22 Top Barber Schools in Arizona; Tuition & License Requirements

The best barber schools in Arizona can give you the education, training, tools and qualifications that you need for a successful career as a barber. Any of the barber schools in Arizona that you choose can make a big difference in your experience as well as the results of your efforts.

The beauty industry is always changing and it is such that will always need to skill up, in order to compete with other talented artists in the trade.

In this article, we will be listing the barber schools in Arizona and the things that you need to keep in mind when deciding which barber school you should attend.

Arizona and its beauty schools

Arizona is known for its desert landscape and stark natural beauty, therefore what better place to find creative inspiration as you begin your career in the industry?

Arizona is home to many beauty schools where students prepare for the career of their dreams.

Barbers school students in Arizona can study towards a license in barbering and after graduation, they can work in salons and spas and so many go on to manage their own businesses.

At the barber schools in Arizona, students learn from experienced educators and then go on to apply the techniques, skills and knowledge to real clients in the schools’ student salons under the supervision of the educator.

After they have completed all program requirements, graduates can pursue their licenses. The barber schools in Arizona can be fun and rewarding.

Things to look out for in a barber school

While choosing that barber school, look out for these things:

  • Experienced Instructors
  • Amount of practice
  • Business skills
  • Career guidance
  • Accreditation
  • Past graduates
  • Available resources
  • Available classes

Experienced Instructors

This is one of the most important things to check while considering the barber schools in Arizona to attend. The most important part of any school is the quality of instructors because it is the quality of instructors that will determine the quality of education that will be provided.

Take a tour of any school that you will choose and ensure you ask a lot of questions about the instructors.


Amount of practice

Another vital part of any school is practice. Learning the technical steps for how to cut and style hair is actually different from working with a real client.

It gets more difficult for students who have not had large amounts of practice on clients to leave school and work in a barbershop.

Your halfway in school, you should be able to be working on real clients. Practising with clients helps with all the important aspects of being a barber.

Hairstyling, cutting skills, communication, and customer service are some of the things you will be exposed to.


Business skills

Though the central reason for attending barber school is to learn how to cut and style the hair and work with clients, many barber schools also include some basic business skills and lessons in the curriculum in order to ensure that students are trained all-round.


Career guidance

Barber schools also help with career guidance. The school’s job won’t be over until you pass the licensing examination. Being a barber becomes even more difficult after graduation and it is your barber school that should help you start a promising career path.

There are a lot of schools that offer job placement programs or have associations with career centres that can be able to help you find the perfect spot.


Accreditation

To become a barber in the United State, you need to have trained in a state-accredited school. Now when you graduate

from a barber school, passing the examination is not enough to get a license. You need to have attended an accredited school. Therefore, before choosing that barber school, ensure to check if it is state-approved.


Past graduates

Looking into a school’s past graduates can help you determine the tendency that a barber school can be able to set you up for success in your barbershop.

Looking into a school’s past graduates can give you an idea of how well the school’s methods work.

For example, if you discover three well-respected and successful barbers who graduated from the same barber school, it could be an indicator that the school is effective in producing talented barbers.

This is why doing your research is very very necessary. Some barber schools also offer information about their previous graduates.


Available resources

What resources are available in your school of choice? Technology is taking over the world and it is advisable to take full advantage of all the technological resources at schools.

Having these technological resources is just one of the factors that make a great barber school. As you might know, there are now many applications available that help future barbers learn supplemental information and help enforce information from their instructors.

There are barber schools that give their students tablets to use while they are at school.

Available classes

While in a barber school, it is advisable to take full advantage of all the courses that the school offers you. The more classes that the school has to offer, the better.

You will be more successful if you graduate with a plethora of different skills and abilities as opposed to knowing a handful of cuts and styles.

Therefore check out how many classes the school offers, a barber school with a wide variety of different classes tend to have a well-rounded education, which will eventually come in handy later in your career.

