Hair Professionals Career College

What Hair Professionals Career College does

Hair Professionals Career College is a family-owned private post-secondary beauty school founded in 1979 by Wanda Zachary and operating across three Illinois campuses in Oswego, Sycamore, and Palos Hills. The institution delivers state-approved cosmetology (1,500 clock hours) and esthetics (750 clock hours) programs, plus cosmetology instructor, esthetics instructor, nail technology, and refresher courses, using the Pivot Point LAB curriculum platform under a salon-simulated training model. The school's curriculum integrates professional product partnerships with Davines, Dermalogica, Paul Mitchell, MUD, CND, Lash Addict, Pivot Point International, and Redken, giving students hands-on exposure to industry-standard tools and certification pathways for state licensure.

The business operates a dual-revenue model: tuition and registration/kit fees from enrolled students (~$17,550 to $22,162 tuition for cosmetology depending on campus) and retail service revenue from student-operated salon and spa facilities open to the public at each campus. Admissions is executed through direct-to-consumer channels including website inquiry forms, phone/text outreach, and campus tours, supported by content marketing through a blog (active since 2015) and organic social on Instagram and Facebook. Six distinct scheduling options target working adults and nontraditional students. The school holds NACCAS accreditation and Illinois state authorization, gating requirements that also unlock federal financial aid (FAFSA) eligibility for qualifying students.

Hair Professionals is privately held under concentrated family ownership with three related corporate entities (Hair Professionals Career College, Inc.; Hair Professionals School of Cosmetology, Inc.; Palos Educators Inc.). No external parent company, private equity investment, or institutional funding is disclosed. The institution has grown only through measured geographic expansion (Oswego 1979, Sycamore 1983, Palos Hills 1998) over its 40+ year history, with no recent campus openings, acquisitions, or restructuring events in the source data.

Name

Hair Professionals Career College

Legal name

Hair Professionals Career College, Inc

Website

https://hairpros.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hair Professionals Career College is a family-owned Illinois beauty school operating three campuses (Oswego, Sycamore, Palos Hills) since 1979, delivering NACCAS-accredited cosmetology, esthetics, instructor, and nail technology programs using the Pivot Point LAB curriculum.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Beauty and Cosmetology Education

NAICS

Cosmetology and Barber Schools (611511), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Technical and Trade Schools (61151), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Cosmetology (General) (EDAOALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cosmetology Schools & Programs (HSALANAA), Salon Business, Management & Retail Training (HSALANAK), Continuing Education & License Exam Prep (CE/State Board Prep) (HSALANAL), Hair Styling & Cutting (EDAOALAB), Hair Color & Chemical Services (EDAOALAD), Beauty & Personal Care Skills (Makeup, Skincare, Hair Styling) (EDAAAGAM)

Keywords

• Cosmetology education
• Esthetics training
• Beauty school programs
• Nail technology training
• Instructor certification

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Revenue: The primary revenue stream comes from tuition fees charged to students for cosmetology and esthetics programs. Tuition varies by campus location, with additional registration and kit fees.
2. Student Salon Services: Revenue generated from salon and spa services performed by students under licensed supervision. Services include haircuts, coloring, facials, waxing, manicures, pedicures, and body treatments offered to the public at affordable prices.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hair Professionals Career College is a private, family-owned post-secondary beauty school that delivers state-licensed cosmetology, esthetics, nail technology, and instructor training programs across three Illinois campuses. Programs combine classroom theory with hands-on salon/spa practice on real clients under licensed instructor supervision, using the Pivot Point LAB curriculum and professional product partnerships with brands such as Davines, Dermalogica, Paul Mitchell, MUD, and CND. The school is accredited by NACCAS and also operates student salon and spa services that are open to the public at affordable prices.

