Esthetician Schools in Colorado

If helping clients with skin health and care interests you, esthetics may be a great right career fit. Not only is the career growing in Colorado and elsewhere, but the job also pays higher than the national average in Colorado.

Browse our directory of esthetician schools in Colorado, or skip ahead to learn about the state's esthetician licensing requirements and job outlook.

Browse All Esthetician Schools in Colorado

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1660 South Albion Street Suite 1026
Denver, CO 80222

Programs:
Esthetics

2231 South Peoria Street
Aurora, CO 80014

(303) 752-1560
Programs:
Cosmetology, Esthetics

3842 South Mason Street
Fort Collins, CO 80525

Programs:
Cosmetology, Esthetics, Massage Therapy, Hair Design

2863 35th Avenue
Greeley, CO 80634

Programs:
Cosmetology, Esthetics, Barbering, Hair Design

2315 North Main Street
Longmont, CO 80501

Programs:
Cosmetology, Esthetics, Barbering

5707 North Academy Boulevard
Colorado Springs, CO 80918

(719) 597-1413
Programs:
Barbering, Continuing Education, Cosmetology, Esthetics, Nail Technology

9000 East Nichols Avenue Suite 105
Centennial, CO 80112

(303) 330-4969
Programs:
Esthetics, Permanent Makeup

2109 South College Avenue Suite 102
Fort Collins, CO 80525

(303) 330-4969
Programs:
Esthetics, Permanent Makeup

16621 North Washington Street
Thornton, CO 80023

(303) 330-4969
Programs:
Esthetics, Permanent Makeup

8555 West Belleview Avenue F16
Littleton, CO 80123

(720) 762-4676
Programs:
Barbering, Cosmetology, Esthetics

16534 Keystone Boulevard
Parker, CO 80134

(303) 810-1033
Programs:
Barbering, Cosmetology, Esthetics

5125 North Academy Boulevard
Colorado Springs, CO 80918

(719) 390-9898
Programs:
Cosmetology, Esthetics, Barbering, Hair Design
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Academy of Cosmetology Arts

