Beauty school or Nursing school?

I have been toggling back between going to beauty school or becoming a nurse. Im in my thirties, and have 3 children. Nursing seems so demanding and very long shifts...but great pay and lots of stability! Doing hair, on the other hand would be fun and Im good at it. although I don't do cuts, just styling and up-do's. Im at a point in my life where we need to bring in more income and Im ready to start a career after being home raising kids. What should I do? My husband supports either one as long as Im happy and can stick with it.

Opinions PLEEZE!!!!

I have been to both nursing and beauty school. With nursing school you have to be very dedicated and study for long hours which is very hard with a family. I love nursing and it is a very stable job unlike hairdressing. A nurse always has a steady income and benefits, but has to work holidays. A hairdresser has better hours and once established can make really good money .The best advice I can tell you is if you have to have insurance and stable income go into nursing but, if you want lots of family time and love hairdressing become a hairdresser

I have been to both nursing and beauty school. With nursing school you have to be very dedicated and study for long hours which is very hard with a family. I love nursing and it is a very stable job unlike hairdressing. A nurse always has a steady income and benefits, but has to work holidays. A hairdresser has better hours and once established can make really good money .The best advice I can tell you is if you have to have insurance and stable income go into nursing, but if you want lots of family time and love hairdressing become a hairdresser.

Thank you so much! I have really been struggling with this! My main priority is having time with my children! They come first! I don't need to make alot of money, just a decent second income to my husbands! I don't need the benefits either. Lee, can I ask what you are currently doing for work right now? Im not looking forward to working weekends at all but I do realize as a hairstylist I will need to work every Saturday. I guess I can live with that!

sassiemama you may have major holidays off, but remember you are going to have to be available when your clients need you. I have put alot of years into being a hairdresser and now that I am very sucessful, I am never home for my family. It is like owning your own buisness. That means nights weekends and smaller holidays like memorial day etc. your schedule could potentialy be alot less flexable then if you were to go to nursing school. And the options are not as open. You could work in a doctors office mon-fri, nights at a hospital, or be a school nurse and be home when your kids are. I am going to become a nurse because I can work my schedule to be home with my kids more. nursing school will be alot harder then beauty school will be for you, but the rewards will be greater(at least I hope so!)

For some reason it says Im in tucson....weird....anyways, I know that nursing will provide much more stability. Do I think I will love it...No! But I will have a good income, have choices in the areas I can work, and even work only when I want (with registry). The other issue I have is I get wrist pain and pain in my right arm from time to time. Don't know if becoming a stylist will be the best way to go???

Beauty school...$20K,1 year, no guarantee on income out of school.
Nursing school...$40K for 2 years, around $55K a year to start, 3 12hour days a week. Will always have a decent income wherever I go!

School will be a challenge either way but Nursin school seems like the better route for me!

Thanks to all who responded, I will keep you posted!

good luck with what you choose. I start my pre reqs for nursing program this week, ill let you know how it goes.I am terrified and excited at the same time.

I think I may do a cna class first and then LPN....all while working....then I may go back and do the LPN-BSN....lets keep in touch!

it would be a good way to see if you think you may enjoy nursing, but remember the posabilities are endless. We have registered nurses in my salon that make well over $40 an hour doing laser treatments and botox injections. Have you checked out the other forums? It is incredible the support here. Let me know when you start the cna program. I would like to hear how it goes. Good luck!

Yes, I will let you know. And, yes, I have thought about that! Once an RN do you need to become an esthetician in order to do those types of treatments?

i asked our nurses and they said no. Alot of training is involved, as with any other nurse specialty i would imagine.

SO funny...I am having this debate myself. Cosmo or nursing school. I turned down the thought of nursing school because of the cost and because I went to school to be a Medical Assistant and had a test tube of bodily fluids fly on me and totally gross me out...lol
But I saw a special on nursing on the public television station about all the different type of jobs nurses can have. Its AMAZING. Part of me wants to do both...But as I am getting older the stability of nursing really appeals to me.
I am going to be pondering these two all summer.

Just as a side note, your wrist/arm pain could be of issue in both jobs. Get it checked out before it becomes any severe damage occurs beyond tendons and affects nerve tissue. Nurses have to lift patients and stylist can deal with repetative motion problems.Your pain could be from tendonitis or a ganglion cyst if its an on-going problem. There are treatments and therapy to help it.