The List of Barber Schools in Arizona

  • Avalon Institute – Accredited
  • Empire Beauty Schools – Accredited
  • All Beauty College – Accredited
  • D’Image Beauty College – Accredited
  • East Valley Institute of Technology – Accredited
  • International Barber College – Accredited
  • Northland Pioneer College – Accredited
  • Southwest Leadership Academy – Accredited
  • Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy – Accredited
  • Turning Point Beauty College – Accredited
  • Xtylo Beauty College – Accredited
  • Dunbar Barber Academy
  • Hollywood Barber College
  • Make’ N the Cut Barber College
  • Mesa Barber School – East
  • Mesa Barber School – West
  • Southern Arizona Barber College
  • Universal Barber College
  • Dunbar Barber Academy
  • Hair Academy of Safford
  • Hollywood Barber College
  • Sothern Arizona Barber College

Avalon Institute – Accredited

This is one of the barber schools in Arizona that offer courses in cosmetology, makeup, esthetics, barbering and massage therapy.

They were founded in Mesa, AZ in 1967 and accredited in 1972, by the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences (NACCAS). Avalon Institute has provided professional training for more than 40 years.

It is an award-winning institution with highly skilled instructors and passionate graduates.

Cosmetology:

Program Length: 1600 hours
Average Completion: 14 months
Program Tuition: $16,800

Esthetics:

Program Length: 600 hours
Average Completion: 7 months
Program Tuition: $8,700

Cosmetology Teacher:

Program Length: 350 hours
Average Completion: 4 months
Program Tuition: $2,100

Nail Technology: 600 hours

There is a $50 application fee. Please contact this school to learn more about how to apply. 70% of students received financial aid. Students were awarded $4,218 on average. First-time undergraduate students in the 2019 school year.

As of 2019, this school has 284 students enrolled with a student-to-teacher ratio of 17:1.

  • 2111 South Alma School Road
  • Mesa, AZ 85210
  • (480) 897-1688
  • 410 East Bell Road
  • Phoenix, AZ 85022
  • (602) 443-0076

Visit their Website


Empire Beauty Schools – Accredited

Empire Beauty School has continued to provide high-quality education and training to future beauty professionals for rewarding careers in the beauty industry.

They support their students through every phase of their education, graduation and career placement. Apart from barbering, they have programs for Cosmetologists and Cosmetology Teachers.

Cosmetologist:

Program Length: 1600 hours
Average Completion: 12 months
Program Tuition: $19,200

Cosmetology Teacher:

Program Length: 350 hours
Average Completion: 3 months
Program Tuition: $3,500

There is a $125 application fee. Please contact this school to learn more about how to apply. 97% of students received financial aid. Students were awarded $4,824 on average. First-time undergraduate students in the 2019 school year.

As of 2019 this school has 166 students enrolled with a student-to-teacher ratio of 21:1. This school is accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts (NACCAS).

Visit their Website


All Beauty College – Accredited

All Beauty College is a cosmetology school with locations in Kingman, Fort Mohave, and Lake Havasu. The emphasis of their programs is to combine your natural talents with their education. They provide the highest degree of cosmetology training for its students.

Students are provided with skills and knowledge that is necessary to pursue a fulfilling and successful career.

As you know, there is a growing need for well-trained professionals and based on that, classroom and practical clinical experiences will be combined to help make your education complete.

There are educational loans available to students up to a maximum of $3,500.00 in subsidized loan funds and $2,000.00 in unsubsidized loans for a dependent student and $3,500 subsidized loans and $6,000.00 for an independent student in the first academic year (1 – 1040 hours). Read more about financial assistance.

  • Cosmetology Program:
  • Application Fee: $0
  • Kit/Books: $1500
  • Tuition: $19,000
  • Total: $20,500
  • Aesthetics Program:
  • Application Fee: $0
  • Kit/Books: $1500
  • Tuition: $8,000
  • Total: $9,500
  • Nail Tech Program:
  • Application Fee: $0
  • Kit/Books: $1500
  • Tuition: $8,000
  • Total: $9,500

This school is accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts (NACCAS).

Visit their Website


East Valley Institute of Technology – Accredited

This is one of the barber schools in Arizona that changes lives by loving their students and serving their communities with a career and college preparatory training experience that produces a qualified workforce, meeting the market-driven needs of business and industry.

