How to Become a Nail Tech in Dallas: Schools, Costs, Exams and Pay
We list 20 TDLR-licensed Dallas-Fort Worth-area schools with a Manicurist program; the practical exam is at PSI's Richardson site.
The route, in short
- Complete a 600-hour Manicurist course at a TDLR-licensed school.
- When TDLR confirms you can test, apply for your license ($50) before your written exam.
- Pass PSI’s written exam (4 Dallas-Fort Worth-area centers or online), then the practical at PSI’s Richardson site. After you pass, a 60-day temporary license prints with your score report.
Illustrative photo.
The Sublime Professional Online Program
Gel, acrylic and Russian manicure, step by step, with Darya correcting photos of your own work. Access opens as soon as you pay.
Online and self-paced. Not a TDLR-licensed school, so it doesn’t count toward Texas’s 600 hours.
See the Online Program: $597 Try the Free Theory Class FirstDallas at a Glance
- 4 written-exam centers in Dallas-Fort Worth; the practical is at the Richardson center
- We list 20 TDLR-licensed schools in the Dallas area with a Manicurist program (see below)
- The 600-hour course runs about 15 weeks at 40 hours a week; longer part-time
- $181 in license and exam fees: TDLR $50 application, PSI $55 written and $76 practical
Nail Tech Schools in Dallas
| School | Area | Notes (from the school’s site) | Price (as published) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABC Beauty Academy600 hours | Richardson | Not published — ask | |
| ADIA Beauty College600 hours | Grand Prairie | Day, evening and weekend schedules. | Ask the school |
| All About Beauty Academy600 hours | Plano | 16–28 weeks (per the school). | $6,700 (price includes student kit and curriculum) |
| Arlington Beauty College600 hours | Arlington | Morning and evening schedules. | $6,600 (tuition; registration, books, kit and uniform fees extra) |
| Bale Beauty Academy600 hours | Arlington | Classes in English, Vietnamese and Spanish. | $4,500 (ask about special pricing) |
| Beauty Models School600 hours | Arlington | Full-time or part-time. | Ask the school |
| BGM Science of Beauty UniversityHours not stated | Garland | Not published — ask | |
| Boss Nail Academy600 hours | Richardson / Wylie | 15 weeks full-time or 30 weeks part-time (per the school). | Not published — ask |
| Dallas Beauty AcademyHours not stated | Garland | Not published — ask | |
| Dallas Career AcademyHours not stated | Dallas | Not published — ask |
License and exam fees: $181 (TDLR $50 application, PSI $55 written and $76 practical)
Schools and colleges licensed per TDLR records listing Manicurist programs on their own site, checked September 29, 2026 (10 of 20 schools and colleges); prices as published. Not ranked, recommended or complete. Confirm TDLR course approval and full price in writing.
Show all 20 schools and colleges
| School | Area | Notes (from the school’s site) | Price (as published) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flavous Beauty Academy600 hours | McKinney | Not published — ask | |
| Liyah Marie School of Hair, Skin & Nails600 hours | Duncanville | Day and evening. Some theory online (hybrid). | $5,500 (as published) |
| Milan Institute of Cosmetology (Plano)600 hours | Plano | English. | $10,190 (total cost (catalog insert eff. 4/1/2026)) |
| Paul Mitchell The School Arlington600 hours | Arlington | $7,630.96 (total program cost) | |
| Paul Mitchell The School Dallas600 hours | Carrollton | 3-day or 4-day evening schedule. | $7,653.59 (total program cost) |
| Romero Beauty Academy600 hours | Fort Worth | Classes in Spanish. | $7,000 (as published) |
| Tint School of Makeup & Cosmetology600 hours | Plano / Grand Prairie | 19 weeks full-time or 25 weeks part-time (per the school). Title IV federal aid, per the school. | $11,225 (total) |
| United Beauty CollegeHours not stated | Carrollton | Not published — ask | |
| Viva De Beauty Professional Academy600 hours | Arlington | Financing, per the school. | Not published — ask |
| VXO Beauty Academy600 hours | Plano | Evening classes Monday–Wednesday. | $6,979 (total cost of the program) |
Plenty of people want to know they love this work, and try their hand at it, before they sign up for school. That’s where Sublime fits: a self-paced online program in gel, acrylics and Russian manicure, with Darya correcting photos of your own work. It’s $597, or 3 interest-free payments of $199. It doesn’t count toward Texas’s 600 hours; it’s where your skill starts.
