Milady

What Milady does

Milady is a beauty and wellness education publisher and digital learning platform that develops, licenses, and distributes state-approved curriculum, exam preparation tools, and instructor resources to beauty schools and educational institutions across the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Operating as a division of Cengage Learning, Inc., Milady traces its origins to 1927 and now offers a curriculum portfolio spanning eight regulated disciplines (cosmetology, esthetics, advanced esthetics, barbering, nail technology, massage therapy, natural hair care and braiding, and professional educator) in both English and Spanish, plus skills-based courses in eyelashes and hair removal. Its core technology is CIMA, a digital learning platform that integrates curriculum delivery, instructor resources, video content, assessments, time tracking, student analytics, and LTI-compliant LMS interoperability (Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, Brightspace) with single sign-on and grade sync; supplemental modules include CIMA ExamReady (CIB-aligned licensing exam prep), CIMA Exam Prep (chapter-based practice), and CIMA Collabs (partner-brand content). The 2024 product introduction of an embedded Student Assistant AI marks its first substantive AI feature.

Milady operates a primarily per-seat subscription licensing model with multi-year access terms, supplemented by one-time print textbook and kit sales, professional services for instructor certification, and consumer-priced mobile subscriptions. CIMA Student Seats list at $145.95-$335.95 depending on discipline with 2-year access; ExamReady and Exam Prep are priced at $49.95 per student; lash and brow kits (via Borboleta partnership) range $180-$500; and instructor resources range $195.95-$877.95. Go-to-market combines a regional direct sales force with dedicated account managers covering every US state plus Caribbean and Latin America (under Business Development Manager Laura Salazar), a separate K-12 sales team, a self-service e-commerce platform (ServicePlus via Cengage), and community-led growth through the 9,000+ member Milady Instructors Facebook Group. Primary customers are beauty schools and educational institutions, with secondary segments including high school CTE programs, community colleges, individual licensing candidates, and salon apprenticeship programs. Named customers include Hill College, Kismet Beauty & Wellness Institute, Elaine Sterling Institute, Centralia Beauty College, and La'Virtue Beauty Institute.

Milady's competitive position rests on a regulatory moat as a foundational partner of the National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC), with its materials referenced in NIC exam content and alignment to 35+ state-specific licensing Candidate Information Bulletins, plus a near-century brand and a content library now digital-native through CIMA. Recurring revenue is anchored by multi-year school licenses, supplemented by hardware sales (Borboleta kits), instructor certification (Master Educator, RISE), and a growing consumer mobile channel. Revenue and headcount-scale specifics are not publicly disclosed; the division reports 51-100 employees and operates as a private subsidiary of Cengage Learning, with no independent funding history.

Name

Milady

Legal name

Milady, a division of Cengage Learning, Inc.

Website

https://milady.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Milady, a division of Cengage Learning, is a beauty and wellness education publisher and digital learning platform serving US and Latin American beauty schools with state-aligned curriculum, the CIMA platform, and licensing exam prep across eight disciplines in English and Spanish.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Beauty Education Curriculum and Learning Platform

NAICS

Cosmetology and Barber Schools (611511), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

akta.pro primary industry

Cosmetology Schools & Programs (HSALANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Esthetics & Skincare Training Programs (HSALANAB), Eyebrow & Eyelash Training (Brow Design/Lash Extensions/Lifts) (HSALANAG), Continuing Education & License Exam Prep (CE/State Board Prep) (HSALANAL), Hair Styling & Cutting (EDAOALAB), Esthetics / Skincare (EDAOALAE), Nail Technology (EDAOALAG)

