How to Become a Nail Tech in Houston: Schools, Costs, Exams and Pay
We list 23 TDLR-licensed Houston-area schools and colleges with a Manicurist program; the practical exam is at PSI's Northwest 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 Houston-area centers or online), then the practical at PSI’s Northwest 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 FirstHouston at a Glance
- 4 written-exam centers in Houston; the practical is at the Northwest center
- We list 23 TDLR-licensed schools in the Houston 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 Houston
| School | Area | Notes (from the school’s site) | Price (as published) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 249 Beauty CollegeHours not stated | Houston | Full-time: about 4 months. Kit included. | Not published — ask |
| 360 Degrees Beauty Academy #1600 hours | Houston | Not published — ask | |
| 89 Beauty School600 hours | Cypress | Full-time: about 5 months. Part-time: about 8 months. | $6,199 (total cost) |
| Advanced Beauty AcademyHours not stated | Pasadena | Not published — ask | |
| Colour Beauty School600 hours | Houston | Classes in Spanish. Tuesday–Friday, morning and afternoon. About 30 weeks (per the school). | Not published — ask |
| D'Luz Beauty Academy600 hours | Houston | About 5–6 months. | Not published — ask |
| Design Beauty College600 hours | Spring | About 4–5 months. English and Spanish. Some theory online (hybrid). | Not published — ask |
| Face It Beauty School600 hours | Pearland | Payment plans. | Not published — ask |
| GNU Beauty Institute600 hours | Houston | Not published — ask | |
| Houston City College17 credits, 1 semester | Houston (South / Alief Bissonnet) | In-person classes. | From $84.50 per semester hour (in-district resident) |
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 23 schools and colleges); prices as published. Not ranked, recommended or complete. Confirm TDLR course approval and full price in writing.
Show all 23 schools and colleges
| School | Area | Notes (from the school’s site) | Price (as published) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Training Schools600 hours | Houston | English and Spanish. Part-time available. Financial aid, per the school. | $10,900 |
| Image AcademyHours not stated | Houston | About 6 months (per the school). | Not published — ask |
| Institute of Cosmetology600 hours | Houston | Monday–Friday, 9am–3pm. About 5 months. | Not published — ask |
| Latin America Beauty School600 hours | Bellaire | Classes in Spanish. | Not published — ask |
| Legacy Beauty Academy600 hours | Tomball | Tuesday–Friday 9am–4pm; evening classes Tuesday–Thursday 6–10pm. | Not published — ask |
| Milan Institute600 hours | Houston | 24 weeks full-time (per the school). English. | Not published — ask |
| Paul Mitchell The School Clear Lake600 hours | Webster | Day and evening schedules. | $8,608.27 (total program cost) |
| Paul Mitchell The School Houston600 hours | Houston | Full-time day or part-time night. | $8,608.27 (total program cost) |
| San Jacinto College17 credits, about 3 months | Houston (North / South) | From $83 per credit hour (in-district Texas resident) | |
| Stay Ready Nails AcademyHours not stated | Houston | Ask the school | |
| Tha Nail Artistry AcademyHours not stated | Houston | About 4 months total (per the school). Some theory online (hybrid). | Not published — ask |
| Top Secret Beauty Spa & Academy600 hours | Houston | Mornings Monday–Thursday; evenings Monday–Wednesday. No financial aid. | $6,800 (tuition; testing not included) |
| Torito & Liza Beauty Academy600 hours | Houston | Bilingual instructors. | Not published — ask |
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.
“Before starting, I knew some basic nail techniques but I didn't feel confident enough. The course helped me understand the process properly and made me much more comfortable practicing on my own.”— Emily C.
3,500+ graduates across North America and 12 countries
What Nail Techs Earn in Houston
In the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metro, manicurists and pedicurists earned this median pay as of May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. BLS estimates about 1,490 manicurists and pedicurists work there as employees (May 2025).
That's what people already working in the area are paid, not what any school's graduates, ours included, can expect. Both figures cover 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 Houston
4 written-exam centers in Houston, or test remotely through PSI’s online-proctored option; in Houston, the practical is at the Northwest center.
Source: PSI Manicurist License Examination Candidate Information Bulletin, effective January 1, 2026.
Houston Nail Tech — FAQ
How much does nail tech school cost in Houston?
It depends on the school, and on what the price covers. Among the Houston-area schools we list, published prices run from $6,199 total at 89 Beauty School to $10,900 at Houston Training Schools; Top Secret Beauty Spa & Academy lists $6,800 tuition (testing not included), and both Paul Mitchell The School campuses list total costs of $8,608.27, all as published on September 29, 2026. Houston City College and San Jacinto College publish per-credit rates instead. 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 Houston?
We list 23 schools and colleges in the Houston area 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. There may well be others, so search TDLR’s license records before you choose.
What do nail techs earn in Houston?
In the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metro, BLS puts the median for manicurists and pedicurists at $16.87 an hour, about $35,080 a year (May 2025), and estimates about 1,490 of them work there as employees. Those figures leave out self-employed and booth-rental techs, and they show 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 Houston?
PSI gives both exams, and you have to pass the written one before you can sit for the practical. For the written, Houston has four PSI centers (on the I-10 East Freeway, on Bissonnet St. in southwest Houston, on the Northwest Freeway, and on North Sam Houston Parkway near Greenbriar), or you can test online with a remote proctor. The practical is hands-on and in person; in Houston it’s at the Northwest Freeway center, 9800 Northwest Freeway, Suite 200.
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.