Product overview

Hair Professionals Career College is a family-owned beauty school offering a portfolio of cosmetology and esthetics training programs across three Illinois campuses in Oswego, Palos Hills, and Sycamore. The core educational products include the 1,500-hour Cosmetology Program and 750-hour Esthetician Program, which provide hands-on training using professional product brands. The institution also offers Cosmetology Instructor and Esthetics Instructor programs for professionals seeking to transition into teaching roles. Additional offerings include a Nail Technology Program, refresher courses, and student salon/spa services where learners practice on real clients under supervision. The Cosmetology and Esthetician programs utilize Pivot Point LAB as the educational platform for curriculum delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cosmetology Program A 1,500-clock-hour cosmetology training program covering haircutting, coloring, styling, skincare, manicures, pedicures, and makeup application, designed to prepare students for state licensure and careers in hairdressing and makeup artistry.
• Esthetician Program A 750-clock-hour esthetics training program covering facials, waxing, makeup application, lash extensions, and skincare treatments, completable in as little as six months and taught using professional brands including Dermalogica and MUD.
• Cosmetology Instructor Program
• Esthetics Instructor Program
• Nail Technology Program
• Student Salon and Spa Services A full-service salon and spa at each campus offering haircuts, coloring, facials, waxing, manicures, pedicures, and body treatments performed by students under licensed professional supervision and offered to the public at affordable prices.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cosmetology program: 1,500 clock hours; Esthetics program: 750 clock hours
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DavinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDavines is a professional hair care brand that Hair Professionals Career College partners with to provide students access to quality professional products during their training. The partnership allows students to learn with professional-grade tools and products.
• DermalogicacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDermalogica is a professional skincare brand partnered with Hair Professionals to provide esthetics students training with spa-quality products. Through the partnership, students learn skin analysis, product recommendations, and如何使用专业产品。
• Paul MitchellcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPaul Mitchell is a well-known professional hair care brand that Hair Professionals partners with for student training. Students benefit from learning industry-standard techniques and products.
• MUD (Make-Up Designory)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMUD Cosmetics is a professional makeup education brand partnered with Hair Professionals. The partnership provides esthetics and cosmetology students with makeup training and certification opportunities.
• Lash AddictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLash Addict is a lash extension brand that Hair Professionals partners with to offer lash extension training and certification as part of their esthetics program curriculum.
• Pivot Point InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPivot Point International is a leader in beauty education tools, providing the Pivot Point LAB system used at Hair Professionals. This partnership delivers the school's innovative teaching method combining theory with hands-on practice.
• CND (Creative Nail Design)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCND is the world's leading professional nail beauty company partnered with Hair Professionals for their Nail Technology program. The partnership enhances training in manicures, pedicures, nail art, and no-chip procedures.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Paul Mitchell Schools: National cosmetology and barbering school network operating under the Paul Mitchell brand. Directly comparable because both schools leverage the Paul Mitchell brand partnership to differentiate curriculum and recruit students into licensed beauty careers.
• Bellus Academy: Multi-location cosmetology, esthetics, and makeup school offering comparable program structures. Comparable as a private beauty school competing for similar students in the Midwest and beyond with NACCAS-style curriculum.
• Empire Beauty School: One of the largest U.S. cosmetology school chains with dozens of campuses nationwide. Directly comparable to Hair Professionals as a NACCAS-accredited cosmetology/esthetics school serving similar student demographics with similar program hours and tuition structure.
• Xenon International Academy: Multi-state cosmetology and esthetics school with similar program hour requirements (1,500-hour cosmetology) and brand-partner curriculum. Comparable as a privately-operated beauty career college competing for similar career-changer students.
• The Salon Professional Academy (TSPA): Network of independently-owned cosmetology and esthetics schools using a shared brand system and Pivot Point curriculum. Directly comparable because both schools are part of the broader Pivot Point-affiliated beauty school ecosystem and serve similar career-track students.
• Douglas J Aveda Institute: Midwest-based cosmetology and esthiology school network with similar program structure and brand-partner-driven curriculum. Comparable as a privately-operated beauty school competing in adjacent Midwest geographies with similar program hours and federal financial aid participation.

Others

• Pivot Point International: Curriculum and educational technology provider for cosmetology schools globally, including Hair Professionals via the Pivot Point LAB system. Listed as a peer because it is both a strategic partner and an ecosystem participant whose tools shape competitive positioning across the entire peer set.

Broad incumbents

• Aveda Institutes: Network of cosmetology and esthiology schools operated under the Aveda brand with national footprint. Comparable as a brand-backed beauty school leveraging premium partnerships (similar to Hair Professionals' Pivot Point/Davines/Dermalogica approach) and targeting career-track students.

Regional players

• Tricoci University of Beauty Culture: Multi-campus cosmetology and esthetics school based in Illinois/Indiana. Directly comparable as a regional competitor serving overlapping Chicagoland-area prospective students with similar cosmetology and esthetics programs.
• Venus Beauty Academy: Privately-owned cosmetology and esthetics school serving the Chicago area with similar tuition price points. Directly comparable as a regional beauty career college competing for the same Chicagoland student base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/hpthecollege
• Instagraminstagram.com/hairprosschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/hair-professionals-career-college

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Hair Professionals Career College