Federal data
Highest earning certificate cosmetology programs in Kentucky
Kentucky cosmetology programs, ranked by median earnings one year after completion, from the College Scorecard field-of-study file (September 18, 2026). Only programs with at least 30 counted graduates in the earnings sample are shown, and at least 5 programs must qualify for this list to exist.
| Rank | School | City | Sector | Median earnings, 1 year after | Graduates counted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PJ's College of Cosmetology-Bowling Green | Bowling Green | For-profit, under 2-year | $21,439 | 223 |
| 2 | Paul Mitchell the School-Louisville | Louisville | For-profit, under 2-year | $20,033 | 119 |
| 3 | Paul Mitchell the School-Lexington | Lexington | For-profit, under 2-year | $18,950 | 117 |
| 4 | Empire Beauty School | Florence | For-profit, under 2-year | $18,408 | 626 |
| 5 | Summit Salon Academy-Lexington | Lexington | For-profit, under 2-year | $16,679 | 100 |
| 6 | American College of Barbering | Louisville | For-profit, under 2-year | $15,279 | 47 |
| 7 | Employment Solutions-College for Technical Education | Lexington | Private nonprofit, under 2-year | $13,117 | 35 |
| 8 | Lindsey Institute of Cosmetology | Bowling Green | For-profit, under 2-year | $12,627 | 32 |
| 9 | Campbellsville University | Campbellsville | Private nonprofit, 4-year | $12,486 | 37 |
| 10 | Somerset Community College | Somerset | Public, 2-year | $11,565 | 33 |
Earnings cover federally aided graduates only, as published by College Scorecard.
How to read this. A smaller program can show a high or low figure from just a few graduates, and this earnings figure only ever covers students who received federal aid, so it does not describe every graduate.