If you're asking how long is esthetician school, here's the honest answer: in California, it's 600 hours of state-approved training — and how fast you get through those hours depends entirely on the schedule you pick. At Beyond 21st Century Beauty Academy in Santa Fe Springs, that means about 5 months full-time, or about 7.5 months part-time or in evening classes.
This post is just about the timeline — schedules, finish dates, and what can speed you up or slow you down. If you want the full step-by-step licensing path, that lives in our guide on how to become an esthetician in California.
The short answer: 600 hours
California requires 600 hours of training at a state-approved school before you can sit for the esthetician exam with the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. That's the number that matters. Months are just 600 hours divided by however many hours per week your schedule gives you.
For comparison: cosmetology is 1,000 hours and manicuring is 400. Esthetics sits in the middle — long enough to actually learn skin, short enough that most students finish in well under a year.
How long esthetician school takes on each schedule
Here's how the math works out at Beyond. Every schedule covers the same 600 hours and the same curriculum — the only difference is pace.
- Full-time day — about 5 months. Tuesday through Saturday, 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM. The fastest route to your license.
- Part-time day — about 7.5 months. Tuesday through Saturday, 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM. Mornings only, so your afternoons stay free for work or family.
- Evening — about 7.5 months. Tuesday through Thursday, 6:00 to 10:00 PM, plus Saturday 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Built for people keeping a day job. We wrote more about how that works in our post on esthetician evening classes in LA County.
Esthetics is the only program at Beyond with both day and night tracks, and new cohorts start almost every month — so "when can I start" is rarely the thing that delays anyone.
What actually changes your finish date
Two students on the same schedule can finish weeks apart. The difference is almost always one of these:
- Attendance. Hours only count if you're in the building. Miss a week and your graduation date moves a week — the state doesn't round up.
- Life logistics. Students who sort out childcare, work shifts, and commute before day one finish on time. Students who improvise, don't.
- Exam readiness. Finishing your hours isn't the same as being ready to test. Students who practice with our free esthetician state board practice exam during school avoid the retake cycle that quietly adds months.
How long after school until you're licensed?
Graduating doesn't make you licensed — passing the state exam does. Between application processing and exam scheduling, plan on some extra weeks after your last day of class. We broke down that timeline in detail in how long it takes to get your beauty license after finishing school.
Realistic total, start of school to license in hand: roughly 6 to 9 months depending on your schedule and how quickly you test.
Is the 5-month track right for you?
- Choose full-time if you can treat school like a job for 5 months and want to be earning as an esthetician this year.
- Choose part-time mornings if afternoons are spoken for — kids, classes, or a job.
- Choose evenings if you're working full-time and need your days untouched.
Tuition is the same on every track: $11,206.50, with your full skincare kit included. Esthetician students at Beyond can also apply for federal financial aid (FAFSA) if they qualify — details on our financial aid page.
Come see the schedule in person
The easiest way to know which track fits your life is to stand in the building and meet the people. Schedule a tour of Beyond 21st Century Beauty Academy at 13640 Imperial Highway, Santa Fe Springs — or call us at (562) 404-6193 and we'll walk you through the next start dates.