4201 East Yale Avenue Suite B135
Denver, CO 80222

Arapahoe Community College

5900 South Santa Fe Drive
Littleton, CO 80120

Aveda Institute Denver – Accredited

801 Kalamath Street
Denver, CO 80204

Beautiful You Skincare Academy - Littleton

8321 Sangre De Cristo Road Suite 300
Littleton, CO 80127

Beautiful You Skincare Academy - Pueblo

1207 Pueblo Boulevard Way Suite B
Pueblo, CO 81005

Cheeks Beauty Academy - Loveland – Accredited

5010 Granite Street
Loveland, CO 80538

Cuttin'up Beauty Academy

8101 East Colfax
Denver, CO 80220

Designing Beauty Academy

419 Main Street
Windsor, CO 80550

Elite Aesthetics Academy

695 South Colorado Boulevard Suite 300
Denver, CO 80246

Emily Griffith Technical College – Accredited

1860 Lincoln Street
Denver, CO 80203

Eye of the Tiger Esthetics

3333 South Bannock Street
Englewood, CO 80110

Mile High Modern Beauty Academy

4155 East Jewell Avenue Suite 301
Denver, CO 80222

Northern Colorado Advanced Aesthetics Academy

1000 South Lincoln Avenue Suite 100
Loveland, CO 80537

Otero Junior College

1802 Colorado Avenue
La Junta, CO 81050

Paul Mitchell The School Colorado Springs – Accredited

118 West Colorado Avenue
Colorado Springs, CO 80903

Paul Mitchell The School Denver – Accredited

405 South Teller Street
Lakewood, CO 80266

Pickens Technical College – Accredited

500 Airport Boulevard
Aurora, CO 80011

Pueblo Community College

900 West Orman Avenue
Pueblo, CO 81004

Red Rocks Community College - Arvada

10280 West 55th Avenue
Arvada, CO 80002

Red Rocks Community College - Lakewood

13300 West 6th Avenue
Lakewood, CO 80228

Salon Professional Academy Cosmetology School

432 North Avenue
Grand Junction, CO 81501

School of Botanical & Medical Aesthetics

1221 Galapago Street
Denver, CO 80204

Skin Addict Day Spa & Esthetics School

2470 Patterson Road Suite 2
Grand Junction, CO 81505

Technical College of the Rockies – Accredited

1765 Highway 50
Delta, CO 81416

The Salon Professional Academy - Colorado Springs – Accredited

4388 Austin Bluffs Parkway
Colorado Springs, CO 80918

Trinidad State Junior College - Alamosa

1011 Main Street
Alamosa, CO 81101

Trinidad State Junior College - Trinidad

600 Prospect Street
Trinidad, CO 81082

Tuana European Academy – Accredited

826 South College Avenue
Fort Collins, CO 80524

United Beauty College - Denver – Accredited

1701 South Federal Boulevard Unit A
Denver, CO 80219

Victoria James Salon Spa School

832 West Eisenhower Boulevard Suite B
Loveland, CO 80537

VKMD Institute of Medical Aesthetics

1910 Vindicator Drive Suite 100
Colorado Springs, CO 80919

Westland Beauty Academy

2484 Kipling Street
Lakewood, CO 80215
Accredited School

You must attend a school that meets any licensure requirements as defined by your state. Most states require that you graduate from an accredited or state-approved school.

Esthetician Schools Near Me

Check out the Esthetics/Skin Care schools these cities in Colorado have to offer.

Cost of Esthetician School Across CO

Metro Average Tuition
Denver $8,812
Colorado Springs / Pueblo $8,384
Cheyenne / Scottsbluff $7,300
Grand Junction / Montrose $2,795

Comparing Program Costs in CO

Cosmetology School Costs
Highest range: $15,101 - $22,509
Lowest range: $7,692 - $15,101
Average: $17,461
Esthetics/Skin Care School Costs
Highest range: $7,473 - $12,150
Lowest range: $2,795 - $7,473
Average: $8,168

How to Become a Esthetician in Colorado

Colorado Esthetician Careers At a Glance
  • 600 contact hours, 20 credit hours, or 1,500 apprentice hours are required to become licensed.
  • You must renew your license every 2 years.
  • 0 continuing education hours are required to renew your license.
  • The average for estheticians in Colorado is $44,890.
  • There is a predicted 29% job increase between 2020 - 2030 for estheticians.

An esthetician provides skincare services like facials, makeup application, massage, and hair removal.

You need to fulfill the following to become a licensed esthetician in Colorado:

Colorado Esthetics Careers

$44,890

Average yearly salary for esthetics in Colorado

In Colorado, estheticians earn $44,890 per year ($21.58 per hour) on average. $28,360 to $61,230, though pay often depends on location and specialty.

Job growth for estheticians in Colorado is particularly positive. Employment is expected to grow by 29% in the next decade—the same as the national prediction.

The highest-paying areas for estheticians in Colorado are:

Metro/Nonmetropolitan Area 2021 Median Salary
Fort Collins, Colorado $38,190
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area $37,740
Boulder, Colorado $37,690
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Colorado $36,940
Colorado Springs, Colorado $36,420

Table information sourced from O*Net (2022)

How to Become a Esthetician in Colorado

600 contact hours or 20 credit hours

Required to earn a esthetics license

You must finish 600 contact or 20 training hours at an approved esthetics school in Colorado. Any Colorado-approved esthetics curriculum has to include the following:

  • Facials and skin care: 7 credit hours or 210 contact hours
  • Facial makeup: 1 credit hour or 30 contact hours
  • Hair removal: 3 credit hours or 90 contact hours
  • Law, rules, and regulations: 1 credit hour or 30 contact hours
  • Management, ethics, interpersonal skills, and salesmanship: 1 credit hour or 30 contact hours
  • Disinfection, cleaning, and safe work practices: 7 credit hours or 210 contact hours

Colorado estheticians need extra training to do cosmetic resurfacing exfoliation, microdermabrasion, or permanent or semi-permanent makeup.

To keep their licenses, schools must undergo inspections and meet the Colorado Division of Private Occupational Schools or Colorado Community College Systems standards.

Can I Apprentice as an Esthetician in Colorado?

1,500 apprenticeship hours

Required to earn a esthetics license

You can apprentice to become an esthetician in Colorado via a U.S. Department of Labor program approved by a school.

The nationwide standard for successfully completing an apprenticeship is when an approved mentor (an experienced practitioner in the field) determines that you are competent in the job. Apprentices must also meet the required number of hours (one credit for every 75 hours). An esthetics apprentice in Colorado must undergo a 1,500-hour apprenticeship.

Colorado Esthetician Licensing Requirements

After 600 contact or 20 credit hours of esthetics training, it's time to take your written and practical tests. Then, once passed, you receive your license.

Apply to take the exams online or by mail. You also need to send a $28 application fee.

Before scheduling and paying for the written test, you must pass the practical exam. The practical exam costs $69, and the theory exam costs $55.

You have one year after passing the practical exam to pass the written exam. Then, your application expires.

You can retake the test an unlimited number of times during that year. But, you must wait 14 days between attempts for the practical and 30 days for the written test. The retake fee for the practical exam is $67, and it's $52 for the written one.

Arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled time on the exam day and bring two signed forms of ID with you. One form of ID must be government-issued and contain your photograph.

Applicants who speak English as an additional language can request extra test time. This includes 50 minutes more for the written and 30 more minutes for the practical exam. Candidates are also allowed to bring a word-for-word translation dictionary to the test. During the practical exam, specific labels must be in English.

Candidates needing Americans with Disabilities Act accommodations can apply using the form on the Candidate Information Bulletin.

The accommodation request should be faxed to PSI at (702) 932-2666. The request needs documentation from a medical professional describing the disability and accommodations.

The written test lasts 100 minutes and comprises 100 questions, of which 85 are scored.

Theory exam content includes:

1. Safety, sanitation, and disinfection: 30%

  • Adverse or allergic reaction
  • Infection control
  • Safety agencies
  • Standard precautions for exposure incidents

2. Client consultation and professional conduct: 10%

  • Client consultation
  • Personal hygiene
  • Professional ethics
  • Record keeping
  • Scope of license

3. Skin structure: 12%

  • Skin abnormalities
  • Skin types and structure

4. Basic facials: 18%

  • Massage manipulations
  • Procedures
  • Products and product chemistry
  • Skin analysis
  • Tools, implements, and equipment

5. Hair removal: 10%

  • Eyebrow shaping and grooming
  • Tweezing
  • Waxing

6. Electricity and electrotherapy: 6%

  • High frequency
  • Galvanic current
  • Skin vacuuming and brushing

7. Makeup: 6%

  • Application and removal
  • Artificial eyelashes
  • Brushes and tools
  • Color theory
  • Corrective makeup
  • Eyebrow and eyelash tinting

8. Basic knowledge of advanced treatments: 8%

  • Chemical exfoliation
  • Microdermabrasion
  • Permanent makeup

You must earn at least 70% to pass the theory exam. You will receive your score immediately following the test.

The practical exam lasts 85 minutes and includes the following:

  • Basic facial service: 15 minutes
  • End of exam disinfection: 10 minutes
  • Makeup service: 15 minutes
  • Pre-exam setup and disinfection: 10 minutes
  • Skin analysis: 15 minutes
  • Skin cleansing: 15 minutes
  • Tweezers and waxing service: 15 minutes

Colorado Esthetician Licensure Reciprocity

Estheticians from other states can apply for licensure by endorsement in Colorado.

To qualify:

  • You must have completed at least 600 contact hours, 20 credit training hours, or 65% of training and five hours of work for every training hour.
  • Submit an application along with the required documents.
  • Complete a felony conviction and monitoring information sheet, if applicable.
  • Pay the $28 application fee.
  • Provide name change documentation and information on other licenses, if applicable.
  • Prove you've passed a written exam accepted by an approved licensing agency in the U.S. or one of its territories.
  • Show you've passed a practical licensure exam, finished at least 1,000 hours of work experience, or verify you've held a license for at least one year

Education from military service can apply if deemed equal to Colorado training. Further, a military spouse licensed in another state can practice without a Colorado license for three years.

Esthetician Specialties in Colorado

With more training, you can offer more specialized services as an esthetician. These include:

  • Chemical resurfacing exfoliation: 24 hours
  • Microdermabrasion and manual resurface exfoliation: 14 hours
  • Permanent or semi-permanent makeup: 132 hours

You can also consider a career as a medical esthetician—a popular specialty in Colorado. Medical estheticians work with physicians to help patients with skin disorders or traumas.

Medical estheticians often work in rehab centers, dermatology and plastic surgery offices, and hospitals. They may earn higher salaries, making $77,122 per year on average in Colorado.

License Renewal

2 Years

License renewal period

0 Hours

Continuing education required

Esthetician licenses expire on March 31 of every even-numbered year and cost $26 to renew. Currently, no continuing education is necessary to renew an esthetician license.

But, continuing education is recommended to stay up to date on esthetics practices. There's a list of approved continuing education providers on Colorado's Department of Regulatory Agencies website.

Contact the Colorado State Board of Esthetics

Office of Barber and Cosmetology Licensure

National Coalition of Estheticians Association - Colorado
Organization dedicated to helping estheticians in Colorado advance their careers through certification and continuing education

Colorado Bestheticians
Facebook group where estheticians in Colorado can share knowledge on industry trends and the latest technologies and network with each other

Colorado Esthetician Collective
Facebook group for Colorado estheticians and students focused on elevating the esthetics education standards in the state

Colorado Esthetician Training
Facebook group where aspiring and licensed estheticians can share tips

Commercial_Combo_Program-Career-Geo
Esthetics/Skin Care
Colorado

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