Editor’s Note: Winter is a great time to think about your goals for next year. Sometimes holiday parties make you realize that a career change is in order! This can be overwhelming, but well worth it if you’re looking to pursue something you’re passionate about.
When I’m making a big decision like this, I like to compare and contrast the best options with a big list to help me decide–which is why we put this list together! If you live in or near El Paso and you’ve always wanted to pursue cosmetology, we’ve put together a guide that helps you get started on your decision.
Often, cosmetology programs begin either in the spring or the fall (like a regular academic schedule), so expect a bit of a wait. During this time, you can figure out the exact path you’d like to take, as well as if you’re interested in any additional education, like makeup or nails.
El Paso, Texas is at the far west corner of Texas on the border along the Rio Grande. Since it’s across the river from Ciudad Juárez and has Interstate 10 and other major highways running through it, there are plenty of people heading in and out of the city.
El Paso is known for being “rough and tumble” and is typically associated with the wild west and Billy the Kid. But modern days have brought it several new things to be known for. The city is called the “Sun City” since it receives about 302 days of sun each year; they have several botanical gardens you can visit, filled with flowers and lush plants. Since the city borders Mexico, you can be sure to find both Tex-Mex and traditional Mexican cuisine within the city.
When it comes to the beauty scene, there isn’t much happening, unfortunately. But there are several excellent cosmetology schools for prospective students to attend. Whether you want to be a hairstylist, esthetician, makeup artist, or manicurist, you’ll be able to receive a good education in El Paso and launch your career here.
There are limited beauty-related events in the city, which suggests that the population isn’t so interested. But there are plenty of job opportunities in the city, since it has stores such as Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Sally Beauty Supply, and L’Oreal LUXE, all of which need beauty advisors and makeup artists. There are also several salons and barbershops that require hairstylists and makeup artists.
If you’re looking to get into freelance work or open up your own salon, El Paso is a good place to take a chance. Since the city receives 8 million visitors each year and has a population of over 600,000, there are plenty of people who will want their hair cut or their nails done. If you have a passport and other necessary papers to make money in another country, Ciudad Juárez is just across the river.
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The Best Cosmetology Schools in El Paso, Texas
For this list of cosmetology schools, we picked the five best schools in the city. These schools have excellent reviews, a trustworthy curriculum and program, and offer some form of financial aid to students.
Most of the schools we chose offer cosmetology programs covering hair, makeup, skincare, and manicuring. Most of them focus on hairstyling and cover the basics of everything else in their cosmetology program, and many offer other programs specifically about manicuring or skincare.
Almost all of the programs can be completed in less than a year, depending on what schedule you choose and how many hours each program requires. Whether you’re working full-time or part-time, you should be able to find a program that works with your personal schedule.
Once you’ve read about the recommended schools, you can use our school finder to help you find the perfect match for you.
Trucco Beauty Institute
Trucco Beauty Institute uses two phases of education to teach students everything they need to know to succeed as a cosmetologist. The first phase includes Core and Adaptive that teaches the basics. Students will practice techniques on mannequins during this phase.
The second phase is Creative and Licensing. This phase will allow students to work independently with supervision in a salon environment. During this time, students will build up a portfolio so they will have it to improve their job prospects after graduating.
Cost: Estimated up to $10,000.
Program Length: 6-9 months, depending on a full-time or a part-time schedule.
Location: 11385 James Watt Dr. Ste B 8-10, El Paso, TX 79936
Financial Aid: Trucco offers one person a free education via a full-ride scholarship each year. They don’t specify if they accept financial aid.
Other Programs Offered: Courses for barbering, esthetician, eyelashes, and becoming a nail technician are also available.
Link: www.truccobeautyinstitute.com
Olympian Academy of Cosmetology
Olympian Academy of Cosmetology offers a 1,600-hour course; it’s a bit longer than most other programs, so you can be sure that there’s plenty of in-depth lessons and practice time incorporated into class time.
300 hours of the course are designated as “Miscellaneous.” The instructors will decide how that time is spent depending on what they believe students need more time practicing.
The course offers lessons for hair, skin, nails, and business practices. The required student kit includes everything needed to complete the course, including tools, aprons, mannequin heads, and barber supplies.
