Each of the following 10 schools offers much when it comes to curriculum, hands-on experience, and future success. But don’t just take my word for it–find your perfect match by reading through each school’s description. We’ve provided you with overviews, advantages of attending each school, career prospects, and the average cost of tuition for each school.
Ray’Z Barber and Styling College
Overview
Ray’Z Barber and Styling College believes that the perfect barber is tough to find, and they want to turn their students into that barber. Ray’Z’s students are provided with the instruction and skill needed to become a licensed barber-stylist. Students can expect to be trained and educated in an environment that promotes both professional and personal growth, as well as encourages students to perfect an art they love.
Advantages
Students will learn about the preparation and care of barber implements, the art of hair cutting, styling, shaving, beard trimming, and shampooing, facial and scalp massaging and treatments by hand or mechanical appliances, and hair tinting, coloring, bleaching, and permanent waving.
Students will also be taught barber anatomy, physiology, bacteriology and sanitation, barber history and law, electricity and light rays, professional image, sterilization and sanitation, mustache and beard design, barber shop management, and many other topics. Clearly Ray’Z Barber and Styling College has quite the varied and comprehensive curriculum.
Career Prospects
The vast and varied curriculum coupled with the goal of the school to produce quality barbers means that graduates will exit the program ready to find a successful career in the industry.
Academy of Cosmetology Arts
Overview
Education is raised to an art form at the Academy of Cosmetology Arts. Students are not only being technical trained but are also taken on a journey of personal growth that teaches them to be successful in all aspects of their lives.
The school was established in 2001 as the first Cosmetology Apprenticeship Program in the Denver metro area. It enjoys a 94% successful pass rate at the licensing exam, and 96% of its graduates currently work in the industry–10% more than the national average!
Advantages
The school is innovative in its way of teaching; the Academy of Cosmetology Arts connects the mind, body, and soul of its students, clients, and faculty. Instructors bring a plethora of expertise to the classroom, using their creativity, knowledge, and professional experience as tools.
The staff is dedicated to a fun and exciting hands-on environment that is both nurturing and supportive of the students’ creative processes. The school requires that each student takes full responsibility for their education and future by being fully involved in their education.
Career Prospects
The exciting and dynamic curriculum created by the Academy of Cosmetology Arts examines all areas of the cosmetology profession. These include hairstyling, wet setting, thermal styling, hair coloring, hair bleaching, hair cutting, shampooing, scalp treatments, permanent waving, chemical relaxing, facial makeup, hair removal, nail technology, massage facials and skincare, salon management, success dynamics, professional ethics, and more.
With all of this knowledge, graduates are fully prepared to step into the professional world and begin working a job of their choice in the beauty and cosmetology industry.
College of International Esthetics
Overview
The school’s mission is to “provide quality and competent education that goes beyond the basics of skincare offered by most Denver cosmetology schools, whether required for the course or advanced learning. We provide students the tools they will need to be successful in their business ventures and goals.”
Advantages
One interesting advantage to attending the College of International Esthetics is that its training courses provide students with a medical background. It enables graduates to effectively teach patients proper skincare as they undergo medical treatment.
The College of International Esthetics provides a solid education for those who wish to pursue a career path in medical esthetics. This education includes training students to use advanced technology and more.
The school also puts a great deal of emphasis on achieving success, working on positive attitudes, and developing excellent customer communication skills through great knowledge.
Career Prospects
The College of International Esthetics has successfully trained a wide variety of students interested in medical esthetics, including graduates from the leading cosmetology schools in Denver. Graduates have found fulfilling careers in many areas, including dermatology offices, hospitals, plastic surgery centers, and oncology practices.
Cuttin’ Up Beauty Academy
Overview
At Cuttin’ Up Beauty Academy, training in basic cosmetology, barbering hair styling, manicuring, and esthetics is provided and coupled with hands-on experience to assist students in passing the state examination. The school places a great emphasis on how to become successful in the beauty industry, as well as how to make each student’s chosen career personally and financially rewarding. Students will practice beauty shop management, learn business concepts, and discover the psychology of personal success.
According to Cuttin’ Up Beauty Academy, “We are here to help you discover your ability to transform your life and the lives of others by training. The degree of your success will depend upon the time and effort you are willing to apply during the entire course of your training. Our professional and committed Instructors are dedicated to helping you achieve your dream.”
