Delaware is a great state to live and work as a beauty professional. It’s experiencing a rise in the profession, and its apprenticeship program is perfect if you haven’t got the time or aren’t in the financial situation for formal education. That means you can take time perfecting your craft, and take as many school courses as you can manage, while you’re earning and learning at a licensed salon! If you’ve ever wanted to work in the cosmetology industry, Delaware is a great place to grow a career!

Wilmington, DE skyline
Wilmington, DE skyline – By Tim Kiser (User:Malepheasant)[CC BY-SA 2.5]

Education Requirements At Beauty Schools in Delaware

Delaware’s education requirements for a cosmetology comes in one of two streams. You can choose an accredited program at a junior college, vocation school or beauty school. Your certificate or diploma program usually lasts around 18 months for a total of 1,500 classroom hours. If you choose an associate degree it can take as much as two years. So obviously the first thing you need to do is find a good school close to where you live. Use your ZIP below to start a search:

Apprenticeship

If you’re looking to start work immediately, you can enter into an apprenticeship. You’ll need at least 3,000 hours of work clocked to get your license. You will also need a sponsor to supervise during all of those hours, and your supervisor must currently have a license in good standing in order to qualify. Ideally, you’ll learn the same practical techniques as you would in the classroom, including facials, hair removal, hair cutting and styling, makeup application, and other beauty techniques.

Getting Your License

Whether you choose to go the traditional school route, or an apprenticeship, the board still needs you to fill out your online exam and license application once you’ve met your requirements. These need to be done at the same time, and come with a single fee. You will need to complete both a theory and practical exam, testing everything you have learned. You must pass with at least 75% on both to get your license. Once you’ve received a passing score, you just need to pay the license fee, and you’re ready to start working on your own!

Transferring From Another State

If your home state has similar education requirements to Delaware’s licensing process, you may be able to bypass the education and exam requirements to be licensed as a cosmetologist in Delaware. Check with The Delaware State Board online to see if yours is one of the states listed for license reciprocity. If your home states requirements are less, you can qualify if you have more than three years full-time experience working as a cosmetologist in another state.

Keep Your License Up-to-date

All Delaware Cosmetology licenses expire on October 31st of each even-numbered year. You will receive a renewal notice in the mail a few weeks previously with your instructions for renewal. There is no continuing education requirement in Delaware to renew your license, but there is a fee.

Employment

Because you can choose to work through an apprentice program or a cosmetology school, there are plenty of work opportunities for Delaware’s cosmetologists. Your school or chosen supervisor can help put you in touch with the best places to grow your career. If you choose, you can also take an additional 500 hours of study plus exams, to become a cosmetology instructor. If you’re looking for a place to start yourself off while waiting to start your own salon, try this site: delawareworks.com for info on what’s out there! As long as you keep learning and growing, your career and salary will flourish with you!

1st State Academy of Cosmetology and Barbering – Dover

Pressley Beauty Academy – Dover

Other Delaware schools for makeup artists, estheticians, nail techs and barbers.

School Websites:
beautyacademy.edu
delawarecosmetology.com
auroraacademyofhairdesign.com
schillingdouglas.com
Did we miss any cosmetology schools in Delaware in this list? Please let us know.