Education

• Massachusetts is home to 18 different cosmetology schools as of 2010, several of which have locations in multiple cities. According to the website City Town Info, the highest average annual salaries in the state for cosmetologists are in the cities of Framingham, at $35,320; Barnstable, at $31,620; and Lawrence,at $31,520.
  
  

Wages

• As of 2010, Massachusetts ranks fifth in compensation for cosmetologists in the U.S., according to Beauty Schools Directory. Only Florida, Minnesota, North Carolina and Colorado rank higher.
  
  

Regulation

• A state commission governs the licensing of individual cosmetologists as well as the schools that train for the occupation. In Massachusetts, the governing body is the Board of Registration of Cosmetologists (BRC). Licensing fees vary among specific cosmetology professions.
  
  

Accreditation

• The national body for accrediting cosmetology schools, including those in Massachusetts, is the National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS).
  
  

Continuing Education

• The NACCAS and BRC provide workshops, financing and aid information, and networking opportunities to qualified members.