Accredited cosmetology, esthetician, and nail tech programs — on the LA/Orange County line.
Beyond 21st Century Beauty Academy sits in Santa Fe Springs, right on the Los Angeles–Orange County line. For a large part of north and west Orange County, we're closer than the schools further inside the county — Buena Park is about 12 minutes, La Palma about 10, Fullerton about 18 via I-5, and Anaheim about 20. That matters more than it sounds. Beauty school is not a lecture you attend twice a week: cosmetology students are on campus Tuesday through Saturday for eight to twelve months. A fifteen-minute difference in commute is an hour a week, and it's one of the most common reasons students drop out of programs they were otherwise doing well in.
We are accredited by NACCAS and approved by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Here's what we offer Orange County students:
Cosmetology School — 1,000 hours The broadest California beauty license. Covers hair services, skincare fundamentals, and nail services. Day and full and part-time schedules available. Total cost: $17,560. Financial aid available to those who qualify.
Esthetician School — 600 hours An esthetician license focused on skincare services: facials, waxing, chemical peels, brow lamination, lash lifts, and more. We are an official Dermalogica partner school — students receive a Dermalogica kit at enrollment and attend field trips to Dermalogica's global headquarters. Day and evening options. Total cost: $11,206.50.
Nail Tech School — 400 hours California's manicurist license with Aprés Gel-X Certification included. Approximately 5 months part-time, with evening classes available. Total cost: $5,595.
Orange County's Beauty Market
Our Salon Finder dataset tracks 5,944 licensed salons and spas across 42 Orange County cities. Orange County is a distinct market from Los Angeles — more suburban salon-and-spa work, a large nail sector, and a strong medical-spa presence in the south county that hires estheticians. For a newly licensed professional, that breadth matters: you are not locked into one kind of work or one corner of the county. Many of our students commute in from Anaheim, Buena Park, Fullerton, and La Habra. Our founder Miss Maria has over 47 years of experience in the beauty industry and is a two-time Teacher of the Year and CCA School Owner of the Year. We've graduated over 2,100 licensed beauty professionals since 1997, and our alumni work in salons and spas throughout Orange County.
Financial Aid for Orange County Students
Federal Pell Grants and Direct Loans are available to eligible students in our cosmetology and esthetician programs. Our FAFSA school code is 041482. The manicuring program is shorter than the federal minimum and is not eligible for federal aid — it has a payment plan instead. Contact our admissions team to talk through what you may qualify for before you commit to anything.
Learn about financial aid →
Community College vs. private cosmetology school in LA + OC
Many Orange County students weigh community college vs. private cosmetology school in LA + OC — here's the comparison.
Nearby Cities
We serve students from across north and west Orange County. Each page below covers the drive from that city and what the commute is actually like:
The best way to decide if Beyond is right for you is to visit. Our admissions team will walk you through the campus, answer every question you have about programs, schedules, and costs, and help you figure out the fastest path to your California license.
