National Interstate Council Of State Boards Of Cosmetology Inc

What National Interstate Council Of State Boards Of Cosmetology Inc does

The National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology Inc (NIC) is a non-profit, membership-based organization composed of the state regulatory boards that license practitioners in cosmetology, barbering, nail technology, esthetics, and electrology across the United States. NIC's core function is the development, validation, and administration of standardized national examinations (Theory, Practical, and Written Practical) that member states adopt as the basis for professional licensure. Beyond examinations, NIC operates the National Data Bank, an interstate licensee verification database that enables credential portability across jurisdictions.

NIC distributes its examinations through a network of test administration partners including PSI, Prometric, Provexam (PROV), DL Roope, and PCS, which collectively provide nationwide physical and remote testing access. The organization complements its examination business with practice exams priced at $35 per attempt, the Best Practice Compliance Exam at $125 per attempt, a bookstore offering study and reference materials, and membership dues from participating state boards. Strategic partnerships with Milady and Pivot Point align NIC's assessment content with leading cosmetology education curricula.

The business model is fundamentally a membership and fee-for-service nonprofit model: state boards pay membership dues and adopt NIC examinations, individual candidates pay per-exam fees, and supplementary compliance, practice, and retail offerings diversify the revenue base. With a headcount of 1-10 employees and operations centered in Little Rock, Arkansas, NIC operates as a lean association organization that has sustained its national role for approximately 71 years (the 71st Annual Conference is scheduled for 2026).

Name

National Interstate Council Of State Boards Of Cosmetology Inc

Legal name

National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology Inc

Website

https://nictesting.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC) is a non-profit membership organization of U.S. state boards that develops and administers standardized national examinations and operates the National Data Bank for licensure verification across cosmetology, barbering, nail technology, esthetics, and electrology professions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Licensing Examination Services

NAICS

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

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDADAFAD

Professional & Occupational Licensing Examination Authorities

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Assessment, Examinations & Qualifications Authorities

SECONDARYEDADAFAG

Psychometric Standards, Test Development & Validation Authorities

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Assessment, Examinations & Qualifications Authorities

SECONDARYHSALANAL

Continuing Education & License Exam Prep (CE/State Board Prep)

Home & Personal Services/Personal Care & Beauty Services/Beauty Schools & Training (Cosmetology/Esthetics/Nails)

SECONDARYEDAGADAD

Professional Licensure & Certification Exam Prep (Bar/CPA/NCLEX/PMP, etc.)

Education/Educational Publishing & Learning Content/Assessment, Testing & Exam Prep Publishing

Keywords

• Cosmetology licensing examinations
• Professional licensure testing
• Barbering examination services
• Beauty industry certification
• State regulatory compliance

Headquarters

HQ city

Little Rock

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Examination Fees: Revenue from standardized national theory, practical, and written practical examinations for cosmetology and related fields administered through approved test vendors.
2. Practice Exams and Exam Overviews: Sale of practice exams and video-based exam overviews (sold at $35 each) through the NIC bookstore and Prov Exam platform. Includes comprehensive video guides with step-by-step procedures aligned with NIC standards.
3. Best Practice Compliance Examination: Compliance certification exam sold at $125 per exam, available in multiple languages (English, Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese). Completion earns a Certificate of Completion.
4. Bookstore Sales: Sale of educational materials, reference materials, and exam preparation resources through the NIC Bookstore.
5. Membership Dues: State boards and regulatory agencies pay membership fees to join NIC and access benefits including legislative tracking, national data bank, and networking resources.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NIC develops and administers standardized national licensing examinations covering theory, practical, and written practical components for cosmetology, barbering, esthetics, nail technology, electrology, hair design, and instructor disciplines. Its offerings include the Best Practice Compliance Examination, practice exams, practical examination overview videos, the National Exam Certificate, and supporting reference materials and bookstore resources, all delivered to state licensing boards and individual beauty profession candidates across the U.S.