There is no application fee. 49% of students received financial aid. Students were awarded $3,304 on average. First-time undergraduate students in the 2019 school year. As of 2019, this school has 508 students enrolled with a student-to-teacher ratio of 20:1.

This school is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education (COE).

Please contact this school to learn more about how to apply.

Cosmetology Teacher:

  • Program Length: 1600 hours
  • Average Completion: 12 months
  • Program Tuition: $13,400

Visit their Website


International Barber College – Accredited

International Barber College is one of the accredited barber schools in Arizona that provides their students with excellent educational knowledge, and hands-on training in their Barber, Barber Instructor, and Barber/Cosmetologist crossover courses.

They prepare their students towards obtaining their Arizona State License in Barbering or Barber Instructor.

They strive to facilitate licensed graduates in successfully obtaining suitable employment in the Barbering and beauty industry.

International Barber College is currently a Candidate school for Accreditation by (NACCAS) National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts & Sciences.

Prices for Barber School:

  • Application Fee: $50.00
  • Registration Fee: $75.00
  • Tool Kit: $1,500.00
  • Tuition: $16,000.00 
  • Total: $17,625.00

Prices for Cosmetology:

  • Application Fee: $50.00
  • Registration Fee: $75.00
  • Tool Kit: $1,500
  • Tuition: $7,995
  • Total: $9,620

At International Barber College, 91% of students received financial aid. Students were awarded $4,438 on average. First-time undergraduate students in the 2019 school year.

As of 2019 this school has 43 students enrolled with a student-to-teacher ratio of 20:1.

Visit their Website


Northland Pioneer College – Accredited

This college has a staff that is dedicated to helping you create an educational plan and career path that will get you to where you want to be.

They offer small class sizes with an average of about 15 students. That means you get more one-on-one attention from your instructor.

There is no application fee and 78% of students received financial aid. Students were awarded $5,304 on average. First-time undergraduate students in the 2019 school year. As of 2019, this school has 700 students enrolled with a student-to-teacher ratio of 15:1.

This school is accredited by the State Board of Cosmetology.

Hair Design:

  • Program Length: 20 hours
  • Average Completion: 8 months
  • Program Tuition: $4,000

See tuition details.

Visit their Website


Southwest Leadership Academy – Accredited

Southwest Leadership Academy provides an environment where students are empowered and inspired to exceed academic expectations and feel ready for college or their future careers.

They offer the students an opportunity to earn a high school diploma while working towards a 1,600-hour certification in cosmetology or barbering.

Both programs have no fees for SLA students, and the school will also pay for its students to take the state cosmetology licensing exam upon completion of the program.

This school is accredited by the State Board of Cosmetology.

Visit their Website


Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy – Accredited

Every student who walks through Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy doors receives a practical, specialized education rooted in their over 50-year history.

At TONI&GUY Hairdressing Academy, they’re committed to helping the new generation of students become professionals in the beauty industry.

There is no application fee and 65% of students received financial aid. Students were awarded $5,000 on average.

As of 2019, this school has 48 students enrolled with a student-to-teacher ratio of 12:1.

This school is accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts (NACCAS).

  • Program Length: 1600 hours
  • Average Completion: 12 months
  • Program Tuition: $16,600

Visit their Website


Turning Point Beauty College – Accredited

At Turning Point Beauty College, located in Phoenix, Arizona and Chandler, Arizona, they prepare their students for successful careers in the beauty industry and help them become licensed cosmetologists.

They offer cosmetology instructor training-which includes barbering-and nail technology.

They have no application fee and 79% of students received financial aid. Students were awarded $4,568 on average. As of 2019, this school has 191 students enrolled with a student-to-teacher ratio of 10:1.

This school is one of the barber schools in Arizona that is accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts (NACCAS).

Nail Technology:

Program Length: 600 hours
Average Completion: 5 months
Program Tuition: $6,350

Cosmetologist:

Program Length: 1600 hours
Average Completion: 12 months
Program Tuition: $16,850

Cosmetology Teacher:

Program Length: 650 hours
Average Completion: 6 months
Program Tuition: $7,200

Visit their Website


Xtylo Beauty College – Accredited

This is one of the barber schools in Arizona that started in 2014 and has been accredited since 2019. Their main goal is to provide students with current techniques, and new trees to prepare them for a future in the beauty industry.