Keywords

• Beauty education curriculum
• Digital learning platform
• Licensing exam preparation
• Cosmetology textbooks
• Professional certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Clifton Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. CIMA Digital Subscriptions: Subscription-based digital access to curriculum content through CIMA platform. Sold as Student Seats or Printed Access Codes (PAC) with 2-year access terms. Revenue from annual seat subscriptions and bulk school licenses.
2. Print Textbooks and Curriculum Materials: Physical textbooks, workbooks, and curriculum guides sold for beauty education programs including Cosmetology, Esthetics, Barbering, Nail Technology, Massage, and more.
3. CIMA ExamReady: Targeted exam prep tool sold per student seat for licensing exam preparation. Aligned to NIC, PSI, and state-specific licensing exams.
4. CIMA Exam Prep: Online licensing exam preparation with hundreds of multiple-choice questions, chapter reviews, and comprehensive tests. Sold per student with 2-year access.
5. Lash and Brow Kits: Physical kit products sold to beauty schools for eyelash extension and brow treatment training. Kits range from starter to all-in-one configurations.
6. CIMA Collabs Partner Content: Partner content collaborations (Beauty as a Business, ProsperU, Qnity, Wella, OPI, etc.) integrated into CIMA platform, bringing industry partner content to students.
7. Master Educator Certification: Professional development program with three certification levels (12, 18, 24 classes) for beauty educators seeking career advancement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Milady develops and licenses comprehensive beauty industry curriculum and digital learning solutions, including the CIMA learning platform. Their offerings span printed and digital curriculum across cosmetology, esthetics, barbering, nail technology, massage, natural hair care, eyelashes, and hair removal disciplines, paired with targeted state licensing exam prep tools, instructor resources, and professional certification programs.

Product overview

Milady is a beauty and wellness education company offering a comprehensive portfolio of curriculum products and digital learning solutions. The core offering consists of printed and digital curricula across eight disciplines: Cosmetology (14th Edition), Esthetics Fundamentals (12th Edition), Advanced Esthetics (3rd Edition), Barbering (7th Edition), Nail Technology (8th Edition), Massage (6th Edition), Natural Hair Care & Braiding (2nd Edition, coming September 2026), and Professional Educator (4th Edition). Supporting products include skills-based courses for Eyelashes and Electrolysis/Hair Removal. The digital ecosystem centers on CIMA, a unified learning management platform that delivers curriculum, instructor resources, and assessment tools, supplemented by CIMA ExamReady for targeted exam prep, CIMA Exam Prep for chapter-based practice, and CIMA Collabs for partner brand content. Additional offerings include Mobile Exam Prep App, RISE Educator Program, Master Educator Certification, and Spanish language resources. The company operates as a division of Cengage Learning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CIMA: Digital learning platform for beauty schools that provides curriculum, instructor resources, exam prep, and student support in one connected experience.
• CIMA ExamReady
• RISE
• CIMA Collabs

