Hair Schools in Massachusetts

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

How to Become a Hair Designer in Massachusetts

Hair design in all its elements - cutting, styling, coloring and highlighting, perming and straightening, adding hair extensions with strings and feathers, hair braiding and more, are all creative activities. There are people who simply love all or most aspects of playing with hair and helping people look their best.

If this is an activity that has always appealed to you: you love styling your own hair, and your friends and family members look to you to style theirs, consider making a career out of your talent, earning an income while you enjoy yourself, as a hair designer in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts! There are sophisticated city areas for you to practice in, like Boston's tony Newbury Street, home to a number of upscale hair styling salons, as well as smaller cities and towns.

State License Requirements

To practice any type of hair design, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires that you obtain a license from the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Cosmetologists. This requires that you complete at least 1,000 hours from an accredited program, and take the licensing exam consisting of a theoretical (written) and practical part. When you pass the exam you will be issued your license which must be renewed every two years. You are not required to earn any continuing education credits to renew your license, but doing so is highly recommended as it enhances your marketable skills.

Education Details

There are several schools of cosmetology, hair design, and hair dressing in Massachusetts, and one is probably available near where you live. In hair design programs, all aspects of hair and its care will be taught to you, from anatomy and physiology, to shampooing and conditioning, cutting and styling, coloring and highlighting using foils and caps, perming and straightening with the newest straightening systems, and more. Experienced professionals will show you how to perform all these skills, on both live models and via video examples. You'll be exposed to the tools and products hair dressers use, and find out about the safety and sanitation laws and regulations that apply in Massachusetts. Along with your classroom instruction, you will get hands-on practical training in all the skills you need to know, especially as you become more advanced.

License Renewal

To become a hair designer in Massachusetts, you will need to earn your cosmetology license to work legally. This is good news in many ways, because these programs can help you expand your professional skills beyond hair. They can also give you management training that will make you an effective leader if you go that route. To renew your cosmetology license in Massachusetts, you need to do so every year before your date of birth. The cost to renew is currently $68.

Massachusetts Hair Design Careers

The median salary earned by cosmetologists, hair dressers and hair stylists in Massachusetts in 2019 was $37,670 a year, according to O*Net. This is a good deal higher than the median salary earned throughout the rest of the country, which was $26,090. Your actual salary will depend upon many factors, such as how much experience you have, where you are working, the specific services you provide, your reputation, and your following. Much of your income is likely to come from tips. It is expected that there will be moderate growth in demand for hair care services, meaning that new graduates should not have too much difficulty finding jobs after completing school.

Hair designers create attractive looks that flatter the individual client, working with their face and body shapes and eye color, as well as the client's personal preferences. Hair designers work in a variety of settings. When you start out, you will most likely go to work at a spa or salon, seeing individual clients by appointment, or occasionally, walk-ins. It is likely that you will do the full range of hair care activities that stylists are trained to perform including shampooing and conditioning, coloring and highlighting, cutting and styling, perming and straightening hair. You may work with men, women, and/or children. You will spend most of your day on your feet, so you will need energy and stamina (and comfortable but stylish footwear!) In between seeing clients, you will need to neaten and sanitize your workstation and equipment, making it fresh and inviting for the next client. Clients enjoy talking while they are having their hair styled, so you need to learn to be an active listener who can keep a conversation flowing but is not judgmental or overly opinionated. A certain amount of discretion is needed when clients reveal personal information about themselves. You will have a certain amount of scheduling flexibility, although the spa or salon you work for may require that you be available a certain number of hours, or during certain times of the day or week. It is usually possible to work a hair design career around other, outside commitments, making it an excellent career choice for people with families and interests. Over time, you may choose to specialize in a particular area of hair design, such as hair designs for weddings, or photo and fashion shoots. Sometimes these jobs may require that you work on location. You may eventually open your own hair salon, enjoying the benefits and responsibilities of owning your own small business and working for yourself. Hair design is a creative activity in a creative field. If you have always dreamed of a career in the beauty industry, working as a hair designer, helping make people look and feel their most attractive, may be an excellent option for you! Use our directory to look into some of the schools and hair design programs available to you in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Contact the Massachusetts State Board of Cosmetology

Massachusetts boasts a vibrant hair care industry, which is expected to grow in size and impact over the next six years by state board estimates. Hair design is a leading field in the New England region overall as well. With that in mind, those looking to become hair care professionals go to these groups for information.

Professional Beauty Association
Associated Hair Professionals