The Texas numbers, by license
TDLR publishes pass rates for every barbering and cosmetology exam it administers. These are the main licenses for fiscal year 2025:
| License | Written exam | Practical exam |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetology operator | 49.05% (10,463 of 21,331) | 89.10% (9,471 of 10,630) |
| Class A barber | 37.25% (3,150 of 8,457) | 89.80% (2,669 of 2,972) |
| Esthetician | 65.75% (5,618 of 8,544) | 98.17% (5,372 of 5,472) |
| Manicurist | 68.07% (6,529 of 9,591) | 82.46% (5,798 of 7,031) |
| Eyelash extension | 60.22% (978 of 1,624) | 97.33% (911 of 936) |
Read them carefully
Two things matter before you draw any conclusion.
These are attempts, not people. Someone who sits the written exam three times is counted three times. So "about half of written attempts failed" does not mean half of candidates never pass, and the table cannot tell you how many people pass eventually.
For cosmetology, the written comes first. A cosmetology operator candidate has to pass the written exam before scheduling the practical, so everyone who reaches the practical has already cleared the written. That is part of why the practical pass rate is so much higher.
Even allowing for both, the pattern is clear. The written exam is where Texas candidates get held up, and it is the exam the most attempts fail. The Class A barber written, at 37.25%, has the lowest pass rate on TDLR's table.
What the written exam looks like
- Cosmetology operator: 100 scored questions. You need 70% to pass.
- Class A barber: 85 scored items. You need 70% to pass.
- Languages: both are offered in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean and Simplified Chinese.
- Fee: the cosmetology written exam is $55, paid to PSI when you schedule.
If you fail the cosmetology written exam
These are the rules for cosmetology operator candidates. Barber candidates should check PSI bulletin 701, which may differ.
- Retakes are unlimited within the five-year eligibility period that starts when TDLR approves your application.
- You must wait 24 hours after a failed attempt before you reschedule.
- Each retake means paying the exam fee again.
- If you fail only one part of your exams, you retake only that part.
How to prepare for it
- Study to the content outline, not the textbook's chapter order. Your PSI candidate bulletin lists the topic areas and how many questions each one carries. Spend your time in proportion.
- Practise at full length. Sit at least one full 100-question test (85 for barbers) in one go before exam day.
- Judge your readiness on tests you have not seen before. Scores on a test you have already taken rise just from familiarity. We explain why in Getting 90s on practice tests and still failing the written exam?
- Use your strongest language. If English is not your first language, you can choose one of the other four when you book. See Taking your written exam in a second language.
For hours, fees and the full application steps, see our Texas cosmetology guide and Texas barber guide.
Practise for the Texas written exam
Free 10-question preview from the Texas prep, no signup.
Try the free preview →Sources: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Barbering and Cosmetology exam statistics, fiscal year 2025, read 4 November 2026 · PSI candidate information bulletins 703 (cosmetology operator) and 701 (Class A barber), via TDLR, checked September 2026.