Hair Braiding Schools in Pennsylvania

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

How to Become a Hair Braider in Pennsylvania

Hair braiding is an ancient practice that's recently become very popular in America, and learning how to do some of the most popular styles can lead you into an exciting new career! While hair braiding used to be restricted to major cities, it's rapidly expanding across Pennsylvania. An eye for detail and the desire to serve your clients can help you start your career. If you want to work as a hair braider, or add this skill to your cosmetology training, we say go for it! Take the first step and contact multiple schools in your area to compare their programs.

Education Details

Programs that focus on hair braiding in Pennsylvania cover lots of skills, so you can plan on leaving with the skills you need to succeed in a salon. You may learn a lot about the scalp, including scalp examination, skin types, and scalp disorders. On top of that, you can delve into the many types of hair you'll work with throughout the course of your career. Assessing different types of hair may allow you to discern which braids are ideal for each client. You can spend well over 100 hours learning about the various types of braids and how to execute them! Programs in Pennsylvania may teach you how to do traditional cornrows, dreadlocks, twists, and locks. Depending on what your instructors specialize in, you can also learn more intensive types of braids like Senegalese twists. Before you can get into a salon and put your skills to use, you must know about the laws and standards that govern a braider's career. That's why your curriculum will likely go through laws, sanitation, and hygiene in the workplace.

Pennsylvania Hair Braiding Careers

One of the major benefits of becoming a hair braider is the major growth in this field. As hair braiding reaches more and more communities, a growing number of people are looking for experienced and well-trained hair braiders. If you can market your skills and reach out to your community, you may be able to secure a positive job outlook and get lots of new clients. According to O*Net, the statewide demand for cosmetology professionals is expected to grow 10% between 2010 and 2020. Your salary in this field is largely determined by how hard you work, how many clients you bring in, and what rates you set. Reported cosmetology salaries in Pennsylvania range from $16,900 to $38,200 per year (O*Net, 2013). The average salary for a beauty worker in this state is $23,200 per year. You must get your license through the Pennsylvania State Board of Cosmetology before you can start working as a hair braider. Natural hair braiders need at least 300 hours of training.

Hair braiding is an entirely different field than it was even just a few years ago! Serena Solomon reports that although hair braiding used to be an exclusively African-American hair styling procedure, it has become popular in other communities in recent years. This expands your client base and allows you to work with many different types of hair. It's important to be able to look at each client's needs and accommodate them to the best of your ability. This may include doing larger or smaller braids, utilizing artificial hair, or tailoring your style to suit a client's hair texture. Depending on the clients you see and how quickly you work, you may see only a couple of clients per day or lots of customers each shift. Doing a full set of braids can take several hours, but you may be able to complete a touch-up in less than one hour. As you become more confident in different braiding styles, you may be able to work more quickly and get more done each day. As you may expect, your time isn't all spent on braids! You can also spend lots of time in client consultations. As long as you keep striving to provide excellent customer service, you can help your career grow and keep your clients satisfied.

Pennsylvania is a state that celebrates their strides forward in hair care. Building on that tradition, stylists have begun to incorporate hair braiding more in their services. Budding professionals gain guidance from these groups.

Intercoiffure
American Association of Cosmetology Schools