Advantages
The school has several important commitments it considers integral to the educational process. First, the school has a commitment to wellbeing and believes that it is the cornerstone of personal and professional growth. Additionally, Cuttin’ Up Beauty Academy has a commitment to the team objective, or total commitment to the team. This is a guide for students and staff to follow in their service to clients as well as support of each other.
Next is the commitment to goal attainment; the school believes that every individual should have economic and personal goals. Within a framework of daily evaluation, students and instructors work to identify and achieve their long-term objectives. A commitment to time management is also key. Cuttin’ Up believes its time management system should be utilized in all clinic activities to provide the best experience for clients.
A commitment to excellence in all they do, in which they become team members working for each other and themselves, is also important. A commitment to incredible, outstanding, unbelievable client service means that clients should feel like honored guests at the school. A commitment to retailing through client experience is a vital prerequisite to client experience that ultimately leads to professional success.
A commitment to value-added services means doing and giving more than expected, or going above and beyond the call of duty. Cuttin’ Up’s commitment to innovation shows that the school’s strength lies in its passion to implement new ideas and embrace change. Finally, a commitment to personal property means respecting all equipment as well as the belongings of others.
Career Prospects
Equipped with the commitments mentioned above as well as hands-on experience, students are surely set on the path to success and will soon be ready to take on the professional world in the cosmetology industry.
Average Cost
$8400 is the average cost of the cosmetology program at Cuttin’ Up Beauty Academy.
National Beauty College
Overview
The National Beauty College was founded in 2001 and is an independent educational institution that offers courses in cosmetology, hairstyling, esthetics, and manicuring. An emphasis is placed on instilling a sense of professionalism in each student; they’re taught how to be successful in the marketplace while providing professional services.
National Beauty College is equipped with a full-service beauty salon, nail shop, and facial clinic. Although classes are taught in English, tutoring sessions are available in English-Vietnamese and English-Spanish to accommodate each student’s level of understanding.
Advantages
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to perform a variety of skills. They will have also gained a wealth of knowledge. For example, they will understand all sanitation, sterilization, and safety precautions expected of cosmetologists.
They will also be able to confidently perform professional hair, skin and nail care services. These include permanent waving, chemical relaxing, hair styling, wet styling, pressing and iron curling, massage and skin care, makeup, shampoo and scalp treatments, hair tinting, bleaching, hair cutting, skin analysis, waxing, manicuring, pedicuring, and the application of artificial nails. Another important area is being familiarized with laws, rules, and regulations required by the state
Career Prospects
Students will attain business management skills, ethics, interpersonal skills, and salesmanship. This, coupled with their extensive hands-on training, will prepare them to enter the cosmetology industry successfully.
Average Cost
$9600 is the cost of tuition for the cosmetology program at the National Beauty College.
Aveda Academy Denver
Overview
There are a few reasons that the Aveda Institute is a staple in nearly every major city: the school has the most successful and sustainable network of salon professionals in the industry, it hires exceptional instructors, and an exclusive curriculum is taught. Altogether, these reasons make for an extremely successful learning experience.
Aveda’s goal is to teach each student to cultivate their own unique talents while mastering technical skills. This is because the school aims to build up its students both as professionals and as individuals.
Advantages
In Denver, students will experience diverse clientele in a trendy neighborhood. Working with clients will even give them a chance to network before graduation! Under direct supervision of instructors, students are given the opportunity to work in a salon environment.
Career paths for graduates of the Aveda Institute Denver are countless, and Aveda will help them wherever they want to be. For example, a student with a love for fashion could work on runway shows through Aveda’s vast network. Another student who enjoyed the salon environment would receive hands-on experience in that area to prepare her for professional life.
Career Prospects
Due to its name and its wide network in the industry, Aveda provides great opportunities for employment.
Average Cost
The cosmetology program costs $22,975 along with an additional $2400 for books and supplies.
Empire Beauty School
Overview
Empire has had plenty of time to compile a rare combination of advantages to advance its students’ careers over the past 80 years. These advantages include fun, interactive classes taught by trained and licensed beauty educators as well as a unique CLIC program that employs special tools, mannequins, and textbooks. The school is accredited, and financial aid is available.