For costs elsewhere, see our national cost guide →
Your License Comes From School. Your Skill Can Start Today.
A private online program, not a TDLR-licensed school. Use it before or alongside school, not instead of it.
Gel, acrylic and Russian manicure, step by step · Darya corrects photos of your work · 6 months of access · A certificate of completion, not a state license.
Darya Shevchenko
Founder and lead educator. Owns her own salon; has won nail competitions in Russia, Spain and Dubai.
“The lessons were easy to follow and I could learn at my own pace. I especially liked that everything felt focused on real techniques I can actually use with clients.”— Jessica M.
3,500+ graduates across North America and 12 countries
What Nail Techs Earn in Dallas
In the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro, manicurists and pedicurists earned this median pay as of May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
That's what people already working in the area are paid, not what any school's graduates, ours included, can expect. That figure covers employees only, not self-employed or booth-rental technicians. Our graduates still need a Texas license before they can work on clients.
For pay across other metros, see our full salary guide →
Where You Take the Exams in Dallas
4 written-exam centers in Dallas-Fort Worth, or test remotely through PSI’s online-proctored option; in the Dallas area, the practical is at the Richardson center.
Source: PSI Manicurist License Examination Candidate Information Bulletin, effective January 1, 2026.
Dallas Nail Tech — FAQ
How much does nail tech school cost in Dallas?
It depends on the school, and on what the price covers. Among the Dallas-Fort Worth schools we list, published prices run from $4,500 at Bale Beauty Academy to $11,225 total at Tint School of Makeup & Cosmetology. Some are totals, such as Paul Mitchell The School Dallas ($7,653.59) and VXO Beauty Academy ($6,979); Arlington Beauty College’s $6,600 is tuition, with registration, books, kit and uniforms extra. All are as published on September 29, 2026; the list above shows the rest. TDLR and PSI also charge $181 in license and exam fees; ask whether a school’s price already includes any of them, and get the full price in writing.
How many nail tech schools are in Dallas?
We list 20 schools in the Dallas-Fort Worth area (Dallas, Collin and Tarrant counties) that TDLR’s license records showed as licensed on September 29, 2026 and whose own website lists a Manicurist or nail program — see the full list above. Others may exist that we haven’t found, so check TDLR’s license records yourself before deciding.
What do nail techs earn in Dallas?
In the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro, BLS puts the median for manicurists and pedicurists at $16.25 an hour, about $33,800 a year (May 2025). That figure leaves out self-employed and booth-rental techs, and it shows what people already in the job earn, not what any school’s graduates, ours included, can expect.
Where do I take the licensing exams in Dallas?
Both Texas exams are run by PSI, and you must pass the written one before you can sit for the practical. For the written, the Dallas-Fort Worth area has four PSI centers (in Dallas near Empire Central Dr., in Richardson on N. Collins Blvd., in Arlington on E. Randol Mill Rd. and in Fort Worth on McCart Ave.), or you can test online with a remote proctor. The practical is hands-on and in person; in the Dallas area it’s at the Richardson center, 1701 N Collins Blvd, Suite 339, Richardson, TX 75080.
Nearby City Guides
Start Practicing Before School Starts
Sublime Professional is a private online academy, not approved by Texas or any other state. Our diploma is a certificate of completion, not a state license, and our hours don't count toward the 600 hours TDLR requires for a manicurist license.
