Texas Cosmetology Schools

We are excited to interview Shannon Sherer who works as a hair stylist in Dallas, TX. Shannon has been in the industry for over 10 years and owns 2 salons in and around Dallas.

What excites you to want to come to work?
For me early on I knew I had to grow my business and coming to work and spending 10+ hours a day was the only way to do that. I needed to make sure my stylists had what they needed and that they were providing good customer service. Now that I have a successful business I come to work to make sure I have the right people for the job and that I’m finding new ways to grow my existing business.

How did you build your client list?

When I first started I rented out a spot at a mall and gained a big following. When I opened up my own shop all of my clients followed me. When I stated hiring employees I specifically looked for cosmetologists that had big client lists. I also advertise online and use a lot of social media to get new clients.

What would you like to get involved with?
Right now I have my stylists only handling clients in-house. One area I have started doing a little bit of work on is my new wedding business. I’ve been asked by several parties to provide group makeup before the wedding for the wedding party. I’ve done a few sessions for pictures but more parties want someone at the wedding for hair and makeup touchups.

What type of education did you receive?
I went to cosmetology school in San Antonio. I really enjoyed the school and was able to graduate in about a year. I then attending a community college where I graduated with my business degree. I knew that I needed trained in business, especially in management, marketing and accounting.

How do you stay current with trends?
I attend trade shows at least 4 times a year. Texas has a big show but I also attend shows on the East and West Coast. The shows provide myself and my stylists with new styles we can try but also new equipment and products. Product sales are pretty big for our business and this year we are actually going to produce our own shampoos and conditioners for sale not only at our salons but also online.

Cosmetology Salary and Outlook in Texas

Texas employs 21,250 cosmetologists which is ranked 4th largest in the US. The average median salary is $33,570 however those who work more independently tend to make a higher salary.

Dallas, TX – The Dallas area employs 6250 cosmetologists with a median salary of $42,500.
Fort Worth, TX employs 2000 with a median salary of $40,125.
San Antonio, TX – Has a median salary of 2570 with one of the highest salary ranges of $43,110.
Lubbock, TX employs a very small number of cosmetologists of 420 with a salary of $39,690.
Beaumont, TX and Midland, TX average around 500 employees each with a $40K range.

What to Ask the College Before Attending School

When you start your school research you’ll first want to start a list of all of things you want to get out of your education and what is most important to you. When you talk to an admissions representative be sure to cover the below areas:

Proper Research – When researching schools look for one in your area to make it easier for your to travel and attend class. We list schools on this page that we have a specially connection with however other schools are available to make sure to do the proper research.

Program Tuition – Find out what is included with the tuition. Does the overall tuition cost include books, kits and supplies? This is important as we have found schools that charge extra for kits which can become expensive.

School Policies – Ask your counselor about the schools absentee policy, especially if you are working while attending school. Also find out about their credit transfer policy if you attending college prior to enrollment. Some schools could take some of your credits so you don’t have to repeat some general study classes previously taken.

Program Lineup – Be sure to ask about all the different programs they offer. Most will be titled cosmetology however they might include different techniques. If you only want to focus on hair make sure skin or nails aren’t the majority of the training.

Instructors – Are the instructors trained in all the new techniques? Are they former students or do they have years of “real-world” experience? Some schools will let you visit with instructors during our campus tour so take full advantage this if given the chance.

Personalized Tour – The last step after you talk to your admissions advisor is to take a facility tour. This gives you a chance to see where you’ll be taking your training, talk to the instructors and ask any last minute questions you might have. Also you can meet with the financial aid department if you need help financing your education.

Enroll – After enrollment one area of the school you can start to interact with is the student services or career services department. Schools usually have a department that focuses on student placement and they can help you with your resume even before you graduate.