Are Cosmetology Careers a Good Investment?

Is Going to Beauty School Worth It?

    Cosmetology school is a big investment no matter how you look at it. Even with loans, scholarships, and low tuition, our students still commit money and (more importantly) time into their education. Students and their parents ask us, will this investment pay off? What if I won’t like working in a salon? Would one of these careers be right for me?

    Well, if you didn’t know, the beauty industry is growing much faster than the national average. The Professional Beauty Association estimates a growth from 2012-2022 at an average of 14%, far above other industries. That means there’s high demand for beauty professionals, and their prospects are only projected to grow! Right now is an exciting and lucrative time to be a beauty professional, and our students have had no problem landing their top-choice jobs in salons and spas. Moreover, the laws in Minnesota have recently changed to allow cosmetology graduates to rent a chair right out of school. That means cosmetology graduates can choose to be self-employed right away!

For Cosmetologists, It’s a Big, Beautiful World Out There.

    But there’s more to cosmetology than simply working in a salon. At last estimate, the cosmetic market was worth around $460 billion worldwide. Haircare in the U.S. alone is valued at $38 billion. What this means for our graduates is that there’s a lot more career opportunities than working behind the chair. There are hundreds of jobs that seek out cosmetology licensees, so an Atelier graduate has a world of options beyond working behind the chair. Here are a just a few common careers:

Careers For Entrepreneurial Types:

Product Developer

Salon/Spa Owner

Freelance Hair/Makeup Artist

Bridal Agency Owner

Careers For Natural Charmers & Salespeople:

Consultant

Account Executive

Brand Educator

Brand Representative

Careers For Educators:

Cosmetology Instructor

Platform Artist

Touring Artist

Salon Trainer

Careers For Artists:

Artistic Director

Theatre Hair/Wig Artist

Editorial Stylist

Creative Director

Beauty Editor

Beauty Writer

TV/Movie Set Artist

But Here’s The Best Part…

There are many more careers than we can list, but what’s important to know is that there are thousands of career paths available to our students and job prospects are expected to only get better from here.  But the one thing we cannot emphasize enough is the independent spirit of the beauty industry. There is so much freedom to create your own place in the world, whether you want to tour the world as a traveling instructor, create your own haircare line, or pioneer new techniques behind the chair.  There are no set career paths, you can always design a career that fits you!

If you’re ready to start your journey in the beauty industry, check out our Programs Page. There you can explore the programs that we offer and find one that fits your unique dreams.

Written by Michelle, Academy Director at The Atelier Academy of Beauty.

Sources:

May 2014. Economic Snapshot of the Salon and Spa Industry, Professional Beauty Association. Web Article:  http://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Professional%20Beauty%20Association-%202014%20Economic%20Snapshot%20of%20the%20Salon%20Industry.pdf