Advanced training is available for students who want to excel in specific areas. These classes are separate from the cosmetology program and are also open to the public.
Cost: Estimated total is $18,020.
Program Length: 1,600 hours are required and can be completed in about 11 months.
Location: 750 Sunland Park Dr, El Paso, TX 79912
Financial Aid: Olympian provides a helpful webpage with links to various scholarships along with a scholarship application form.
Other Programs Offered: Other courses include aesthetics, barbering, instructor, manicuring, and advanced training. Advanced training is open to the public and students and includes but isn’t limited to contour makeup, color correction, Brazilian waxing, and sew-in extensions.
Link: www.olympusbeauty.com
Milan Institute of Cosmetology
The Milan Institute of Cosmetology in El Paso offers a cosmetology program that covers hair, skin, and nails, with 800 out of 1,000 total hours dedicated to hair.
The program will cover theory for hair, skin, and nails, professional development, health and safety laws, and running a business. Students will learn how to cut, color, and style both short and long hair, waxing for hair removal, paint and care for nails, and also learn about physiology and anatomy.
The course is well-rounded and covers all the basics, but for students who want to focus on skincare and makeup or manicuring, they also offer esthetician and manicurist programs, as well.
Cost: Estimated total cost is $14,661.
Program Length: 1,000 hours are required, and the program can be completed in about 9 months.
Location: 1580 George Dieter Drive, Suite 207, El Paso, Texas 79936
Financial Aid: They accept federal financial aid, grants, and loans for qualifying students. Their website offers plenty of resources, and questions can be sent to their Financial Aid Department.
Other Programs Offered: The El Paso location also offers esthetician and manicurist courses.
Link: www.milaninstitute.edu
Tri-State Cosmetology Institute
Tri-State Cosmetology Institute offers a 1,000-hour cosmetology program that they call the Operator program. Many students who graduate go on to be an independent operator, which is a freelance cosmetologist. This isn’t required to take the Operator course, but they will certainly set you up for success to go down that route if you choose to do so.
Their cosmetology program dedicates most of the time to hair care, focusing on cutting, styling, chemical textures, and related theory. 100 hours are dedicated to manicuring, and another 100 hours are dedicated to skincare which includes hair removal.
They offer full-time day or night classes and part-time night classes, so there is sure to be a schedule that will work for you.
Cost: Total cost is estimated at $14,700.
Program Length: 1,000 hours is required. Full-time options are available for day and night, along with part-time night classes.
Location: 1120 Vista de Oro Dr., El Paso, TX 79935
Financial Aid: They accept Federal Stafford Loans, PLUS Loans, Pell Grants, and FSEOG Grants for those who qualify. The financial aid office can offer more information.
Other Programs Offered: They also offer esthetics, manicurist, and student instructor programs.
Link: www.tristatecosmetology.com
El Paso Community College
El Paso Community College (EPCC) has been serving students for 50 years, and it currently offers over 130 academic programs, including cosmetology. Many people looking for a program look for a beauty school, but EPCC’s program is affordable and convenient, making it a perfect contender for prospective students.
The cosmetology program covers manicuring, skincare, makeup application, and hair care. Students will learn in a classroom and put that knowledge to work in a full-service salon setting and will practice on real clients.
This program does not appear to cover the business side of cosmetology, such as how to manage client bookings or run an entire salon.
Cost: Estimated total cost is about $7,700. This price is based on the prices given for fees and materials plus the $136 charged per credit hour for Texas residents.
Program Length: The program is 41 credit hours which is equivalent to 1,500 clock hours. The program can be completed in about one year.
Location: 9050 Viscount Blvd, El Paso, TX 79925
Financial Aid: EPCC accepts federal financial aid. Their financial aid department can help you if you have questions.
Other Programs Offered: Since it’s a community college, they offer a wide variety of other programs, but they are unrelated to the cosmetology program.
Link: www.epcc.edu
Picking the Best Cosmetology School For You
A professional cosmetology certification is an expensive but rewarding endeavor and can open up a lifelong career within the beauty industry. But if none of the above courses inspire you to enroll, why not consider a rewarding new career as a professional makeup artist?
You can study online at your own pace and learn from industry experts from the comfort of your own home. Click here to get started.