The beauty industry includes salons, barber shops, nail studios, and spas, as well as retail outlets. It also includes individuals who share their talents as makeup artists or stylists for performing arts and editorial projects. These diverse settings enable individuals to find their niche and develop their unique skill sets. Social media provides increased opportunities to share those talents with an even broader audience, which can open doors to new business endeavors. The beauty industry is a big business, which continues to grow and remain strong even during periods of economic downturn.
In New Jersey, hair stylists, barbers, nail technicians, and skin care specialists (estheticians/aestheticians) must be licensed by the NJ State Board of Cosmetology. County vocational-technical school cosmetology programs prepare high school and adult students to pass these rigorous licensing exams and jumpstart their careers.
Why Cosmetology?
- Employs more than 1 million people
- Growth expected at a higher-than-average rate compared to other industries over 10 years
- Business is booming, accounting for $57 billion in sales each year
- Resistant to economic downturns
- Opportunities for entrepreneurship, with the majority of salons and spas owned by local industry professionals and social media providing opportunities for individuals to build their own solo business and brand
Career pathways in this area include:
Barber
Hair stylist
Make-up artist
Nail technician
Salon and spa owner
Skin care specialist
For Students And Parents:
To see what cosmetology programs your county vocational-technical school offers, find your school.
For Adult Students:
To find cosmetology career training opportunities at county vocational-technical schools near you, use the “Find Adult Career Programs” tool.
For More Information About Cosmetology:
O*Net OnLine has comprehensive information on all types of jobs, including surveys that help people find careers they might enjoy.
Review information from the New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology.
View videos on career pathways in the beauty industry:
From US Department of Labor Career One-Stop:
https://www.careeronestop.org/videos/careeronestop-videos.aspx?videocode=39501200
Cosmetology News
CTE Success Story: Melinda Coates fulfills business dreams thanks to hard work, determination and a Gloucester County Institute of Technology education
Melinda Coates carefully snips and styles her customers’ hair to perfection, giving them a boost of confidence before they head out the door. Coates is thrilled when her customers are happy, and even more so now that they walk away showing off a final product that is courtesy of her own business, K&M Barbering Den in Turnersville.
Mancuso Salon and Spa is Sussex County Technical School’s Business Partner of the Year honoree for 2023
Mancuso Salon and Spa in Sparta is a longtime partner of the Sussex County Technical School’s (SCTS) Cosmetology program. The salon and owners, Mary Mancuso and Jacqueline Cox, received the school’s 2023 Business Partner of the Year honor in recognition of years of supporting both instructors and students.
More N.J. kids are choosing vo-tech schools. Some are turning students away. (NJ.com)
Of the state’s over one million public school students who went back to school this fall, about 34,000 are enrolled in career-focused programs in the county vocational-technical school districts. Enrollment in these schools has grown by about 23% over the past two decades and by about 6% over the past nine years, according to the New Jersey Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools.
Read more news about Cosmetology