Esthetician Schools in North Carolina

If you want to become an esthetician, North Carolina could be a great place to start. The field is growing quickly, and the state's average salary for estheticians is higher than the national average.

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

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1520 South Boulevard Suite 150
Charlotte, NC 28203

(704) 333-9940
Programs:
Cosmetology, Esthetics, Massage Therapy

500 Four Seasons Town Centre
Greensboro, NC 27407

(336) 885-3452
Programs:
Cosmetology, Esthetics, Teacher Training, Salon Management
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5 T Beauty Academy – Accredited

3306 Capital Boulevard Suite C
Raleigh, NC 27604

A.R.T.C. Beaute & Aesthetics College – Accredited

4853 NC Highway-55
Durham, NC 27713

Academy of Artistic Hair Design

114 Wilkesboro Avenue
North Wilkesboro, NC 28659

Academy of Nails & Esthetics – Accredited

415 A Minuet Lane
Charlotte, NC 28217

Alexander Paul Institute of Hair Design – Accredited

1011 Charles Boulevard Suite A
Greenville, NC 27858

Anew Vision Academy – Accredited

605 West 25th Street
Newton, NC 28658

Aveda Institute Chapel Hill – Accredited

201 South Estes Drive Sutie 200-B
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Blue Ridge Community College – Accredited

180 West Campus Drive
Flat Rock, NC 28731

Carteret Community College – Accredited

3505 Arendell Street
Morehead City, NC 28557

Catawba Valley Community College – Accredited

1995 Startown Road Suite 109
Hickory, NC 28602

Central Carolina Community College - Lillington – Accredited

995 East Cornelius Harnett Boulevard
Lillington, NC 27546

Central Carolina Community College - Pittsboro

764 West Street
Pittsboro, NC 27312

Central Carolina Community College - Sanford – Accredited

1105 Kelly Drive
Sanford, NC 27330

Circle of Love Academy – Accredited

409 Stanley Chapel Church Road
Dudley, NC 28333

College of Wilmington – Accredited

3500 Oleander Drive Suite 1111
Wilmington, NC 28403

Craven Community College – Accredited

800 College Court
New Bern, NC 28562

Davidson-Davie Community College – Accredited

297 Davidson Community College Road
Thomasville, NC 27306

Dermacademy Spa Lab

210 North Main Street Suite 106
Kernersville, NC 27284

Elevate Beauty Institute – Accredited

300 East Main Street Suite 100
Durham, NC 27701

Gaston College - Belmont – Accredited

7220 Wilkinson Boulevard
Belmont, NC 28012

Gaston College - Dallas

201 Highway 321 South
Dallas, NC 28034

Leon's Beauty School – Accredited

1305 Coliseum Boulevard
Greensboro, NC 27403

Millennium Trade Academy – Accredited

1912 Coliseum Boulevard
Greensboro, NC 27403

Mitchell's Academy – Accredited

1301 Buck Jones Road
Raleigh, NC 27606

NC Nail Academy II – Accredited

3821-M Northwest Gate City Boulevard
Greensboro, NC 27407

NC Skincare Academy – Accredited

3808 West Gate City Boulevard Unit G
Greensboro, NC 27407

Pamlico Community College - Grantsboro

5049 Highway 306 South
Grantsboro, NC 28529

Paul Mitchell The School Raleigh – Accredited

8551 Glenwood Avenue Suite 100
Raleigh, NC 27612

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College - Kannapolis – Accredited

489 North Cannon Boulevard
Kannapolis, NC 28083

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College - Salisbury

1333 Jake Alexander Boulevard South
Salisbury, NC 28146

V Tran Beauty Academy – Accredited

605 Phillip Davis Drive 1
Charlotte, NC 28217

Wake Technical Community College – Accredited

9101 Fayetteville Road
Raleigh, NC 27603
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 North Carolina have to offer.

How to Become a Esthetician in North Carolina

North Carolina Esthetician Careers At a Glance
  • 600 education hours are required to become licensed.
  • You must renew your license every year.
  • 8 continuing education hours are required to renew your license.
  • The average for estheticians in North Carolina is $46,110.
  • There is a predicted 13% job increase between 2018 - 2028 for estheticians.

The state board licenses estheticians in North Carolina to practice skin care-related cosmetic art. You may give facials, remove body hair, apply makeup, or perform other skincare techniques in this role.

If you're considering an esthetician career in North Carolina, you must meet several requirements to earn licensure. Qualifications include:

  • Complete an approved 600-hour esthetician training course
  • Pass both a written and practical exam from the North Carolina State Board
  • Pay a $20 application license fee (plus a possible $5 fee for a temporary permit, if needed)
  • Submit an online license application

North Carolina Esthetics Careers

$46,110

Average yearly salary for esthetics in North Carolina

North Carolina estheticians earn a mean wage of $42,770 annually or $20.56 per hour, which is higher than the national average of $41,700 ($20.05). Typical pay for estheticians throughout the state ranges between $23,350 and $62,340.

Jobs for North Carolina estheticians are expected to increase by 13% between 2018 and 2028.

