How To Become A Cosmetology Instructor: What It Is and Career Path

What is a cosmetology instructor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

David McMahan Ph.D.

Cosmetology instructors teach students who intend to work in the beauty industry, training them to get their cosmetology licenses. Cosmetology instructors need to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and techniques in beauty and grooming to educate their students effectively. They need strong communication skills, good management abilities, and to transmit information through hands-on learning. They also need to have good customer service skills and know-how to pass on these techniques to their students. As cosmetologists need a license to practice, cosmetology instructors also need to ensure that their teaching methods align with standard field regulations.

If you're interested in becoming a cosmetology instructor, you may need to first attend cosmetology school and gain licensure as a hairstylist, manicurist, or esthetician. You could learn the basics of cosmetology through a state-approved certificate or associate's degree program. Once you've completed your required educational program, you can gain licensure as a cosmetologist.

After becoming a licensed cosmetologist and gaining experience in the field, you can expect to earn around $39,713.

What general advice would you give to a cosmetology instructor?

David McMahan Ph.D.

Charles A. Dana Professor of Religious Studies, Franklin and Marshall College

Keep open to possibilities beyond the narrow range of what your diploma lists as your major or minor. Whatever job you get trained for today, in 10-20 years, it may be very different. Or it may not exist. Focus on obtaining and maintaining flexibility, critical thinking, creativity, and passion for learning. Being an interesting person is as vital as any credential.

ScoreCosmetology InstructorUS Average

Salary

3.5

Avg. Salary $45,344

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.9

Growth rate 2%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.28%

Asian 11.21%

Black or African American 7.31%

Hispanic or Latino 10.40%

Unknown 4.96%

White 65.84%

Gender

female 90.80%

male 9.20%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress level

6.9

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.1

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a cosmetology instructor

Explore cosmetology instructor education requirements

Most common cosmetology instructor degrees

Associate

29.7 %

Bachelor's

17.6 %

Diploma

15.5 %

Start to develop specific cosmetology instructor skills

Skills	Percentages
Classroom Management	19.29%
Clinic Floor	11.88%
Syllabus	10.92%
Course Objectives	10.00%
Professional Development	6.19%

Complete relevant cosmetology instructor training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New cosmetology instructors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a cosmetology instructor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real cosmetology instructor resumes.

Research cosmetology instructor duties and responsibilities

Achieve business objectives require by corporate standards.
Teach general classes consisting of anatomy, chemical relaxing, skin, and product knowledge.
Develop and execute course syllabus to satisfy regulatory and professional curriculum requirements
Prepare semester academic syllabus for faculty for classroom instructions.

Prepare your cosmetology instructor resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your cosmetology instructor resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a cosmetology instructor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable cosmetology instructor resume templates

Build a professional cosmetology instructor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your cosmetology instructor resume.

Apply for cosmetology instructor jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a cosmetology instructor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do cosmetology instructors rate their job?

5/5

Based on 1 ratings

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Cosmetology instructor reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2021

Pros

I love the creativity, flexibility and being part time… I do not have to do mundane things such as inventory, registration and ordering items.

Cons

The pay is low for taking on many responsibilities. Handling and abiding by state-board laws and rules should add value to salary. We have many more rules to abide by almost like 2 classes opposed to 1.

5.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020