Federal data
Highest earning certificate cosmetology programs in Tennessee
Tennessee 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 | The Salon Professional Academy-Nashville | Nashville | For-profit, under 2-year | $25,878 | 58 |
| 2 | Image Maker Beauty Institute | Hendersonville | For-profit, under 2-year | $21,451 | 45 |
| 3 | Austin's Beauty College Inc | Clarksville | For-profit, under 2-year | $20,977 | 72 |
| 4 | Brillare Beauty Institute | Cleveland | Private nonprofit, under 2-year | $20,885 | 61 |
| 5 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville | Nashville | Public, 2-year | $20,870 | 91 |
| 6 | Paul Mitchell the School-Murfreesboro | Murfreesboro | For-profit, under 2-year | $20,606 | 187 |
| 7 | Chattanooga College Medical Dental and & Technical Careers | Chattanooga | For-profit, 4-year | $20,488 | 71 |
| 8 | Gould's Academy | Memphis | For-profit, under 2-year | $20,194 | 310 |
| 9 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson | Dickson | Public, 2-year | $18,956 | 31 |
| 10 | Chattanooga State Community College | Chattanooga | Public, 2-year | $18,593 | 74 |
| 11 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Memphis | Memphis | Public, 2-year | $18,312 | 47 |
| 12 | Genesis Career College-Lebanon | Lebanon | For-profit, under 2-year | $18,043 | 34 |
| 13 | Paul Mitchell the School-Knoxville | Powder Springs | For-profit, under 2-year | $17,942 | 103 |
| 14 | Tennessee School of Beauty of Knoxville Inc | Knoxville | For-profit, under 2-year | $17,506 | 159 |
| 15 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Knoxville | Knoxville | Public, 2-year | $17,458 | 36 |
| 16 | Paul Mitchell the School-Memphis | Memphis | For-profit, under 2-year | $17,239 | 137 |
| 17 | Genesis Career College-Cookeville | Cookeville | For-profit, under 2-year | $16,552 | 152 |
| 18 | Empire Beauty School | Jackson | For-profit, under 2-year | $16,251 | 817 |
| 19 | Vibe Barber College | Memphis | For-profit, under 2-year | $15,646 | 32 |
| 20 | Miller-Motte College | Chattanooga | For-profit, 4-year | $15,003 | 335 |
| 21 | Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Henry/Carroll | Paris | Public, 2-year | $14,797 | 35 |
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.