I do have a ganglion cyst actually. I only get the pain from time to time. I am going to get it looked at soon. But, you are right! Both jobs can be physically demanding. I am actually a medical assistant as well, and I cannot make enough money in that field to warrant even working full time. I have two that will need daycare. So, I think I've made my choice....nursing. It will provide me with stability and the ability to make good money. Plus, I like the idea of working registry when I need some down time. If we ever get to the point that I only need to work a couple of days a week, I can. Also, you are right about there being so many aspects of nursing to choose from. It may be a long road to get that R.N but I truly believe it will be worth it. Doing hair may be more fun, but I cannot see me doing hair at 50. I can be a nurse until I'm way into my 60's!

I went to medical assisant school before beauty school and hated it. I couldnt find a job, that is what sent me to beauty school. I started my first day of biology today and it wasnt as bad as i thought it would be. And i wasnt the oldest one in the class, in fact i was one of the younger ones. Its funny you mentioned not picturing yourself doing hair at 50 sassiemama, I was thinking the same thing , and i do hair for a living. when are you both going to take the leap of faith into your pre-reqs? I have to say it fells good to get the ball rolling.

I actually have a few classes under my belt. But, since Im going the LPN route first, a CNA is required.So, I need to get that out of the way in the fall(sept.)and then I will turn in my application for the LPN program. I may get right in, in January or I might get in the Aug. start. I will just have to wait and see.

I am a nurse who just finished Cosmetology school. I will go for my license this Week. I find that nursing is great money. I have checked out opportunities for hair jobs and have found in the area of where I am . People may not say it but they are looking more for the 20year old. I am in my 40's. But look and feel much younger. I have found many places that want assistants for 1-2yrs which I do not want to do at this time in my life. So I have decided to continue doing part-time/perdiem nursing and also work part-time in a salon, this way I can have hands on and get some experience. If I had to do it all over again I believe I would of done the Cosmo school first and then maybe thought of nursing later if at all. You have to follow your hearts desire and have a real drive to want to do either.

Wow, thanks so much for the replies. I just talked to my frined who is a hairdresser. Business has been super slow, and she is behind on her rent(booth that is). She is looking for an hourly job in a different field and then working to convert a room in her house so she can have her clients come there. The salons have been slow with no walk in traffic. I guess maybe at age 33, I should not be trying to get into the beauty industry...unless I become a nurse first and then do laser like someone mentioned. Or something along those lines. I should have gone to beauty school in my 20's. Nursing will be alot more stable, and I can always work part time. It is always best to have a career before you get married and have kids...then you aren't in my situation half way through life....

hey sassiemom,
I was just wondering how you were doing. I am still in school for nursing, and it is hard to juggle work, family, and school but i still feel like it will all be worth it in the end. The economy is so bad right now that the newbies at my salon are really struggling. There are day they sit for 8 hours and make NOTHING. I luckily am still busy with regulars, but the usual extra income that happens around the holidays wont be there.
I was wondering if I made the right choice skipping nursing school for cosmetology school, then I realized that I could have never done this in my twenties. I am realizing I am a good student, which I never tought I was before. So dont think of yourself as half way through life. When people ask me why I am making a career change, I just say that I finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up.

hey girl, I am a 49 yr old mom of 3 ages 15, 19, and 22 and I started back to pre nursing school at 45.....I just finished my cna and will apply to more nursing schools in oregon. You really have to love people because being ill, or elderly and sometimes dying doesn't always bring out the best in people. Good for me I love nurturing and will enjoy the stability the pay will provide once I get into a RN program, you really don't make much at all as a LPN and will mostly work in rehabs or nursing homes. I know once I get through school I will get my BSN online and make a good solid income for my retirement and to help my kids w/their schooling and needs if they need help. I was a stay at home mom for 21 yrs and loved it but never again will I not try to learn and lean on a man for security (mine left us for a chic he met on the train). One thing really good about nursing is that you can work in a small town or big city area, my good friend who does my hair and has done this for 20+ yrs she is really slow and must take on a part time job at a nursing home, so when the economy rolls down even with good clientele its scary.

so follow your heart and I wish you all the best in whichever choice you make, think of it like this the education and time away from your kids will be short term and the long term will bring you all much more happiness.

DO THE NURSING!!! You will always have job opportunities. With beauty school, you have to depend on other people making money - so they can give it to you.

Mary inTampa in Tampa, Florida said: DO THE NURSING!!! You will always have job opportunities. With beauty school, you have to depend on other people making money - so they can give it to you.

