Information on Becoming a Cosmetologist

Education

Cosmetologists usually get their training at a public or private vocational school, according to Stateuniversity.com. Some of the courses students take include bacteriology, hygiene, cosmetic chemistry, psychology and marketing. Vocational cosmetology programs usually take between two and three years to complete.

The majority of states require cosmetologists to be licensed. Most require a cosmetologist to be at least 16 years old, a graduate of a cosmetology school and in good health. Cosmetologists are also required to pass a state licensing examination that includes a written test and practical demonstration of cosmetology skills. Sometimes there is also an oral exam where cosmetologists must explain certain procedures. Licenses in cosmetology must be renewed every two or three years.

Cosmetologists earn a median yearly salary of $19,800, which includes commissions and tips, according to Stateuniversity.com. Cosmetologists that work for large salons or department stores may receive health benefits, unlike cosmetologists that are self-employed or work in a small beauty salon. The median hourly wage for cosmetologists in May of 2008 was $11.13 per hour, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. The highest 10 percent earned more than $20.41 per hour, and the lowest 10 percent earned less than $7.47.

Employment for personal appearance workers like cosmetologists will grow by 20 percent from 2008 to 2018, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. The main cause of this job growth is a growing population. Large numbers of job openings are expected to develop as older cosmetologists retire. Workers should expect higher competition for jobs at places like high-paying salons.

Some of the responsibilities of a cosmetologist include scheduling client appointments, maintaining customers' information records, operating cash registers, shaping eyebrows and answering phone calls to book new appointments, according to Career Planner. Cosmetologists needs to have skills like time management, active listening, coordination, social perceptiveness, reading comprehension, active-learning and critical-thinking skills.