Federal data
Highest earning certificate cosmetology programs in Virginia
Virginia 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 Esthetic Institute | Vienna | For-profit, under 2-year | $29,301 | 95 |
| 2 | The Chrysm Institute of Esthetics | Virginia Beach | For-profit, under 2-year | $23,974 | 109 |
| 3 | Dermal Science International Aesthetics and Nail Academy | Reston | For-profit, under 2-year | $22,763 | 57 |
| 4 | Paul Mitchell the School-Roanoke | Roanoke | For-profit, under 2-year | $20,761 | 56 |
| 5 | Rudy & Kelly Academy, A Paul Mitchell Partner School | Virginia Beach | For-profit, under 2-year | $20,028 | 105 |
| 6 | Paul Mitchell the School | McLean | For-profit, under 2-year | $19,234 | 322 |
| 7 | Empire Beauty School | Virginia Beach | For-profit, under 2-year | $17,113 | 700 |
| 8 | Sylvain Melloul International Hair Academy | Lynchburg | For-profit, under 2-year | $15,812 | 72 |
| 9 | Avi Career Training | Great Falls | For-profit, under 2-year | $15,607 | 57 |
| 10 | Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-Lafayette | Arlington | For-profit, under 2-year | $14,397 | 159 |
| 11 | Tomorrow's Image Barber And Beauty Academy of Virginia | Newport News | For-profit, under 2-year | $11,572 | 43 |
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.