Salaries vary based on skill, experience, and where you work. For example, working at a high-end spa or as a medical esthetician in North Carolina could earn a higher salary. You may also make more if you work in urban areas instead of rural.

As of 2021, the highest-paying metro areas by median pay for estheticians in North Carolina are:

  • Raleigh, NC: $44,270
  • Durham-Chapel Hill, NC: $43,550
  • Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC: $41,170
  • Asheville, NC: $39,110
  • Wilmington, NC: $38,470

Only one nonmetropolitan area has reported its esthetician salary. The Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area had a 2021 median salary of $41,490.

Data from O*Net (2022)

State License Requirements

600 Education Hours

Required to earn a esthetics license

To earn your esthetician's license, you need to complete a total of 600 hours of training at a certified school.

Your curriculum must cover topics like anatomy, first aid, disinfection, chemistry, aromatherapy, nutrition, hair removal, makeup theory, skincare machines, basic dermatology, and esthetics techniques. You should also learn brow and lash coloring, eyebrow arching, and lash application.

For certification, you need experience performing the following services on a live model:

  • Artificial lashes
  • Basic facial, including steam
  • Lash and brow tint
  • Lash lift and brow lamination
  • Waxing

All students must also pass an infection control and blood exposure procedure evaluation with a 100% score.

In North Carolina, estheticians are only allowed to practice the cosmetic art they're licensed to do. This means you cannot complete manicures and pedicures or natural hair care or braiding without additional licenses.

The board also says their esthetics licenses don't cover dermaplaning, microblading, and needling.

Can I Apprentice as an Esthetician in North Carolina?

There are no apprenticeship options for esthetician licensure in North Carolina.

North Carolina Esthetician Licensing Requirements

Once you complete 600 hours of training, you can sign up to take North Carolina's written and practical esthetics exams online at D.L. Roope.com.

All students must schedule license exams within six months of graduating and pass both exams with 75% or better.

After you apply for an online exam and pay the $20 fee, your application transfers to your school for approval. When approved, you receive an email from D.L. Roope Administrations with your scheduled examination date. The written exam takes 90 minutes, and the practical takes around three hours to complete.

The written examination is computerized. You can undergo the test at multiple Iso Quality Testing (IQT) centers around the state, though you can also take it at any IQT testing center in the nation.

The practical examination is most commonly held in Raleigh, though it's offered about once per year in Hickory and Wilmington. For the practical, you must dress professionally and bring a mannequin head and table clamp. 

Make sure to register using your full legal name. You need to present proper, government-issued identification for the practical exam, and your name must match exactly.

The practical exam takes place in English only, but the written portion of the exam is available in other languages. Make sure to select your language preference when you apply for the written exam.

If you need to apply for testing accommodations through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), contact your school or D.L. Roope Administrations for the appropriate forms and deadline information. There are three forms to submit with your license application: one from you, one from a medical professional, and one from a school official.

Expect to get your scores relatively quickly. However, a passing score does not guarantee your license. The board must receive all required paperwork before they send your license. Licenses are issued five to 10 business days after approval.

If you need to work while you wait to take your exams, you can apply for a temporary permit with a $10 application fee. The permits last six months. Submit proof of your exam applications and graduation certificate.

You can also request more exam information from D.L. Roope Administrations by phone, mail, or online.

North Carolina Esthetician Licensure Reciprocity

You might be able to transfer your esthetics education if you earned your license or attended school in another state. North Carolina has reciprocity agreements with most states. However, the steps you take to apply may vary based on the state you come from.

Ask your state licensing agency to send your certification by email or mail if you earned licensure in any of the following locations:

  • Arkansas
  • Washington D.C.
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Massachusetts
  • Mississippi
  • New Hampshire
  • New York
  • Oklahoma
  • Pennsylvania
  • Texas
  • Vermont
  • Wisconsin
  • West Virginia

Alternatively, you could submit an online application if you earned an esthetician license in any other (except Florida, which doesn't have such an agreement) or Puerto Rico.

Along with your application, submit a $35 license fee online or by mail. North Carolina also requires a copy of your license and ID. Additional requirements apply if you earned your education in Alaska, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Texas, and West Virginia, such as mailing your certification before applying for licensure.

If you completed an esthetics program within the past five years, out-of-state graduates could transfer to North Carolina with 600 hours in an approved esthetics program. To apply, ask your school or licensing agency to send a copy of your transcripts to the North Carolina Board by mail or email.

Certificates and registrations are not transferable.

License Renewal

1 Year

License renewal period

8 Hours

Continuing education required

North Carolina estheticians are required to complete continuing education and online license renewal every year. You need to pay $10 per year in license fees and renew before October 1. Late fees begin the following day. If you fail to renew within five years of the expiration date, you must re-take the exams to reinstate your license.

You need eight hours of continuing education courses for license renewal, with half of the hours specifically in esthetics. Educational videos, online tutorials, and professional courses may count toward your continuing education, and the state offers a number of free courses. Document your hours and location (or URL) with a brief description of the material you learned.

Contact the North Carolina State Board of Esthetics

North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners
Commercial_Combo_Program-Career-Geo
Esthetics/Skin Care
North Carolina

How to Become a Esthetician in Your State