Every barber and cosmetology location in Illinois in VA's data is a school program. VA lists no barber and cosmetology apprenticeships or OJT here right now.
VA's GI Bill® Comparison Tool lists 59 barber and cosmetology training locations in Illinois with 73 approved programs: 59 with school programs and 0 with apprenticeship or on-the-job training. 5 have a VA caution flag.
Before you enroll, open the VA profile to confirm the exact program, and ask the School Certifying Official to confirm your start date. [VA: Choosing a GI Bill approved school]
VA caution flag: School has an accreditation issue. This school's accreditation has been taken away and is under appeal, or the school has been placed on probation, because it didn't meet acceptable levels of quality. Learn more about this school's accreditation
GI Bill students (all programs): 3Accredited (hybrid)
GI Bill students (all programs): 8Not accredited (accreditation is not required for VA approval of many trade programs)
GI Bill students (all programs): 1Accredited
GI Bill students (all programs): 9Accredited (hybrid)
VA caution flag: School has an accreditation issue. This school's accreditation has been taken away and is under appeal, or the school has been placed on probation, because it didn't meet acceptable levels of quality. Learn more about this school's accreditation
GI Bill students (all programs): 4Accredited (hybrid)
Accredited
GI Bill students (all programs): 133Accredited (regional)
GI Bill students (all programs): 87Accredited (regional)
GI Bill students (all programs): 63Accredited (regional)
GI Bill students (all programs): 7Accredited (national)
GI Bill students (all programs): 1Accredited (hybrid)
GI Bill students (all programs): 5Accredited (hybrid)
GI Bill students (all programs): 1Accredited
VA caution flag: School has an accreditation issue. This school's accreditation has been taken away and is under appeal, or the school has been placed on probation, because it didn't meet acceptable levels of quality. Learn more about this school's accreditation
GI Bill students (all programs): 3Accredited (hybrid)
GI Bill students (all programs): 1Accredited (hybrid)
GI Bill students (all programs): 3Accredited (hybrid)
GI Bill students (all programs): 5Accredited (hybrid)
GI Bill students (all programs): 10Accredited (hybrid)
Accredited
Not accredited (accreditation is not required for VA approval of many trade programs)
GI Bill students (all programs): 47Accredited (regional)
GI Bill students (all programs): 3Not accredited (accreditation is not required for VA approval of many trade programs)
Accredited
GI Bill students (all programs): 1Not accredited (accreditation is not required for VA approval of many trade programs)
GI Bill students (all programs): 6Not accredited (accreditation is not required for VA approval of many trade programs)
GI Bill students (all programs): 7Accredited (hybrid)
GI Bill students (all programs): 2Accredited
GI Bill students (all programs): 1Accredited (hybrid)
GI Bill students (all programs): 24Accredited (regional)
GI Bill students (all programs): 432Accredited (regional)
GI Bill students (all programs): 4Accredited (hybrid)
GI Bill students (all programs): 30Accredited (regional)
GI Bill students (all programs): 52Accredited (regional)
GI Bill students (all programs): 2Accredited
Accredited (hybrid)
GI Bill students (all programs): 3Accredited (hybrid)
GI Bill students (all programs): 1Accredited
GI Bill students (all programs): 88Accredited (regional)
GI Bill students (all programs): 22Accredited (national)
GI Bill students (all programs): 1Accredited
GI Bill students (all programs): 7Accredited
GI Bill students (all programs): 8Accredited (hybrid)
GI Bill students (all programs): 4Not accredited (accreditation is not required for VA approval of many trade programs)
GI Bill students (all programs): 1Not accredited (accreditation is not required for VA approval of many trade programs)
GI Bill students (all programs): 20Accredited (regional)
GI Bill students (all programs): 4Accredited (hybrid)
GI Bill students (all programs): 5Accredited (national)
Not accredited (accreditation is not required for VA approval of many trade programs)
VA caution flag: School has an accreditation issue. This school's accreditation has been taken away and is under appeal, or the school has been placed on probation, because it didn't meet acceptable levels of quality. Learn more about this school's accreditation
GI Bill students (all programs): 6Accredited (hybrid)
GI Bill students (all programs): 87Accredited (regional)
GI Bill students (all programs): 5Accredited (hybrid)
GI Bill students (all programs): 47Accredited (regional)Student complaints in VA data: 1
GI Bill students (all programs): 2Accredited
GI Bill students (all programs): 6Accredited
GI Bill students (all programs): 28Accredited (regional)
GI Bill students (all programs): 2Accredited (hybrid)
GI Bill students (all programs): 1Accredited (hybrid)
VA caution flag: School has an accreditation issue. This school's accreditation has been taken away and is under appeal, or the school has been placed on probation, because it didn't meet acceptable levels of quality. Learn more about this school's accreditation
GI Bill students (all programs): 1Accredited (hybrid)
GI Bill students (all programs): 1Not accredited (accreditation is not required for VA approval of many trade programs)
Source: VA GI Bill Comparison Tool program data, retrieved October 23, 2026. School details come from VA's data file dated October 8, 2026. The list is sorted by city, then name. It isn't a ranking.
VA's GI Bill Comparison Tool lists 73 approved programs at 59 locations in Illinois as of October 23, 2026. That's about 4% of the 1,563 barber and cosmetology locations in VA's data nationally. By type: 45 for-profit schools, 13 public colleges and technical schools, 1 private nonprofit school.
By number of locations: Chicago (11), Calumet City (2), Decatur (2), Dekalb (2), Downers Grove (2), Joliet (2) and 36 more cities.
VA's data lists no barber and cosmetology apprenticeship or OJT programs in Illinois as of October 23, 2026. An employer can apply to its State Approving Agency to get an apprenticeship approved.
[VA: GI Bill Comparison Tool] [VA: On-the-job training and apprenticeships]
Yes. 5 locations have a VA caution flag. Each flag is shown on its listing in VA's wording. Read it before you enroll.
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