PJ's College of Cosmetology

What PJ's College of Cosmetology does

PJ's College of Cosmetology is a family-owned, private vocational education institution operating 11 physical campuses across Indiana (Brownsburg, Clarksville, Greenfield, Indianapolis, Jeffersonville, Muncie, Plainfield, Richmond) and Kentucky (Bowling Green, Glasgow, Louisville), with corporate offices in Carmel, Indiana. Founded approximately 1990 and led by CEO Judith Stewart, the institution has served beauty-industry students for over 30 years.

The company delivers four core credentialed programs: Cosmetology (1500 hours), Esthetics (700 hours), Nail Technician (600 hours), and Instructor Training (1000 hours), each priced between $10,542 and $21,492 and structured to prepare students for state licensure examinations in their respective fields. Practical training is delivered through student-operated salon services under licensed professional supervision. Curriculum is supported by partnerships with Milady (core textbook publisher), Matrix, Dermalogica, L'Oreal, and Muse Beauty, and instruction adheres to Council on Occupational Education accreditation standards and state licensing requirements.

Revenue is generated primarily through upfront tuition, enrollment fees, and books/equipment pass-throughs, with federal financial aid (grants and loans) accessible to qualifying students — including veterans via GI Bill channels. Marketing relies on website inquiry forms, content/blog efforts, and campus tours across the two-state footprint, and the school offers lifetime placement assistance to graduates. There is no disclosed online learning program; the entire delivery model is campus-based.

Name

PJ's College of Cosmetology

Legal name

PJ's College of Cosmetology

Website

https://gotopjs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Short description

PJ's College of Cosmetology is a family-owned vocational school operating 11 campuses across Indiana and Kentucky, delivering accredited cosmetology, esthetics, nail technology, and instructor training programs to aspiring beauty professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cosmetology and Beauty Industry Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Cosmetology Schools & Programs (HSALANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cosmetology (General) (EDAOALAA), Nail Technology (Manicure/Pedicure) Training Programs (HSALANAC), Salon Business, Management & Retail Training (HSALANAK)

Keywords

• Cosmetology education
• Beauty school programs
• Esthetician training
• Nail technology courses
• Vocational beauty training

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Educational Services: PJ's College of Cosmetology generates revenue primarily through tuition and fees charged for its educational programs. Students pay for cosmetology, esthetician, nail technician, and instructor training programs. The institution is accredited, allowing eligible students to access federal financial aid including grants and loans. Additional revenue includes enrollment fees, books and equipment costs passed to students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

PJ's College of Cosmetology is a family-owned, accredited cosmetology school that delivers state-licensed beauty industry training through 11 physical campuses across Indiana and Kentucky. It sells four core educational programs — Cosmetology (1,500 hours), Esthetics (700 hours), Nail Technician (600 hours), and Instructor Training (1,000 hours) — supplemented by student-run salon services that give the public hands-on access to trainees. Revenue is generated primarily through tuition, enrollment fees, and books/equipment charges, with federal financial aid available to qualifying students.

Product overview

PJ's College of Cosmetology is a family-owned cosmetology school with 11 campuses across Indiana and Kentucky offering vocational beauty education programs. The institution provides four core educational programs: Cosmetology (comprehensive hair, skin, and nail training), Esthetics (skincare and facial treatments), Nail Technician (manicures, pedicures, and nail art), and Instructor Training (for beauty professionals becoming educators). Students gain practical experience through student salon services. The programs are designed to prepare graduates for state licensing examinations in the beauty industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cosmetology Program Comprehensive 1,500-hour vocational training in hair cutting and coloring, skincare, makeup application, and nail care, preparing students to become licensed cosmetologists and offered at all 11 campuses.
• Esthetics Program 700-hour training program in facials, hair removal, makeup application, and skincare science, preparing students to become licensed estheticians/skin care specialists; available at Indiana and Kentucky locations.
• Nail Technician Program 600-hour program covering manicures, pedicures, nail art, and extensions with an emphasis on practical technique mastery, preparing students for state nail technician licensure.
• Instructor Training Program 1,000-hour program that trains experienced beauty professionals to become licensed beauty school instructors, covering teaching methods, curriculum development, and classroom management.
• Student Salon Services Discounted hair, skin, and nail services provided to the community by students under licensed professional supervision at each campus, supporting practical training requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Lifetime placement assistance provided to all graduates

