 8002
8419 Colerain Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45239
10075 Weddington Road Extension
Concord, NC 28027
554 Westport Road
Elizabethtown, KY 42701
6320 Ritchie Highway Suite F
Glen Burnie, MD 21061
455 Standale Plaza Northwest
Grand Rapids, MI 49534
3583 Alpine Avenue Northwest
Walker, MI 49544
1312 Bridford Parkway 105
Greensboro, NC 27407
3941 Jonestown Road
Harrisburg, PA 17109
2615 George Busbee Parkway Northwest
Kennesaw, GA 30144
5101 U.S. Highway 98 North
Lakeland, FL 33809
1801 Columbia Avenue
Lancaster, PA 17603
1455 Pleasant Hill Road
Lawrenceville, GA 30044
8996 West Bowles Avenue
Littleton, CO 80123
151 Chenoweth Lane
Louisville, KY 40207
5120 Dixie Highway
Louisville, KY 40216
10807 Hull Street Road
Midlothian, VA 23112
5655 South 27th Street
Milwaukee, WI 53221
320 Mall Boulevard
Monroeville, PA 15146
1958 Mount Zion Road Suite 205
Morrow, GA 30260
12365 Hornsby Lane Suite C
Newport News, VA 23602
9616 Reistertown Road Suite 105
Owings Mills, MD 21117
1522 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
4026 Woodhaven Road
Philadelphia, PA 19154
4768 Mcknight Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
6091 Constitution Boulevard
Portage, MI 49024
396 Pottsville St. Clair Highway
Pottsville, PA 17901
2302 North 5th Street Highway
Reading, PA 19605
9049 West Broad Street 3
Richmond, VA 23294
340 Elmridge Center Drive
Rochester, NY 14626
7400 Abercorn Street Suite 901
Savannah, GA 31406
30 Baldwin Boulevard Suite 50
Shamokin Dam, PA 17876
5750 A Crawfordsville Road
Speedway, IN 46224
8205 University Avenue
Spring Lake Park, MN 55432
799 West Sproul Road
Springfield, PA 19064
3106 West North Avenue
Stone Park, IL 60165
3030 East Speedway Boulevard
Tucson, AZ 85716
226 Hawthorn Village Commons
Vernon Hills, IL 60061
116 South Independence Boulevard Suite 107
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
2394 Mountain View Drive
West Mifflin, PA 15122
4258 Okeechobee Boulevard
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
7740 North Point Boulevard
Winston-Salem, NC 27106
Empire Beauty School - Charlotte Pineville – Accredited
Charlotte, NC 28226
Empire Beauty School - Cherry Hill – Accredited
Cherry Hill, NJ 8002
Empire Beauty School - Owings Mills – Accredited
Owings Mills, MD 21117
Empire Beauty School - Philadelphia Center City – Accredited
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Empire Beauty School - Philadelphia Northeast – Accredited
Philadelphia, PA 19154
Empire Beauty School - Shamokin Dam – Accredited
Shamokin Dam, PA 17876
Empire Beauty School - Spring Lake Park – Accredited
Spring Lake Park, MN 55432
Empire Beauty School - Virginia Beach – Accredited
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Empire Beauty School - West Palm Beach – Accredited
West Palm Beach, FL 33409