Empire Beauty School-Indianapolis

Academics here mean one thing: cosmetology. The curriculum is a single-minded, state-licensed training program designed to prepare students for the Indiana Board of Cosmetology licensure exam. The program is offered at the Indianapolis campus on South Emerson Avenue and a satellite location in Speedway. The training is intensely practical, focusing on hands-on skills in hair styling, cutting, coloring, skincare, nail technology, and barbering. Empire may accept transfer hours from students who already hold a limited license in aesthetics, nail technology, or barbering. Student experiences, as shared online, highlight a vocational environment that can be demanding and sometimes chaotic, with feedback noting that management and staff quality can vary. The sole major is Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General, and the program leads to an award of 'at least 1 but less than 2 academic years'—typically a certificate or diploma, not a degree.

Student life orbits entirely around the cosmetology clinic and classroom. The Indianapolis campus operates with extended hours—typically from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM on weekdays—to accommodate students who are often balancing jobs, family responsibilities, and school. The school's social media directly addresses this juggling act, acknowledging that many students are working adults. The environment is that of a busy trade school: functional, not residential, with a focus on practicing techniques on mannequins and eventually live clients in the school clinic. There are no dorms, collegiate sports, or traditional campus clubs. The social and professional network is formed among classmates in the salon chairs. The Speedway location offers a similar setup. Reviews of the campus environment mention it as a standard, no-frills training facility.

Outcomes are measured in licensure and earnings, not graduation rates in the traditional sense. The reported graduation rate is 50%. The canonical figure for median earnings 10 years after entry is $24,397. Other sources note a median salary of $24,397 ten years after graduation, aligning with the canonical figure, and report median earnings one year after graduation as $36,427. The school enrolls approximately 213 undergraduates. The fundamental outcome is passing the state board exam to become a licensed cosmetologist, barber, or esthetician, enabling graduates to work in salons, spas, or as independent contractors. Job placement assistance is a frequent topic of inquiry among prospective students, though specific placement rates are not provided in the sources.

The canonical average net price after aid is $17,213. Other sources report similar figures, including a net price of $16,719 per year. Financial aid is a central part of the enrollment conversation, with the school stating that 'most Empire students qualify for financial' aid. Aid packages typically blend federal grants (like Pell Grants), federal loans, and institutional scholarships. The average federal grant aid is reported as $4,987, and the average student grant aid is $5,042. The school offers its own scholarships, such as a $1,000 award for students maintaining 90% cumulative attendance. Importantly, the school notes that 'financial need is not required' for some aid options, and it directs all prospective students to use its Net Price Calculator and to complete the FAFSA. The average annual loan amount for students is $7,168.

Empire Beauty School-Indianapolis stands out for its utter lack of pretense. It makes no claim to be a liberal arts college or to provide a 'well-rounded' education. Its singular purpose is vocational: to train licensed cosmetologists as quickly and directly as possible. This creates an environment that is purely functional—a trade school with extended hours for working students, an open admissions policy, and a curriculum stripped of any subject not related to passing the state board exam. Its character is defined by the practical urgency of its students, many of whom are seeking a specific skilled trade to change their economic trajectory without a four-year detour. Its reputation is built not on rankings or research, but on its presence as one of many nodes in a national for-profit beauty school chain, offering a standardized path into the beauty industry. For a certain student—one who is clear-eyed about wanting a hands-on career in beauty and wary of traditional academia—this focused, no-frills approach is the entire appeal.