Tampa may be known for its sunny beaches, but it’s also known for its great cosmetology schools! Below, read about our top ten picks. You’ll find overviews, advantages, career prospects, and the average cost of tuition for each school.
Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy
Overview
At Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy, the staff’s mission is to prepare graduates for state licensure and success in their chosen career path. The school’s team will accomplish this mission by facilitating a fun and safe environment within which students become knowledgeable, respectful, accountable, and professional.
The academy was founded in 1995, when the founder recognized the need for skillfully trained cosmetologists and barbers. The program was expanded in 1999 to include cosmetology, barber, skin care and nail technology. Many of the school’s graduates work in salons, barber shops, doctor’s offices, and day spas. Some even own their own barber shops and salons!
Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy’s instructors are trained, licensed, and experienced. They provide strong educational and professional assistance to students. This elevates graduates to a high degree of competence and success. This success reflects the culture of the Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy: students are knowledgeable, respectful, accountable, and professional.
Advantages
In the cosmetology program, students learn a wide variety of skills that grow their knowledge base and prepare them for their future profession in the industry. They learn about effective communication skills, visual poise, and proper grooming as well as delivering worthy service for value in an employer/employee relationship.
Students also gain skills in the areas of hair styling, hair shaping, hair coloring, texture service, scalp and hair conditioning, skin and makeup, manicures, pedicures, and nail extensions.
A focus is put on analytical skills to determine the best possible makeup, hairstyle, and hair color for each client. Students are taught to apply learned theory, technical information, and related matter to assure sound judgments, decisions, and procedures.
Career Prospects
From the time students enroll throughout their professional career, career development is a part of the Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy. The school provides tools and resources to assist students in obtaining a job and driving their career in the beauty industry. As the academy says, “Our students’ success is our success.”
The school also hosts career days for current, former, and future students. Local salons and shops are invited to attend. These career days allow students to network and explore job possibilities.
A current listing of job openings is maintained on the Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy website. This is a great resource for students and graduates looking to get their foot in the door of the beauty industry.
Shear Excellence Hair Academy
Overview
At the Shear Excellence Hair Academy, the staff is completely committed to excellence in cosmetology, nail technology, and barbering. The school is accredited and has goals to meet high standards of performance. The academy currently meets a successful passing rate for the State Board Examination, and placement assistance is offered to graduates.
As the academy says, “Those who receive education in this industry can become successful., and we have made a commitment and dedication to help our students reach their dreams with a future that starts with a career in the beauty industry.”
Advantages
Although students will receive classroom training, the majority of training is acquired through real-life experience with guests. This format provides a learning experience that prepares students with a solid background in the cosmetology industry.
Career Prospects
With knowledge gained through classroom training and hours of real-life experience in the student salon, students are sure to be prepared to enter the professional world upon graduation.
Summit Salon Academy
Overview
As Summit Salon Academy says, “Cosmetology school will never be the same.” The Summit Salon Business Center believes that students are the future of the business industry, and each one is prepared for a successful career. Each day at Summit Salon Academy begins with one question: “What difference will you make in the world?”
A world of talents is reflected in Summit Salon Academy’s community of salon professionals and faculty. The academy goes inside the issues that matter and teaches students to reach inside themselves for the strength, skills, and confidence they will develop to face them. Students are asked not only to study leadership, but to demonstrate it through intelligent communication and superior technical training.
Advantages
Summit Salon Academy has five tenets that make it unique. The first is intelligence, which is celebrated on a daily basis. Next is learning in practice, or learning how to connect passion for the art with daily and weekly financial goals. Third is entrepreneurship and innovation, where students explore new ventures, connect with entrepreneurs, and discover daily innovation.
The fourth tenet is alumni relations; the school stays connected to its graduates and to Summit Salons throughout all of North America. Finally, the Summit Salon Library provides access to the world’s largest salon, spa, and school consulting company and its vast library of industry publications and materials.
Career Prospects
With a strong knowledge base and lessons learned from the five tenets of Summit Salon Academy, graduates are fully prepared to enter the professional world upon commencement.