Product overview

NIC (National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology) provides a comprehensive suite of national standardized examinations and related products for the professional beauty industry. The core offering consists of Theory, Practical, and Written Practical examinations covering cosmetology, barbering, nail technology, esthetics, electrology, hair design, and related specialties. These exams are administered through partnerships with test providers like Prometric, PSI, PROV/Prove, DL Roope, and PCS across all U.S. states and jurisdictions. Supporting products include the Best Practice Compliance Examination (available in English, Spanish, Korean, and Vietnamese at $125), Practice Exams, and Practical Examination Overview Videos ($35 each) for exam preparation. NIC also provides the National Exam Certificate with a promotional toolkit, a Legislative Tracker for regulatory updates, and a Bookstore for reference materials. In partnership with Certemy, NIC maintains a National Data Bank to assist state boards with license verification and reciprocity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NIC National Theory Examinations Standardized national Theory examinations for cosmetology and related fields including Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, Nail Technology, Electrology, Hair Design, and Instructor licensing. Computer-based testing administered by approved test administration companies.
• NIC Practical Examinations Hands-on practical examinations testing actual performance skills for cosmetology and related fields. Currently includes Advanced Practice Esthetics practical exam. Administered in-person at testing centers.
• NIC Written Practical Examinations Written practical examinations combining theoretical knowledge with practical application scenarios for cosmetology and related licensing.
• NIC Best Practice Compliance Examination Compliance exam covering sanitation, infection control, and safety protocols for the professional beauty industry. Available in English, Spanish, Korean, and Vietnamese at $125 per exam. Successful completion earns a Certificate of Completion demonstrating commitment to regulatory compliance.
• NIC Practice Exams Online practice exams designed to help candidates prepare for NIC National Examinations. Available through Prove (PROV) vendor portal at https://provexam.com/product-category/nic/. Customers receive immediate email confirmation with exam access link upon purchase.
• NIC Practical Examination Overview Videos Comprehensive video guides for exam preparation including step-by-step overviews of core exam procedures, visual demonstrations aligned with NIC standards, and expert tips. Available for Barber, Esthetics, Hair Design, Nail Technology, Electrology, Cosmetology, Hair Removal, Instructor, Natural Hair Styling, Eyelash and Eyebrow, and Blow Dry Styling exams at $35 per video.
• NIC National Exam Certificate Certificate issued to candidates who pass NIC National Exams. Includes a National Exam Certificate Toolkit with pre-approved graphics and language for states to promote the certificate on websites and newsletters.
• NIC Legislative Tracker Online resource for NIC members providing daily legislative updates including new bills filed, hearing notices, and legislative proposal tracking to keep members informed of regulatory changes across states.
• NIC Bookstore Online bookstore offering NIC publications, reference materials, and exam preparation resources for cosmetology professionals and students.

Quantifiable outcome

• Expedited licensure through reciprocity for professionals moving between states
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CertemycoreTechnology or IntegrationIn partnership with Certemy, NIC developed a National Data Bank database to assist state licensing boards in efficiently identifying applicants, their licenses across various states, and the exams they completed. This platform helps expedite licensure while reducing fraud and identity theft. The database is a key differentiator for NIC's value proposition to state regulatory agencies.
• MiladycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term strategic partner supporting NIC's mission to establish national standards. Milady has collaborated with NIC for decades in developing reference materials and leading key industry initiatives. Together they drive consistency, integrity, and innovation across states in the beauty industry.
• Pivot PointcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership focused on strengthening and advancing professional readiness across the beauty, barber, and wellness industries. Pivot Point works with NIC on development and alignment of national examinations to ensure candidates are well-prepared for licensure throughout the United States.
• PSIcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApproved test administration vendor for NIC national examinations. Administers computer-based and practical exams in multiple states including DC, Georgia, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and others as listed in state maps.
• PrometriccoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApproved test administration vendor for NIC national examinations. Administers exams in states including Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, Mississippi, and others.
• PROV (Provexam)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApproved test administration vendor and platform for NIC national examinations. Also hosts NIC practice exams and exam information through their platform. Available in states including North Carolina, Vermont, Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, and others.
• DL RoopeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApproved test administration vendor for NIC national examinations in select states including Maine, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Montana, and Washington.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Pivot Point International: Cosmetology education partner collaborating with NIC on national examination alignment and professional readiness. Directly comparable as a complementary ecosystem player serving cosmetology schools and candidates.
• Certemy: Technology partner powering NIC's National Data Bank for license verification across states. Highly comparable in the primary-source verification and credentialing platform space, and a direct enabler of NIC's most differentiated offering.
• Milady (Cengage): Long-standing NIC strategic partner for cosmetology curriculum and reference materials. Operates in the same cosmetology-education ecosystem with decades of collaboration on national standards and exam alignment.
• American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS): Trade association representing cosmetology schools whose graduates sit for NIC examinations. Functions as an adjacent stakeholder organization in the same cosmetology licensing ecosystem and provides complementary perspective on regulatory and curriculum standards.
• Association of Cosmetology Education (ACE): Industry association focused on cosmetology education and professional standards. Comparable as an adjacent membership organization in the cosmetology regulatory and education ecosystem where NIC operates.

Direct peers

• PSI Services: Approved test administration vendor for NIC examinations in multiple states (DC, Georgia, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Illinois, Nebraska, etc.). Comparable as a direct competitor in the licensing/certification test administration market that NIC depends on.
• Prometric: One of NIC's approved test administration vendors that delivers computer-based licensing and certification exams globally. Directly comparable as a delivery channel for high-stakes professional licensure examinations, including several of NIC's own programs.
• Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT / NPTE): Develops and administers the National Physical Therapy Examination adopted across U.S. jurisdictions. Same membership-of-state-boards governance model and psychometric testing approach as NIC, applied to physical therapy licensure.
• National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN / NCLEX): Operates the NCLEX, the national nursing licensure examination adopted by U.S. state boards of nursing. Closely analogous to NIC's role as the national exam authority for cosmetology, with the same member-driven council structure and state-board reciprocity mandate.

Broad incumbents

• Pearson VUE: Largest global commercial testing-services provider for professional licensure and certification exams. Operates across many professions and represents the broadest incumbent competitor to NIC's combination of content authority and exam administration.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-interstate-council-of-state-boards-of-cosmetology-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 National Interstate Council Of State Boards Of Cosmetology Inc