Small hair, nail and makeup training academy

Students planning a beauty career, usually paying course fees themselves or through student aid where the school is approved.

Tuition per program, plus kit and supply fees. Some schools also earn from low-priced student services or short evening courses.

• Professional experience in your beauty field
• Teaching and lesson planning
• Managing admin, budgets and student records

• Private career colleges are usually regulated by the province, and registration can take months and require fees, bonds or approved curriculum; check what applies where you live
• In Quebec, rules and French-language requirements differ, so check with the relevant authorities
• Hairstyling and some other beauty trades may have provincial rules on training hours and certification, so check before promising students a path to work
• Commercial general liability insurance, and WCB/WSIB coverage once you hire staff (rules vary by province)
• Health unit rules on sanitation and any practice-client services, and zoning for your premises
• Student refund rules and enrolment risks, because low numbers can quickly strain a fixed-cost premises

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around $25,000 to $100,000, depending on your premises, equipment and the registration process. Monthly revenue is estimated at roughly $7,000 to $30,000, depending on enrolment and the programs you offer.

Check what applies where you live. Private career colleges are usually regulated by the province, and registration can take months and involve fees, bonds or approved curriculum. Quebec rules differ, and hairstyling may have provincial training-hour and certification rules to check before promising students a path to work.

You need professional experience in your beauty field, teaching and lesson planning skills, and the ability to manage admin, budgets and student records. The estimate is a minimum of about 30 hours per week.