Empire Beauty School
Overview
Empire Beauty School Tampa offers a rare combination of advantages to students; these advantages have the ability to advance each student’s career. At the Tampa location, students are offered a full cosmetology education with all the support they need to begin formal training.
Trained and licensed beauty educators conduct fun, interactive classes. Students get the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with real clients while learning how to build their own book of business in the student salon.
Advantages
CLIC (Certified Learning In Cosmetology), Empire Beauty School’s own unique curriculum, has been perfected over the past 80 years to become the top-notch program is is today. Empire’s staff is completely committed to helping students succeed by assisting them in their employment search and preparing them for the state exam.
Students have access to additional real-world training and education as well; special events like fashion shows, beauty shows, competitions, fundraising events, and community involvement are all examples.
Career Prospects
With both the knowledge attained through the CLIC curriculum and the hours of hands-on experience in the student salon, graduates of Empire Beauty School are complete ready for life in the professional world.
Paul Mitchell The School
Overview
At Paul Mitchell The School, students aren’t referred to as “students”–they’re Future Professionals. These Future Professionals take part in Paul Mitchell’s unique three-level system that ensures that each student graduates completely prepares for exams as well as for life in the professional world. This three-level system also enable students and graduates to reach their own personal goals.
Future Professionals begin their learning process in level one, CORE. This is an introductory course that teaches foundational knowledge. Next is ADAPTIVE, a course that introduces students to hands-on learning in the salon. The final phase of the program is called CREATIVE. In this program, students strive to become salon-ready.
Advantages
Upon beginning the program, Future Professionals receive a kit of cosmetology essentials and an iPad. The iPad is especially helpful when it comes to theory work, while the kit comes in handy while students are getting hands-on experience.
An optional intensive study program called PHASE TWO is available to students who want to be challenged to their highest performance level. PHASE TWO ensures that Future Professionals will truly be prepared for their future in the cosmetology industry. This program includes advanced cosmetology training in combination with conditions that mimic salon reality.
Career Prospects
As many alumni of the school have had successful careers as makeup artists and hair stylists, it can most definitely be expected that current students and graduates will follow suit. Students leave Paul Mitchell the School completely prepared for professional life due to the three-level cosmetology program and additional PHASE TWO program.
Average Cost
The cost for the cosmetology program is $21,925.
Beauty Institutes
Overview
The Beauty Institute has been family-owned and operated since 1997. The founders saw the unlimited potential the beauty industry had to offer and decided to make a difference within the community. The rapid growth of the cosmetology industry propelled the school to educate individuals on how to become licensed professionals.
The Beauty Institute has created a multifaceted program to achieve the high-quality training that the beauty industry requires. The school develops cosmetologists, skin care specialists, braiding specialists, skin specialists, and nail specialists.
Students are also assisted in career placement and aided in developing entrepreneurial skills. Flexible full-time and part-time schedules are available. The school says, “We at the Beauty Institute want to educate you to become more than just a beauty expert, but a business owner and entrepreneur as well.”
Advantages
The cosmetology course at Beauty Institute is designed to prepare students for the state licensing examination and help students obtain employment upon graduation. Students will be instructed in theory and practical application.
Upon completion of the course, a cosmetologist will be trained in areas consisting of but not limited to product knowledge, hair shaping theory, manicuring and pedicuring, hair arrangements theory, hair and scalp analysis, sanitation, and HIV prevention.
Career Prospects
The cosmetology course includes business fundamental, which equip each student to weave through the business savvy of the industry. Business fundamentals put students in the mindframe to conquer the highly competitive trade, giving each student the entrepreneurial insight to become their own boss.
Aveda Institute
Overview
The Aveda Institute Tampa has much to be proud of: first, its exceptional instructors and exclusive curriculum; next, its successful and sustainable network of salon professionals in the industry; and finally, its mission to build up its students both as professionals and as individuals.
For students and staff alike, an important goal is to continue to cultivate one’s own unique talents while mastering technical skills. In addition, the Aveda Institute is passionate about giving back to the community. The institute has raised over $1 million for various charities.