I totally agree Mary, here's to nursing and self sufficiency

Sassiemama in Phoenix, Arizona said: I have been toggling back between going to beauty school or becoming a nurse. Im in my thirties, and have 3 children. Nursing seems so demanding and very long shifts...but great pay and lots of stability! Doing hair, on the other hand would be fun and Im good at it. although I don't do cuts, just styling and up-do's. Im at a point in my life where we need to bring in more income and Im ready to start a career after being home raising kids. What should I do? My husband supports either one as long as Im happy and can stick with it.

Pleas go to nursing school. talk about stress,hairdressing is a lot more stressful. Nursing you can work in other areas You have more doors open. It is not a glamorous job as you might think.

Sassiemama in Phoenix, Arizona said: I have been toggling back between going to beauty school or becoming a nurse. Im in my thirties, and have 3 children. Nursing seems so demanding and very long shifts...but great pay and lots of stability! Doing hair, on the other hand would be fun and Im good at it. although I don't do cuts, just styling and up-do's. Im at a point in my life where we need to bring in more income and Im ready to start a career after being home raising kids. What should I do? My husband supports either one as long as Im happy and can stick with it.

There is a huge difference between beauty school and nursing. We're talking glamour and up beat things compared to serious, often life changing events you deal with every day. Think about that. Do you want to be in a happy place or a serious, often solemn place. You can always work in a doctor's office and get away from all the heavy stuff, but the money there is very low. Hospitals are the only ones that pay good and the stress is unbelievable and the commitment is very high.

You think nursing is demanding ,think again,when you are dealing with peoples beauty issues ,you are also dealing with their insecurities as well. It is not all what you think. It is the most demanding job I have ever had.You are not only listening to problems,you have to make people beautifull as well,that is not always easy. Sometimes clients have high expectations as to what they want and what you can give them.If they have bad hair they want it to look like they just walked of the runway. Some times it can be acheived and some times it can't. You are also dealing with womans emotions and we know what that is all about. I love doing hair,however,it is all the other baggage I hate.

Teresa in Holliston, Massachusetts said: I am a nurse who just finished Cosmetology school. I will go for my license this Week. I find that nursing is great money. I have checked out opportunities for hair jobs and have found in the area of where I am . People may not say it but they are looking more for the 20year old. I am in my 40's. But look and feel much younger. I have found many places that want assistants for 1-2yrs which I do not want to do at this time in my life. So I have decided to continue doing part-time/perdiem nursing and also work part-time in a salon, this way I can have hands on and get some experience. If I had to do it all over again I believe I would of done the Cosmo school first and then maybe thought of nursing later if at all. You have to follow your hearts desire and have a real drive to want to do either.

So So funny,becuse im in my 30s,im a stylist with 8 years exprience, and now want to start go school to become rn,

So So funny, im 33 yars old hair stylist,with 8 years exprince,how thinks about going to nursing school.

I want to educate my self, but at least in the filed that pays well.

I have been a stylist for 6 years and I am too am debating the whole "stay a hairstylist or go to nursing school" issue. I already have an associates in applied science so I really want to further my education. Working in the salon setting has its ups and downs. Great hours, very flexible. Pay, not so great. NO benefits, no job security. When I get stood up or there is an ice storm that closes the city down for a week, I still have to pay boothrent! Like others have stated above, if you want to make good money you have to be there nights and weekends. I have a 1 year old and luckily I get to stay home with her during the day and my husband watches her at night and weekends while I work. Only problem is that I never get to spend time with him. I want to go back to nursing school now, like I wish I had 10 years ago. I dont want to be saying this 10 years from now. Good luck to us all!

Good move ,go back to school. Hair dressing is a short career. Like you said no benefits no money.

it is good you made the decision to stay in nursing. Like you said cosmo school is for the very young to start out.Being in your forties and trying to find a job in the beauty industry is not easy. You need many years under your belt to get the real good jobs. To make good money you need to work in the hi end salons. They want young . You may have a chance if your older and have years of experience. It is a superficial environment.

I found this forum and i have been in Manufacturing for 18 years. Just layed off at 54. I was thinking about education in beauty or nursing. After reading your post i think nursing is where it's at. I enjoy caring for the elderly and the job market will never dry up

No offense,but don't go into the beauty industry at your age. At 54
you will be in for a rough ride. Go back to school and learn the health industry such as health coordinator. In the health industry they are not fussy about hiring older workers., You just have to find the right place to work.They have a lot of entry level positions you could get into. The hairdressing business ,is for the young to start off in. if you are an older hairstylist with years of experience it may be a bit easier to find a job ,but not if you are just beginning. Reality sets in very quickly. I have seen it in a lot of the salons I worked in over the years,and I have seen people left very unhappy.

