How Long Does It Take to Learn a Career in Hair Styling?

State Requirements

Find out the licensing requirements for hair stylists in your state by contacting the state's cosmetology licensing board. Ask the person you reach for how many hours you must attend cosmetology school to meet the state's requirements. You must go to the board in person after you have completed your education to apply for and receive your license. You must keep the license current, valid and displayed prominently at your workplace.

You must attend cosmetology school for a certain period to qualify for a cosmetology license. If you take on a complete cosmetology program, which typically consists of courses covering nail care, hair styling and makeup application, you will be required to complete the highest number of hours to graduate. If you study hair styling alone, the hour requirements will be less. The national average for a full cosmetology program ranges from 1,400 to 1,600 hours.

The length of time it will take you to learn a career in hair styling also depends on your enrollment status in cosmetology school. If you study full time, you may be able to complete a full cosmetology program in two years or less. If you study hair styling alone full time, you may be able to graduate even sooner than that. If you are a part-time student, you may have to attend cosmetology school for three or four years before you are able to style hair as a profession.

Another factor that contributes to the length of time it takes to learn a career in hair styling is the time it will take you to find a job after completing cosmetology school. The U.S. Department of Labor projects that the employment of personal appearance workers will grow much faster than the average for all occupations. In fact, it says, the job market for hair stylists should grow by 20 percent between 2008 and 2018.