At last: Washington listened to Main Street’s cosmetology and barber schools

Washington Finally Recognizes the Value of Barbering and Cosmetology Education

At last - Every time someone sits in a barber's chair or receives a professional haircut, they are supporting a small business owner who invested time and resources into their craft. These entrepreneurs build their livelihoods one customer at a time, often starting with minimal debt and state licenses that allow them to enter the workforce quickly. Last month brought encouraging developments for these vital career-training pathways when the U.S. Department of Education completed its updated accountability framework for career-training programs. This updated policy provides additional time before new requirements become mandatory for barbering, cosmetology, and massage-therapy training programs.

A Step Toward Fair Assessment

This outcome deserves celebration while acknowledging there remains work to be done. The department has introduced a straightforward earnings-based evaluation system for career-training programs. Under this approach, schools must demonstrate that their graduates earn more than the average high school graduate within a relatively short timeframe. Federal student aid eligibility for these programs now depends directly on meeting this earnings benchmark.

The underlying concern driving this policy is legitimate. Certain degree programs have left students carrying substantial debt without corresponding career returns. However, the department appears to recognize that cosmetology and barbering represent fundamentally different educational models. These programs typically require less time to complete, carry lower debt burdens, and result in state licenses that enable graduates to begin earning within months rather than years. Furthermore, these fields employ predominantly women, with many participants being first-generation business owners.

Personal Experience Validates the Industry

In my first year on my own, fresh out of school, I earned nearly six figures doing work I love.

That personal financial foundation proved invaluable when I welcomed my first child last winter. The savings accumulated during those early years allowed me to take approximately three months of unpaid maternity leave while continuing to pay my chair rental and essential expenses. Today, I hire and mentor new graduates, helping them establish their own chairs and businesses in a sector that the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects will continue expanding.

However, the current earnings test may not fully capture how this profession generates income. Many new stylists begin part-time while developing their client base. A significant portion of practitioners operate as self-employed professionals, leasing individual chairs or suites. Additionally, tips constitute a substantial revenue stream that federal data collection methods have historically overlooked.

Skills and Training Matter

The assessment also fails to account for the technical expertise required in this field. In Michigan, where I hold my license, aspiring cosmetologists must complete more than one thousand hours of specialized training. This education covers everything from safely mixing potentially hazardous chemicals to precisely using blades near sensitive skin. Graduates must master sanitation protocols, understand skin science fundamentals, and develop business competencies including bookkeeping, tax preparation, and storefront management.

The test also misreads how the work pays. New stylists often start part-time while we build a following; many are self-employed, leasing a chair or a suite; and much of our income comes from tips the federal data never counted before.

This spring, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service finalized regulations implementing "no tax on tips" protections. These rules acknowledge hairstylists and personal-care professionals as essential workers deserving of financial protection. The Department of Education's decision to extend the timeline for these programs demonstrates similar recognition that skilled, tip-dependent work deserves appropriate support structures.

Building a Durable Solution

I represent one of millions of licensed professionals maintaining businesses along Main Streets nationwide. As a Michigan cosmetology-school graduate and practicing stylist, I understand firsthand the challenges and opportunities within this industry.

The extended timeline provides crucial breathing room for all stakeholders to develop comprehensive solutions. Now represents an ideal moment for the Department of Education, the current administration, Congress, and industry representatives to collaborate on lasting frameworks. These frameworks should evaluate schools using graduation rates, licensure success, and job-placement metrics that these institutions already achieve. Additionally, earnings measurements must incorporate tips, self-employment income, and part-time starting phases that characterize our profession.

Behind every salon chair sits years of dedicated training, established businesses, and strengthened communities built through consistent client relationships. The American Association of Career Schools and other industry advocates have championed these programs for years, and their efforts deserve recognition. Washington has taken meaningful action supporting the people who sustain Main Street commerce. We must now build upon this foundation to ensure these vital career pathways continue thriving for future generations.

Bailey Pennington is a licensed cosmetologist and hairstylist in Michigan who graduated from cosmetology school in 2024. She owns her own business and currently trains and mentors new graduates entering the field.