They are listed as one of the Barber schools in Arizona that prepare students to successfully pass the state board exam.

Their 1,600-hour cosmetology certification program on either a part-time or full-time basis prepares students in barbering, nail technology, and instructor training.

It is a non-degree granting school.Xtylo Beauty College is a private (for-profit), less than 2 years institute located in Phoenix, Arizona. 

The 2021 tuition & fees are $13,300 for undergraduate students. The school offers only undergraduate programs and a total of 56 students are enrolled.

This school is accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts (NACCAS).

D’Image Beauty College – Accredited

In this Beauty School, they train others to become professionals in the beauty industry. They offer Cosmetology, Barber, Nail Tech Program, Aesthetic Program, Hairstyling, Laser Tech and Instructor Program.

Address: 515 W Western Ave, Avondale, AZ 85323, United States| Phone: +1 602-649-4530

Other barber schools in Arizona

  • Dunbar Barber Academy
  • Hollywood Barber College
  • Make’ N the Cut Barber College
  • Mesa Barber School – East
  • Mesa Barber School – West
  • Southern Arizona Barber College
  • Universal Barber College
  • Dunbar Barber Academy
  • Hair Academy of Safford
  • Hollywood Barber College
  • Sothern Arizona Barber College
Barber Schools in Arizona

Barber Schools in Arizona Admission Requirements

Most Barber schools in Arizona are looking for students that have graduated from high school or that have attained a high school graduation equivalency certificate otherwise known as GED.

However, there are other beauty schools that admit individuals who have completed at least 10 high school credits and have the ability to benefit from the training offered. Contact the barber/beauty school you are interested in to find out.

Barber Schools in Arizona class schedules

Attending beauty schools is a serious endeavour that typically involves 4 to 10 months of full-time attendance.

This time commitment can prove quite challenging for many individuals so most beauty colleges offer flexible schedules to accommodate people with busy lifestyles.

Generally, most beauty schools allow students to attend classes part-time. This however will extend the classes over a longer period of time to make it easier for students to attend.

Most beauty colleges also offer evening classes for people that have to work during the day.

Unfortunately, most states require that the majority of beauty training hours need to be in a classroom so there are no online-only schools.

But there are some beauty schools that offer online cosmetology classes for continuing education.

Financial Aid for Barber Schools in Arizona

Most Barber schools in Arizona or most beauty schools have financial aid programs that are available to their students.

The U.S. Department of Education administers Pell Grants, Stafford Student Loans and Plus Loans.

Typically, a financial aid officer will perform an evaluation of each student’s financial need and design a package of financial aid that includes funding from one or more Department of Education financial aid programs if they qualify.

The aid package will be designed to help each student with the cost of their total education expenses.

Beauty schools that offer financial aid, a lot of times provide information that explains all the various Department of Education programs.

There are online forms used by these colleges to determine if an applicant qualifies immediately.

The packaging of financial assistance and the amount provided is determined according to guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Education.

It will be required that the student provide the school that they are interested in attending with information on family income, family size and other data required to determine eligibility for financial aid.

Most beauty schools will be happy to have a financial aid officer assist students with filling out financial aid forms. You can find out more about financial aid at the U.S. Department of Education.

Arizona Barber License Requirements

To practice as a barber in the state of Arizona, it is necessary to attend a school of barbering and become licensed as a barber. You will need to complete 1500 hours of schooling at an accredited institution.

Once licensed, Arizona barbers will need to keep up with the license renewal process in this state to maintain their active status and work legally.

After you earn your barber license, the State Board of Barbers requires you to renew your license every two years, no later than your date of birth.

The cost to renew is $80, and establishment licenses expire by June 30th annually. So if you are a barber, and own your own shop, you’ll need to put both dates on your calendar.

What are your views about the barber schools in Arizona and these requirements? Please share your thoughts with us.

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