Advantages
Students will encounter a trendy neighborhood and diverse clientele in Tampa. They will get the opportunity to experience the typical salon environment while still attending school. Through work in the student salon, students will earn valuable hands-on experience that will pay off in the future.
There are a diverse range of career paths available to Aveda students and graduates. For example, if a student preferred the salon environment, the Aveda staff would help her gain hands-on experience in that industry. If another student particularly enjoyed fashion, she could work on runway shows through Aveda’s impressive network.
Career Prospects
Students can rely on Aveda’s wide network in the industry along with their hours of hands-on experience in the student salon to help them find great employment opportunities.
Average Cost
The cosmetology program at the Aveda Institute costs $22,975 with an additional $2400 for books and supplies.
Beauty and Health Institute
Overview
The Beauty and Health Institute’s mission is to “provide training at a level that allows each student to achieve their highest occupational potential in the fields of beauty and health.” The institute specializes in training students in electrolysis, medical aesthetics, massage therapy, skin care, and permanent makeup. The school continuously strives to improve in order to provide its students with the best education and training available.
Advantages
The Beauty and Health Institute has highly qualified, experienced professionals as instructors. These instructors educate and train students to excel in their field of study while utilizing the latest industry techniques in the classroom.
Small classes provide an environment that is conducive to learning. Students enjoy individualized attention, enabling them to master both the practical and theoretical aspects of their training.
Career Prospects
With knowledge and experience in both theory and practical areas, graduates are prepared to enter the professional world.
Bosso Intensive Makeup Academy
Overview
The Bosso Intensive Makeup Academy offers a unique course that condenses what a student would traditionally learn in 4-6 weeks into 4 or 6 days. Most people don’t have the time or the vast amount of money it takes to go to such a lengthy course in makeup artistry, so this 4 or 6 day program is the perfect solution.
Students will not only learn the basics through the advanced techniques of makeup, but they’ll also get the benefit of learning the art of airbrushing from a working celebrity makeup artist, all for a price significantly lower than most makeup schools.
Classes contain a maximum of 4 students. This ensures meticulous and thorough instruction rather than getting lost in the shuffle of 20+ students.
Advantages
This unique private certificate makeup course condenses what students would normally learn in 6 weeks into 6 days. Students receive a professional certificate in both traditional and airbrush makeup upon completion of the program.
The program is completed throughout 6 consecutive days and includes both theory and hands-on training. Products, tools, and models are provided for training.
Career Prospects
Two professional certificates and wealth of theory and training mean that students will be ready to enter the workforce as a makeup artist upon graduation.
Average Cost
The cost of tuition for the 4 day program at Bosso Intensive Makeup Academy is $5000, and the cost for the 6 day program is $7500.
American Institute of Beauty
Overview
The American Institute of Beauty is a Redken Premier School, but it’s more than just a beauty school. The American Institute of Beauty is a cutting-edge cosmetology, barber, nail, skin care, and spa institution dedicated to revolutionizing the future of beauty, the beauty industry, and its graduates!
The Redken-infused cosmetology program gives students a superior foundation and premier education in hair coloring and cutting methodology. The American Institute of Beauty also offers customized programs that are in line with students’ career goals and objectives. These are available to give students the best education in the beauty industry while giving them real-world experience with a wealth of hands-on practice.
Advantages
There are many advantages to attending the American Institute of Beauty. Class sizes are small, and interactive technology makes lessons easy to understand and remember. The instructors are skilled and highly trained; all of them have real-life experience that enables them to help students individually.
Students have online access to overviews of their progress, grades, and accomplishments. An interim evaluation of skilled learned takes place with both written and practical skills. State-of-the-art facilities coupled with the latest technology make for a great working and learning environment, and students get the salon experience in a real-life career atmosphere.
Career Prospects
Part of the American Institute of Beauty’s curriculum is comprised of business skills and critical thinking techniques to increase earning potential. This, combined with hours of hands-on experience, prepares graduates for the professional world.
Average Cost
The average cost of tuition for the cosmetology program at the American Institute of Beauty is $16,150.