ACM will offer a new cosmetology program beginning June 3.
CUMBERLAND, Md. (Apr. 22, 2024)—Allegany College of Maryland’s new cosmetology program begins on June 3. It is a 12-month program that combines online and in-person
evening classes. The evening classes will be held at ACM and the Allegany County Public
Schools’ Center for Career and Technical Education.
ACM will use the Milady® cosmetology curriculum and feature instructors who are licensed senior cosmetologists. By the close of the one-year program, students will have 1,500 hours of classroom and clinical experience and be eligible to apply for a Maryland cosmetology license.
ACM is accepting applicants for its 2024 and 2025 programs.
The college’s cosmetology program is limited to 16 students. Less than three spots
are available. Students must enroll by appointment by contacting Allissa Tomlinson,
the program coordinator. She can be reached at 301-784-5340 or atomlinson@allegany.edu. Tomlinson is also accepting applications for the June 2025 cosmetology cohort.
Financial aid is available.
Tomlinson can help cosmetology students apply for ACM scholarships, Maryland Promise
Scholarships, and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WOIA) funds through the
Western Maryland Consortium.
The program’s cost of $18,000 is $2,000-$7,000 less than other area programs. It includes tuition, fees, supplies, and a cosmetology kit.
The program is driven by employer demand.
ACM created the new cosmetology program at the urging of Amanda Smearman of Shine
Studio and other salon owners. Smearman shared information about the need for cosmetologists
with college staff. According to labor market information from Maryland Department
of Labor, the demand for skilled hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists is
expected to grow 29.6% in the Western Maryland Workforce Region from 2020 to 2030.
Smearman was the first business owner to join the Program Advisory Committee (PAC)
for ACM’s cosmetology program. PAC members include cosmetologists from Creative Trends,
Hot Mess Hair, Opposite Genders, Shine Studio, Studio 757, and The Studio. Other salons
may join the PAC by emailing Tomlinson or calling 301-784-5340.
Allegany College of Maryland (ACM) is a small, learner-focused college offering 48 associate degrees, 31 certificates, 10 letters of recognition, noncredit workforce development programs, personal enrichment classes, and adult education and literacy services. More than 3,100 credit and 6,900 noncredit students choose ACM each year, attending online or in person through the college’s two campuses and five education sites in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Over 92% of students receive financial aid, and 57% of students transfer to colleges in more than 26 states. ACM was founded in 1961 as a transfer college in Cumberland, Maryland.