Products and services

• CIMA Digital Learning Platform Milady's flagship digital learning platform that brings together curriculum, instructor resources, reporting tools, student support, and optional print materials into one connected experience for beauty schools and educational institutions. Supports hybrid learning, time tracking, LMS integration, and Spanish content.
• CIMA ExamReady Targeted licensing exam preparation tool aligned to state Candidate Information Bulletins (CIBs). Features practice questions, mock exams, mastery tracking, and personalized study insights to help beauty students pass state board exams.
• CIMA Exam Prep Online exam preparation tool with hundreds of multiple-choice questions, three test modes, and analytics on mastery by student and chapter. Available for all beauty disciplines.
• CIMA Collabs Partner Content Program Partner content program bringing professional brand and business education content from Beauty as a Business, ProsperU, Qnity, Wella, OPI, Matrix, Redken, and others into the CIMA platform for enhanced student learning.
• Milady Standard Cosmetology Curriculum Comprehensive cosmetology education curriculum covering hair, skin, and nail care with focus on all hair types including textured hair. Available in CIMA digital format or print, in English and Spanish.
• Milady Standard Esthetics: Fundamentals Curriculum Industry-standard esthetics fundamentals curriculum for skincare education programs. Available in CIMA digital format or print (2-book format), in English and Spanish.
• Milady Advanced Esthetics Curriculum Advanced skincare treatments curriculum covering innovative techniques and cutting-edge treatments for advanced esthetics professionals in states requiring additional training hours.
• Milady Standard Barbering Curriculum Comprehensive barbering curriculum covering foundational principles, safety protocols, and modern trends and techniques. Available in print and on CIMA, in English and Spanish.
• Milady Standard Nail Technology Curriculum Nail technology curriculum teaching essentials and creative techniques for nail artistry careers. Available in CIMA digital format or print (2-book format), in English and Spanish.
• Theory and Practice of Therapeutic Massage Curriculum Therapeutic massage curriculum providing foundational knowledge and skills for massage therapist careers, designed as a worthwhile reference throughout careers.
• Professional Educator Curriculum Professional educator curriculum (formerly Master Educator) for future beauty and wellness educators. Available in print and CIMA digital format.
• Milady Natural Hair Care and Braiding Curriculum Textured hair education curriculum covering braids, extensions, wigs, loc care, scalp care, and professional services. Includes NIC-aligned CIMA ExamReady.
• Milady Advanced Services: Eyelashes Curriculum Skills-based curriculum for eyelash extension and brow treatments covering infection control, application techniques, and business building. Includes 1,400+ interactive activities providing 430+ hours of active engagement.
• Milady Advanced Services: Electrolysis and Hair Removal Curriculum Comprehensive advanced hair removal curriculum covering electrolysis, laser/IPL, waxing, sugaring, and threading techniques.
• Milady + Borboleta Lash and Brow Kits Professional-grade lash extension and brow lamination kits supplied through partnership with Borboleta. Four kit options (Starter, Classic + Volume, Lash Lift + Brow Lamination, All-In-One) designed to match Milady curriculum procedures.
• Milady Training Online Courses Online professional development courses for educators and beauty professionals including RISE Educator Program, Master Educator Certification, and continuing education courses.
• RISE Educator Program 6-month professional development program for beauty educators to gain practical teaching strategies and techniques for training the next generation of beauty professionals.
• Master Educator Certification Three-level certification program with 12, 18, and 24 classes for beauty educators demonstrating commitment to professional growth, classroom management, and teaching excellence.
• RISE Certifications Free certification program for beauty professionals to recognize signs of domestic violence and human trafficking, with scholarship program awarding 20 scholarships semi-annually through partnership with Professional Beauty Association.
• Milady State Board Exam Prep Mobile App Mobile exam prep application with 1,200+ multiple-choice questions, three test modes, and chapter breakdowns. Available for iOS and Android for various beauty disciplines.
• Business and Soft Skills Curriculum Business education curriculum including Business Fundamentals, Studio Luma video series, and CIMA Collabs programs (Beauty as a Business, ProsperU, MONEY EDU).

