Editor’s Note: There’s nothing quite like changing careers for a fresh start, and pursuing a cosmetology education is one way to prepare yourself for a stable, rewarding education in the cosmetology field. Seattle is one of the best cities to work towards your cosmetology education, and you’re sure to find many opportunities upon graduation. In my experience, taking a step back and reviewing all of your cosmetology school choices with their pros and cons is essential to deciding which school is the best fit for your needs. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by this process, don’t hesitate to put things aside and come back a different day with a clear head to ensure you make the choice that’s right for you.
If you have a passion for working with hair and makeup, deciding to pursue a career in cosmetology is the first step to living your dream life. Becoming a cosmetologist in any city is an exciting venture, but doing so in Seattle will be a treat for your eyes (as well as your job prospects.) With dazzling mountains, forests, and beaches, Seattle is the city that has a little bit of everything, so you’ll never get bored.
Seattle is the largest city in the Pacific Northwest, which means there will be more potential for jobs after graduation than somewhere suburban. According to the US Labor Bureau, Washington is one of the highest paying states for cosmetologists (and related fields), which means that you won’t have to compromise your dream to live comfortably.
Seattle is known for being a regional center when it comes to the performing arts, especially for stage shows. This opens up a lot of opportunities for cosmetologists, as hair and makeup are both integral to a good and believable performance.
There are several cosmetology schools available near Seattle, but only Tint School of Makeup and Cosmetology resides in the downtown part of the city. This means that others may not be as easily accessible when it comes to public transportation. If this is a big factor, pay extra attention to the location of the school and the available transportation around. The upside is that living arrangements outside of the busier part of Seattle are often cheaper.
Seattle is fairly easy to get around by public transportation as well as on foot. It typically rains or is cloudy for most of the year, so public transportation might be preferable to walking. Driving is also an option, especially if you live outside of the city or in the more residential parts of it.
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The Best Cosmetology Schools in Seattle
When it comes to ranking the best of the best that Seattle has to offer, there are several factors to take into account. To start with, we looked at what makes each cosmetology program unique, as everyone has different learning styles and goals they’re wanting to achieve from school.
Along with this, we also examined things like cost and location, which can be the deciding factor when you’re choosing the school that’s right for you. To find the school tailored to your exact needs, check out our school finder.
Evergreen Beauty College, North Seattle
Evergreen Beauty College has national accolades and offers a variety of locations through Washington state. Even though this is a bigger school, there is a monthly one-on-one session with the instructor, which means that you can always stay on course.
Evergreen Beauty College offers individual eyelash extension application training as part of the esthetics course, but if you’re enrolled in the cosmetology program, you can take this as a separate 4-day class and build a new skill that will get you hired.
The Everett campus of Evergreen Beauty College also offers a nail technician program, if that’s an avenue you want to pursue.
Cost: $18.7k, plus books and equipment
Program Length: 1,600 hours, with flexible scheduling
Location: 18336 Aurora Ave North #103 Shoreline, WA 98133
Financial Aid: Evergreen Beauty College offers both scholarships and financial aid to those who qualify.
Other Programs Offered: Barbering, esthetics, makeup artistry, instructor training
Link: www.evergreenbeauty.edu
Washington Beauty School
Washington Beauty School offers a hybrid program of meeting face-to-face as well as online, which makes it a really good choice if you need extra flexibility in your schedule.
Washington Beauty School is a small school run primarily by Ms. Trinh, who has over 25 years of experience in the cosmetology field. Being a smaller school means that there will be more room for specialized instruction, which makes for easily passing the state board exam.
Washington Beauty School is significantly lower in cost than some of the other options, and offers instruction in English, Vietnamese, and Khmer.
Cost: $9.5k, plus equipment and textbooks
Program Length: 1,600 hours (about 11 months)
Location: 4811 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116
Financial Aid: Financial aid and payment plans are both available.
Other Programs Offered: Barbering, esthetics, nail technician
Link: www.washingtonbeautyschool.us
Gary Manuel Aveda Institute
The Gary Manuel Aveda Institute is associated with Aveda Salons–a global company–which makes this a really good school for networking. Learning the Aveda products and specific techniques will also help a lot when it comes to securing a job after graduation, especially if you take advantage of networking opportunities.
Another standout for the Gary Manuel Aveda Institute is that they offer instructor training. If teaching really speaks to you while you’re learning about cosmetology, the instructor program is an opportunity to expand on that and really run with it, even across the country (or the globe!)
Cost: $17k
Program Length: 1,600 hours, or 14 months
Location: 802 E Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122
Financial Aid: The Gary Manuel Aveda Institute offers scholarships and federal financial aid to those who qualify.
Other Programs Offered: Esthetics, instructor training
Link: www.gmaveda.com
Tint School of Makeup and Cosmetology
Tint School of Makeup and Cosmetology offers concentrations in makeup artistry and cosmetology, but if you’re only looking to train in cosmetology, this won’t be an issue at all.
Tint highly encourages creative expression, which is great for work in fashion, costume, and theater. Tint also places an emphasis on product neutrality, so if training with a singular brand or technique set doesn’t appeal to you, you’re free to explore.
Tint School of Makeup and Cosmetology is the only school in proper downtown Seattle, which is a really easy area to get around and will offer a wealth of opportunity for experience.
Cost: $17.4k
Program Length: 1,600 hours
Location: 106 Lenora Street, Seattle, WA 98121
Financial Aid: The Tint School of Makeup and Cosmetology does offer financial aid and scholarships.
Other Programs Offered: Master makeup artistry
Link: www.tintseattlemakeupcosmetologyschool.com
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?
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