The school’s cosmetology program is extremely comprehensive and covers a very wide variety of topics. A few of the areas focused on in the curriculum include hair design, hair cutting, color and texture, basic skin care, business and retail training, and makeup. As a result of this versatile program, students are prepared for a variety of career paths.
Advantages
Students have the ability to build their own business empire through positive word of mouth even before they graduate. Further aiding students in attracting loyal salon clients are growing communication and marketing skills.
Another opportunity that contributes to real-life training is participation in local events that benefit the community. Additionally, the student salon allows students to both work with and network with real clients. The staff and curriculum help students prepare for board exams as well.
Career Prospects
Graduates are supported and aided by Empire Beauty School in job searching both before and after graduation. In addition, students network and build up a lasting clientele as they work in the student salon.
Xenon Academy
Overview
Xenon Academy was opened in 1988. It features a 12,000 square foot facility, 4 workshops and classrooms, 4 fully-equipped spa rooms, 2 private waxing rooms, 6 massaging spa pedicure chairs, and 56 client service stations.
Advantages
Xenon Academy’s cosmetology courses provide “the perfect balance of education and experience, giving you plenty of chances to put your skills to the test. But not only will you gain real-world experience with the cosmetology process, but you’ll also receive invaluable instruction on the business of beauty – giving you everything you need for a successful career.”
A four-phase program — Discovery, Experience, Create, and Imagine — teaches students important fundamentals of the art of hairdressing. Students will receive extensive opportunities to experience the professional salon industry firsthand through interactions with industry speakers as well as trade shows, career fairs, and salon tours.
Career Prospects
After gaining real-world experience in the student salon and participating in trade shows, career fairs, and salon tours, students will leave Xenon Academy fully prepared for their future in the cosmetology industry.
Denver Esthetician School
Overview
At the Denver Esthetician School, the curriculum includes instruction on many topics: facials, hair removal, makeup, body treatments, sanitation, disinfection, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, skin analysis, microdermabrasion, chemical peels, dermaplaning, natural skin care, medical skin care, aromatherapy, nutrition, product knowledge, lash and brow tinting, retailing, state board prep, business, and ethics.
Advantages
Students will learn through in-class lecture and practice, correspondence work, and practicum in clinic. In in-class lecture and practice, students will learn in-depth about the topics mentioned above. During the correspondence work period, studies outside of class involving reading, homework, and state board preparation take place.
Finally, in the practicum and clinic stage of the curriculum, students practice and receive proper feedback on their work. They also have the opportunity to work with clients with many different skin types and conditions.
Career Prospects
The Denver Esthetician School mentions the following places of work in which graduates may find their future careers: spas, wellness clinics, makeup studios, product representation or sales, waxing studios, salons, and health clubs.
Average Cost
The average cost of tuition at the Denver Esthetician School is $7749.
Paul Mitchell The School Denver
Overview
Students learn in a real-world environment and even get to network and prepare for the future while still in school at Paul Mitchell The School. While the main portion of learning is comprised of hands-on experience in a salon, a three-level cosmetology program also prepares students for success in the industry.
CORE, the first level, teaches introductory knowledge; ADAPTIVE, the second, moves into hands-on training, and CREATIVE, the final level, prepares students for the professional world through their own creative visions
The three-step program not only teaches the basics of cosmetology, it also enables students to reach their own personal goals. When each graduate leaves the school, they are completely prepared for exams as well as for a successful career in the industry.
Advantages
Interested students can participate in an intensive study program called PHASE TWO. PHASE TWO challenges each Future Professional (Paul Mitchell’s name for each student) to their highest performance level with a unique blend of conditions that mimic salon reality and advanced cosmetology training. After completing this program successfully, students are well prepared for the future.
Several tools are provided to students to serve them throughout their studies. These tools include an iPad and a kit of cosmetology essentials, which are especially important when moving into hands-on training.
Career Prospects
Many alumni of Paul Mitchell The School have extremely successful careers, and it only makes sense that current students and graduates will have prosperous careers as well. Additionally, students are effectively prepared for professional life after completing the three-level cosmetology course and additional PHASE TWO program.
Average Cost
The cost for the cosmetology program is $21,925 total.