Hair Styling Schools in South Carolina
With hundreds of thousands of southern belles as potential clients, South Carolina offers many possibilities for cosmetologists and hair stylists entering the beauty field. Even Forbes Magazine named the state capital one of the top 100 places to work. If you’re passionate about hair and love making people feel their best, then a career as a South Carolina hair stylist is perfect for you.
Find Hair Design Programs in South Carolina
You must attend a school that is approved by your state to provide training in the discipline you want to practice. Check with the school and the state board to be sure that your program of study will prepare you for any applicable state licensure.
Overview of Hair Schools in South Carolina
Always on the cutting edge of beauty and fashion trends, South Carolina’s hair school curriculum takes a holistic approach to hair styling and beauty. While the cosmetology curriculum primarily involves hair care, nail care, makeup application and skin are also apart of the curriculum. In addition to beauty topics, South Carolina beauty schools give their students a head start on the business side of styling hair with professional etiquette, salon management, and lab work courses.
Prospective South Carolina hair stylists have the choice of attending an independent and specialized beauty school or a cosmetology program at a 2-year university or community college.
Hair Cutting Licensing Requirements in South Carolina
According to the South Carolina Board of Cosmetology, cosmetology students must complete a total of 1500 hours of instruction and training at a board approved cosmetology school before they can sit for the state cosmetology licensing examination. Cosmetology licensees must also be at least 16 years of age with a minimum of a 10th grade high school education.
After taking and passing the practical and written licensing exam, hair stylists must submit an application and pay the prescribed fee to receive their license. Hair stylist licenses must be renewed every two years, and hair stylists must complete 12 continuing education credit hours to qualify for renewal.
Employment Outlook for Hair Stylists in South Carolina
After graduation, South Carolina cosmetologists have a wide array of choices for their career path. As a result of the state’s highly advanced cosmetology curriculum, cosmetologists are more than prepared for a career that focuses solely on hair styling. Cosmetologists can also pursue jobs that focus on makeup application, nail care, hair coloring, hair salon ownership and even hair care research.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), South Carolina hair stylists earn an average annual wage of $24,020–this figure doesn’t include tips from customers. The BLS also states that the demand for hairstylists, barbers and cosmetologists will grow 14 percent from 2010 to 2020 to replace workers who leave the personal appearance field.