Azi in Woodland Hills, California said: So So funny,becuse im in my 30s,im a stylist with 8 years exprience, and now want to start go school to become rn,

Yes, you are right a lot of places are looking for people reguardless of their age. Most people will give you a chance but you have to prove yourself. This I must say is harder for thirty something and up because sit in your chair and expect a superb job because they assume you must have been doing this a long time. However no offense but most cosmetology school just don't give you the edge to make great money up front. I takes years of watching, learning, going to classes and experince ablove all to make it in the beauty industry. It is a great career I started when I was ninteen and have worked for a company for five years. I can just in the past year say with comfidence I can do anything that walks through the door for color, color weaves, perms, relaxers, straighteners, extensions, cuts, color corrections etc. Last year I rang over $56,000.00 working part time some of the months but I put my all into it because I am young I have a child now and if I had her I know It would have been impossible to put in the hours needed to make good money so truely know it will be hard, checks will be little but good look and not to rain on your parade I have never seen anyone stay in hair working part-time starting out you have to give it your all or you will fall on your face.

i am a hair dresser also was thinking about going to nursing school just dont know if i can handle bodily fluids.
but i have found some alternative solutions .
why not look into ultra sound tech or ekg tech. they make dang good money and not all the stress and hours.
but i will have to admit im glad i did hairdressing now i can put myself back through school with a flexible schedule.

Any nurses out there who can give me a idea on what to expect for the long haul and cost
thanks

I have my license in Nursing and Cosmetology. I got my nursing degree first. Worked for 10yrs then went to Cosmo school. If you are considering nursing go for minimum assoicate degree which will give you the title of registered nurse or Rn. Lpn which is a licensed nurse takes about 10months days full time. Or you can go 2 years and get associate degree which is the better because you will mk min 5 to 10 dollarS more and hr than LPN. Also your options as to what you can do in the nursing field are much wider. You can pick and choose the jobs. If you are single and like to travel you could do traveling nursing money is really good. YOu could wk perdiem and mk up to 55.00hr. School will cost you roughly at state school 10 to 15,000 for program for Assoicate. If you choose LPN and go thru a technical school you could pay from 3500.00 to 5000.00. Lastly schooling is very involved lots of math and drug calcalations all these things to be considered before venturing into Nursing. I over the last 5yrs wanted to go to Cosmo school. I wish I had done it sooner because I love hair and everything about it. I love cutting and coloring. Yes I took and unbelivable pay cut working in hair but it is my passion and I am very happy. Which is what counts the most "Happiness" enjoying what you do. Dont get me wrong I love people and had many satisfying years taking care of others that also brought me joy. I believe everything happens for a reason so many things in nursing made me who I am today. But deep down I was always the hairdressor want a be and now I am. I have good life!

I have a few friends who are nurses and a few friends who are cosmetologist. There is a reason why there is a shortage in the nursing industry, in fact, there was just an article about it on msnbc the other day. It's an extremely demanding job!! My one friend had to deal with cleaning up the elderly on the cardiac floor for years. Sure you get to change IVS, give needles, insert catheters, etc... but you also get to have people vomit on you, poo on you, pee on you, yell at you. You risk contracting diseases like staph infection or even hepatitis, goodness forbid someone accidently sticks you with a needle and it HAS HAPPENED. My other friend works in the ER, she has people die all of the time. She said death is messy business and guess who has to clean up the goo that ends up on the sheets? The nurse takes the fall for everything and is often treated like a peon by the on-staff doctor. The schedule is hectic, you often work long grueling hours without a break, including weekends and holidays. My one friend has worked on Christmas for years because that is the schedule they forced her to take. As a newbie, you will get the brunt of all the work that the more seasoned nurses don't feel like doing. People watch way too many tv shows like ER, it's not like that at all.

Cosmetology may be less stable and you may not make a fortune but there are a variety of jobs to look for once you obtain your license. Hair cutting, coloring, nails, make-up, waxing, spa work, becoming a cosmetology teacher (you need an extra 500 hours for that), the possibilities are endless. You can often work flexible hours and you never work on a holiday. If you stick to local, hole in the wall chop shops, you probably wont do well, but if you can get a job at a more cutting edge salon near a major city, you can make a decent living. Most would rather commute to a salon in the city than work in a smelly, depressing hospital.