Quantifiable outcome

• 100,000+ students passed state boards using Milady exam prep tools
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BorboletacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Borboleta, a leading eyelash extension and brow treatment manufacturer, to provide turnkey lash kit solutions for Milady Eyelashes curriculum programs. Kits designed to match course procedures. Complementary BorboletaPro CIMA course included with kit purchases.
• Beauty as a Business (BaaB)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCIMA Collabs partnership bringing social media and digital marketing courses into the CIMA platform for beauty school students.
• ProsperUcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCIMA Collabs partnership bringing business skills and financial literacy courses into the CIMA platform for beauty industry professionals.
• Qnity (MONEY EDU)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCIMA Collabs partnership bringing MONEY EDU, a financial and money education program, into the CIMA platform for future beauty professionals.
• Wella ProfessionalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCIMA Collabs partner content available at no cost to partner schools. Professional brand content integrated into beauty school curriculum.
• OPIminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCIMA Collabs partner content available at no cost to partner schools. Nail product brand content integrated into curriculum.
• MUD (Make-Up Designory)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCIMA Collabs partner content available at no cost to partner schools. Professional makeup education integrated into curriculum.
• PCA SKINminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCIMA Collabs partner content available at no cost to partner schools. Professional skincare brand content integrated into esthetics curriculum.
• BabeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCIMA Collabs partner content available at no cost to partner schools. Hair removal and beauty product brand integrated into curriculum.
• RedkenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCIMA Collabs partner available for anyone to access. Professional hair color and styling brand content accessible in CIMA platform.
• MatrixminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCIMA Collabs partner available for anyone to access. Professional hair care brand content accessible in CIMA platform.
• MizaniminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCIMA Collabs partner available for anyone to access. Professional hair care brand for textured hair accessible in CIMA platform.
• BiolageminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCIMA Collabs partner available for anyone to access. Professional hair care brand accessible in CIMA platform.
• Pigment CosmeticsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCIMA Collabs partner content available at no cost to partner schools. Color cosmetic brand content integrated into curriculum.
• National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIC recognizes Milady as a foundational partner. Milady materials are regularly referenced in NIC exam content, ensuring alignment with current industry practices and educational benchmarks. NIC Executive Director Susan Colard commends Milady's pivotal role in national exam development.
• Cengage LearningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMilady is a division of Cengage Learning. Cengage brand represents global businesses supporting learners from K-12 to Career. Platform integration through ServicePlus e-commerce.
• Professional Beauty Association (PBA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association partnership for RISE scholarship program management. Awards 20 scholarships semi-annually to students and professionals who've completed domestic violence and human trafficking recognition training.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: Educational publisher with K-12 and supplemental curriculum, including career and technical education. Overlaps with Milady in regulated CTE content and digital delivery, particularly for high school CTE programs that Milady also targets.
• Elsevier: Publisher of scientific, technical, and healthcare education content with strong digital subscription platforms. While not a beauty curriculum peer, it is a relevant comparator for the publisher-to-institution recurring revenue model and digital platform expansion strategy.
• Cengage Group: Milady's parent company and broader educational publisher serving K-12, higher education, and workforce training. Comparable in business model (curriculum and digital platforms) but operates at vastly greater scale and breadth; useful benchmark for go-to-market and digital platform investment patterns.
• Pearson: Global education and publishing incumbent with curriculum, assessment, and digital learning offerings across multiple verticals. Shares Milady's publisher-to-institution model and recurring digital subscription mechanics, though Pearson's portfolio is far broader than vocational beauty.
• McGraw Hill: Major educational publisher offering print and digital curriculum, assessments, and adaptive learning tools. Comparable in that it serves regulated curricula and is migrating institutional customers from print to subscription digital platforms, similar to Milady's CIMA transition.

Others

• Empire Beauty Schools: Large multi-state chain operator of cosmetology and esthetics schools. Not a curriculum peer, but a key downstream customer and adjacent business model reference; provides insight into how beauty schools consume curriculum and where Milady's licensing alignment creates differentiation.

Emerging players

• OpenSesame: Course marketplace and learning content aggregator serving workforce training buyers. Comparable to Milady's CIMA Collabs model in partnering with third-party content providers, though it competes more as a content distribution layer than a deep beauty curriculum publisher.
• 360training: Online regulatory and workforce training provider with strong presence in healthcare, safety, and licensed trades. Comparable to Milady in serving state-licensed vocational training markets with subscription digital courses and exam preparation.
• Schoox: Workforce learning and training platform used in regulated and franchise-heavy industries. Comparable to Milady's CIMA in delivering curriculum, tracking, and certification for vocational learners, though Schoox is more horizontal and less content-deep in beauty.

Direct peers

• Pivot Point International: Long-standing direct competitor in beauty education, offering printed and digital curriculum for cosmetology, esthetics, barbering, and nail programs. Overlaps with Milady across nearly every core discipline and customer segment (beauty schools and licensure-track programs).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/miladyteam
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/milady

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Milady