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MiladycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMilady is a leading publisher of beauty education curriculum and textbooks. PJ's College uses Milady's educational materials and resources as part of its instructional program, indicating a curriculum partnership for course content delivery.
• Muse BeautyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMuse Beauty provides student resources for PJ's College students. This appears to be an educational resource partnership offering supplementary learning materials for beauty students.
• MatrixminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatrix is a professional hair care brand offering education programs. PJ's College is listed as a Matrix Education partner, indicating collaboration on professional hair care training and techniques.
• DermalogicaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDermalogica is a professional skin care brand. Partnership appears to involve skin care education and product training for esthetics students.
• L'OrealminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerL'Oreal is a major beauty products company. Partnership may involve product education and professional development resources for students.
• Council on Occupational Education (COE)coreOthersCOE is the accrediting body for PJ's College of Cosmetology. All campuses maintain COE accreditation, which is essential for the institution to operate and offer federal financial aid to students. Requests for information on COE policies, standards, or procedures can be directed to their Atlanta office.
• Indiana Professional Licensing AgencycoreOthersState licensing agency for Indiana cosmetology programs. PJ's College is licensed by this agency to operate Indiana campuses.
• Kentucky Board of CosmetologycoreOthersState licensing board for Kentucky cosmetology programs. PJ's College is licensed by this board to operate Kentucky campuses.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Aveda Institutes: Network of beauty schools operated under the Aveda brand (owned by Estée Lauder) offering cosmetology and esthetics programs. Comparable to PJ's in curriculum structure and licensure preparation but competes at a premium price point with stronger brand prestige and direct alignment with Aveda product lines used in salons.
• Empire Beauty Schools: Largest privately-held chain of cosmetology schools in the U.S. with 80+ campuses across multiple states. Operates in the same regulatory and accreditation framework as PJ's (Title IV funded, state-licensed) and competes directly for the same student demographic—adult career changers seeking licensure in cosmetology and esthetics.
• Regency Beauty Institute: Multi-state cosmetology school chain offering cosmetology and esthetics programs across the Midwest and South, including overlapping Indiana geography. Closely comparable to PJ's in tuition range, program structure, and target student demographic, though it has undergone significant restructuring in recent years.
• Xenon Academy: Multi-location cosmetology and esthetics school operating in Indiana and other Midwestern markets with a Schweiger-derived lineage. Directly competes with PJ's in the Indiana metro footprint for the same student demographic and program mix (cosmetology, esthetics, nail).
• The Salon Professional Academy (TSPA): Franchised network of accredited cosmetology and esthetics schools operating across multiple U.S. states with a Redken-aligned curriculum partnership. Directly comparable to PJ's in program offerings (cosmetology, esthetics, nail tech, instructor training), tuition range, and Title IV funding model.
• Tricoci University of Beauty Culture: Multi-campus cosmetology and esthetics school operating primarily in Illinois and Indiana with overlapping Indiana geography to PJ's. Offers federal-aid-eligible programs in cosmetology, esthetics, and nail technology with similar tuition structures and instructor training verticals.
• Paul Mitchell Schools: National network of cosmetology and barbering schools operating under the Paul Mitchell brand across 100+ U.S. locations. Competes with PJ's for the same aspiring beauty professional segment with a celebrity-adjacent premium brand and similarly delivers federal-aid-eligible programs in cosmetology, esthetics, and instructor training.

Others

• Milady (Cengage): Leading publisher of cosmetology curriculum and textbooks used across the beauty education industry, including by PJ's itself. Adjacent rather than competitive—serves as a curriculum supplier and standard-setter that shapes what schools like PJ's teach, but does not directly compete for students.
• Matrix (Matrix Education Partners): Professional hair care brand with a formal education partner program that includes PJ's. Provides curriculum, products, and certification pathways—adjacent enabler rather than competitor, but its branded education credentials are increasingly used by schools to differentiate graduate outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• Empire State Esthetician / National Beauty College chain peers: Broader for-profit vocational education providers (e.g., Everest Institute, Brightwood) that historically included cosmetology programs within wider career training portfolios. While many have exited the cosmetology vertical, the for-profit vocational education operating model (Title IV dependent, multi-campus) overlaps structurally with PJ's business economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 PJ's College of Cosmetology