Cosmetologist states
51
Top quartile, highest
Occupational licensing · Cosmetology · 51 state boards
Cosmetologist Licensing Requirements by State
Cosmetologist licensing rules differ by state. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) compilation and responsible state boards (current as of May 15, 2026), this registry compares education hours, initial and renewal fees, exams, background checks and reciprocity notes across 51 boards. Use the table to compare differences, then verify the current rule with the responsible board before applying.
Cosmetologist across 51 state boards. Nearest coverage peers (51-state band): Barber, Body Piercer, Electrologist.
- States regulated
- 51
- Avg initial fee
- $104
- Require an exam
- 100%
- Avg education hours
- 1,276
Board Pathway Strip
Cosmetologist: 51 boards · ~1,276 avg pre-licensure hrs · exam on 100% · background check on 100% · avg first fee $104. Same-lane boards: Barber, Body Piercer, Electrologist.
Cosmetologist vs. every tracked profession
Average confirmed pre-licensure education hours, board-sourced state requirements
1,276 24th of 47 higher than 23 of 47 professions
professions with confirmed education-hour requirements, bucketed by value
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more professions. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source PlainCredential NCSL and state-board corpus · 2026
Provides hair, skin, and nail care services. Required in all 50 states.
Cosmetologist initial fees swing $35 (NH) to $183 (CA), a $148 spread across 51 boards ; Barber often lands on a different fee band.
Board thresholds for Cosmetologist drift board-to-board; the same pattern shows up on Barber and Body Piercer in cosmetology. Methodology notes live on our methods page.
Cosmetologist edu hrs
1,276 hrs
Below median
Cosmetologist first fee
$104
Bottom quartile, lowest
Cosmetologist renewal
$55
Bottom 10% lowest
Board gates for Cosmetologist: exam on 51/51 (100%), background check on 51/51 (100%) , most boards skip mandated CE hours . Stack that against Barber / Body Piercer before calling this license soft or hard.
Cosmetologist: nationwide coverage neighbours
Coverage band
- Security Alarm Installer · 51 states
- Amusement Ride Operator · 51 states
- Animal Breeder · 51 states
- Arborist / Tree Surgeon · 51 states
Hour load
- Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) · 1,230 avg hrs
- Paramedic · 1,567 avg hrs
Cheapest vs priciest jurisdiction for Cosmetologist
A $148 fee spread for the same credential
Initial licensing fees in New Hampshire ($ 35) and California ($ 183) bracket the field, a 5.2× spread for identical practice rights.
NH
New Hampshire
$35 initial licensing fee
CA
California
$183 initial licensing fee
Cosmetologist boards vs Barber / Body Piercer - state table
51 statesCheapest / fastest Cosmetologist boards (then check Barber)
Fee and processing extremes for Cosmetologist. Same-lane peers Barber and Body Piercer can land on different boards even when the practice looks similar.
Lowest Cosmetologist fee
Highest Cosmetologist fee
- $100
- 2. Washington$90
- 3. California$75
- 4. Louisiana$75
- $75
What to do with this
Cosmetologist is regulated in 51 states -- here's how to use that before you act.
- Cosmetologist ranks #24 of 47 professions by average pre-licensure education hours -- see how it compares to similar roles. Browse all professions
- #17 of 97 professions by number of states requiring a license -- see which states are strictest overall. State burden rankings
- Initial fees for Cosmetologist range from $35 (NH) to $183 (CA) -- check whether your license transfers before assuming you'd need to pay again. Reciprocity guide
Requirements are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research and verified against state board sites where possible; always confirm current rules with the licensing board before relying on any single row.
Every figure on PlainCredential is rendered directly from NCSL and state occupational- licensing board data, no number is typed in by an editor. Cosmetologist requirements from NCSL and state board schedules: 51 rows, no hand-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.