What is really depressing is working in a salon and watching your coworkers sit around not making any money and worrying how they are going to pay their bills. Nursing and hairdressing are clearly to very different careers, but in the current economy, something stable seems very appealing to me. There is little to no flexability at a salon if you want to do really well because you have to be there when your clients need you, and you can only do one thing. As a hairdresser who happens to have a large amount of nursing clients, I know first hand the possibilities are numerous. Some are in ER, some are consultants to hospitals, some are in nursing homes , alot are traveling the country , they even work with me in a very upscale med spa, and they seem to be one of the few people that can still afford to come to a salon like mine to get pampered.

I am a nursing student about to graduate in May and let me tell you..nursing school is very demanding. And you must learn about all types of clients even though they may not be the type you want to work with. I have been put through the ringer with this school and if your heart is not totally into it, it is very difficult to pull through. I want to work with oropaedic/surgery patients. But I also was thinking about going to cosmetology school because I love to do nails/hair and would love to do that on the side. How possible do you guys think it would be to work as an RN while doing cosmetology school. The way I look at it is....if I can do nursing school, I can do anything.

me in Show Low, Arizona said: i am a hair dresser also was thinking about going to nursing school just dont know if i can handle bodily fluids.
but i have found some alternative solutions .
why not look into ultra sound tech or ekg tech. they make dang good money and not all the stress and hours.
but i will have to admit im glad i did hairdressing now i can put myself back through school with a flexible schedule.

Any nurses out there who can give me a idea on what to expect for the long haul and cost
thanks

I am a EKG Tech thinking about becoming a hair dresser. I am here to tell you that the pay is very low as a EKG tech. I honestly think I can make better money by doing hair.

Sassiemama in Phoenix, Arizona said: I have been toggling back between going to beauty school or becoming a nurse. Im in my thirties, and have 3 children. Nursing seems so demanding and very long shifts...but great pay and lots of stability! Doing hair, on the other hand would be fun and Im good at it. although I don't do cuts, just styling and up-do's. Im at a point in my life where we need to bring in more income and Im ready to start a career after being home raising kids. What should I do? My husband supports either one as long as Im happy and can stick with it.

Hi! I am in the same prediciment. I have the option to start bursing school this January or Cosmotology school (I was looking into Paul Mitchell School) in June.
I have all my pre-reqs for nursing done, so I was thinkin about doing nursing school AFTER cosmotology school as a back up job in case business is slow in a salon.
I say, follow your heart. I have been a CNA for 2 years and work very closely with nurses..who always seem so stressed!!! And yes, working in a hospital can be pretty disgusting, I have definetly been bled on and even peed on. Not to mention people in the hospital are generally not happy campers. I totally agree, there is a reason the pay is good and there is a shortage...it's hard work and not the happiest atmoshpere to work in.
My husband wants me to finish my nursing school first..but it's my life and I'm gonna do what makes me happy. I'd rather love my job and be poor than hate my job and be rich.
I'm so glad I found this forum!!!

Tree in Holliston, Massachusetts said: I have my license in Nursing and Cosmetology. I got my nursing degree first. Worked for 10yrs then went to Cosmo school. If you are considering nursing go for minimum assoicate degree which will give you the title of registered nurse or Rn. Lpn which is a licensed nurse takes about 10months days full time. Or you can go 2 years and get associate degree which is the better because you will mk min 5 to 10 dollarS more and hr than LPN. Also your options as to what you can do in the nursing field are much wider. You can pick and choose the jobs. If you are single and like to travel you could do traveling nursing money is really good. YOu could wk perdiem and mk up to 55.00hr. School will cost you roughly at state school 10 to 15,000 for program for Assoicate. If you choose LPN and go thru a technical school you could pay from 3500.00 to 5000.00. Lastly schooling is very involved lots of math and drug calcalations all these things to be considered before venturing into Nursing. I over the last 5yrs wanted to go to Cosmo school. I wish I had done it sooner because I love hair and everything about it. I love cutting and coloring. Yes I took and unbelivable pay cut working in hair but it is my passion and I am very happy. Which is what counts the most "Happiness" enjoying what you do. Dont get me wrong I love people and had many satisfying years taking care of others that also brought me joy. I believe everything happens for a reason so many things in nursing made me who I am today. But deep down I was always the hairdressor want a be and now I am. I have good life!

