Hair Schools in Kentucky

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

How to Become a Hair Designer in Kentucky

Have you ever looked at someone's hair style and thought about how you could tweak it just a little bit to make it better for their face shape or personal style?

Do you flip through magazines, ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the newest trends in hair design? If you have an eye for trends and a desire to help people feel beautiful, a career in hair design could be your calling.

State License Requirements

To begin working in hair design in Kentucky, you have to meet the licensing requirements of the Kentucky Board of Hairdressers & Cosmetologists. Before you can strike out on your own as a hair designer, you must complete a 1,500-hour cosmetology program at an approved school. Contact the hair design schools in Kentucky to begin.

Education Details

Your cosmetology program should be very hands-on. In fact, you can plan on spending most of your time on the salon floor, whether you're working with mannequin heads or real customers. The early months of your curriculum may include core subjects like shampooing, haircutting techniques, scalp treatments, cosmetology law in Kentucky, makeup, and hair coloring. In addition, you may spend many hours studying safety and sanitation. Once you've developed some core competencies in your field, you can move on to more advanced topics like hair removal, infection control in a salon, developing your professional image, hair enhancement, and nail technology. As an advanced student, you get to work with real customers and begin building your client base under the supervision of a licensed instructor.

License Renewal

Earning your cosmetology license in Kentucky is the way for hair designers to work legally in this state. Not only that, but the broad range of skills you can acquire in these types of programs can expand your skills, and make you more appealing to clients and prospective employers. If you become licensed in Kentucky, you will have to renew it on an annual basis, with a deadline at the end of your birthday month. The cost to renew your license is currently $20, due with your online application.

Kentucky Hair Design Careers

Job growth for Kentucky cosmetologists is expected to remain fairly steady. Between 2016 and 2026, O*Net expects to see an 11% increase in cosmetology jobs in Kentucky. The salary you earn as a hair designer depends on where you work, what special skills you bring to your salon chair, and how quickly you develop a loyal customer base. O*Net reports that the average salary for a Kentucky cosmetologist is $23,460 per year, which is in line with the national average for a cosmetologist. As a cosmetology professional, part of your income may come from tips and gratuities. As a result, keeping your chair filled can be a great way to increase your income and improve your own personal job outlook. Marketing yourself and showing off your range of skills can help you bring in clients that come to see you again and again.

Hair design is a very flexible and versatile field, so your work experience could be entirely different from the stylist in the chair next to you! You should plan on working a wide variety of shifts, particularly while you're still gaining seniority and proving yourself at a new place of employment. Salons are often open on weekends and during the evening, so you may work a variety of day, night, and weekend shifts. If you rent a chair and schedule your own appointments, your schedule is dependent on how many clients you get and how hard you work to fill your appointment book. Hair design is a field that truly has the ability to change lives - not just your client's lives after you give them a great haircut, but yours as well. Island Connections reports on John Paul DeJoria. Though he started his adult life homeless and without career prospects, he attended beauty school and became a hairdresser. From there, he started working with one of the country's top haircare product lines. He is now the driving force behind John Paul Mitchell systems. Starting a career in hair design can help you create your own future and live out your dreams.

Contact the Kentucky State Board of Cosmetology

For hair stylists in The Bluegrass State, their profession is what makes Kentucky stand out in terms of cultural flair. Hair design has been a welcome field of employment within the state for quite some time. For interested applicants, a key step is to consult administrators at the following groups.

American Association of Cosmetology Schools
International SalonSpa Network