Hi!
Thank you for your comment. I am about to start nursing school but I toured a Cosmotology school and fell in love! My husband wants me to finish nursing school and I told him I would finish just for a job to fall back on. If you find a job you love you will never work a day in your life. :)

me in Show Low, Arizona said: i am a hair dresser also was thinking about going to nursing school just dont know if i can handle bodily fluids.
but i have found some alternative solutions .
why not look into ultra sound tech or ekg tech. they make dang good money and not all the stress and hours.
but i will have to admit im glad i did hairdressing now i can put myself back through school with a flexible schedule.

Any nurses out there who can give me a idea on what to expect for the long haul and cost
thanks

Hi,
I am not a nurse but about to start a BSN program at University of Texas Health Science Center. I had to take 2 years of pre-reqs (at a communitty college) with books =$5000 and the "nursing school" part at UT is $16,000. Hope this helps!

Thank you all for your replies, Im still in the same predicament. STill have yet to make a final decision. I had to take a fulltime job when my husband was laid-off a few months ago. Now Im back to trying to get this figured out. Maybe LPN school, that is only a year. See how that goes. If I like that, then great. If not I can then go to beauty school and then I will have both to fall back on. What have you guys decided???

please don't go to LPN school unless you research it out well, I am a CNA in a nursing home/rehab facility and only LPN's can work in these places, not many work in hospitals. Also the pay is crap & you can make more as a medication aid without the cost of LPN school, most good LPN go back to school to get their RN license so they have more options and better pay. I am thankful to be accepted into a RN school starting summer term for 2 years, it will be really hard work, but when done I will have many options after my 1st year or 2 of experience. I worked in the Dental field as a dental lab tech, the pay is very poor unless you own your own lab, only other excellent option is to apply to dental hygiene school for 2 years and get paid very similar to a nurse making about $38 an hour, but no benies except good hours and usually 2-4 day work weeks. I wish you all the best but try taking a CNA course to see if you really want to be a nurse, many schools demand this requirement and it shows you if you have what it takes to deal with demanding residents and nurses who treat you like a flunky, if you like I love caring for people even in those circumstances you have what it takes to go further, if not you will enjoy hair more.

Sassiemama in Phoenix, Arizona said: I have been toggling back between going to beauty school or becoming a nurse. Im in my thirties, and have 3 children. Nursing seems so demanding and very long shifts...but great pay and lots of stability! Doing hair, on the other hand would be fun and Im good at it. although I don't do cuts, just styling and up-do's. Im at a point in my life where we need to bring in more income and Im ready to start a career after being home raising kids. What should I do? My husband supports either one as long as Im happy and can stick with it.

Seems to me RN is much better job. I have been an RN for 30 years and made around $90,000 hard to beleive haridresser would make that. That being said it is no easy and long hours with nights and weekends. Not the kind of ob you can just deccide on without some passion

this is so true, if you don't have the passion to help others you will soon resent/hate being a nurse. I think if I can see positives in my current job as a cna I can and will enjoy working as a RN. Its a lot of hard work and many hours, but also I would think more variety in the field then say being a hygienist or something else. I have a friend who has been a hairstylist for over 20 yrs she is having a tough time in this economy and we live in portland Oregon metro area, she is trying to find odd jobs to make some money because she is struggling financially.

Hairdressing is just as stressful as being a nurse. Being a nurse you don't have to work those long hours if you do other kinds of medical jobs such as working for a health care company etc.A hairstylist job is not as fun as you think. I love to do hair,however,there is a lot of politics in the salon. Competition is deadly at times. If you are the kind of person who doesn't want to be involved in the ring,they call you a snob.

I finally decided to start the ADN program here in San Antonio. I really just want a good income and there seem to be so many more opportunities. Plus I just got a job as a CNA in a army hospital so when I become a nurse I can be federally employed as well. MAYBE after I am a nurse I will still want to do cosmetology, and have nursing as a backup.

Thats the way to go. I am a nurse and a cosmetologist. I did nursing first for 11 years and then Cosmo. I found that in hair you really need to start when you are young 20's the oldest, unless you know someone in the business. I am in my 40's. I look like I am in my early 30's and still that is old for Cosmo. Also with hair you will be assisting for a year or so. Which unless your in a high end salon it will not be fun. Anyhow I have been doing hair over the last year and just cut bk my hours in hair to go bk to nursing because I needed extra monies. Nursing is definitly a better paying job. Nursing up to 30 to 50 an hour. Hair with tips you still would never make that much well at least not in the area of where I live. With the exception of if you were working in Hollywood/. Lastly I have found people you take care of in nursing are so much more appreciative. People are much more difficult when they are in your chair and they are alot more particular because they are expecting you at times to perform a miracle with their hair. Its a different world between the two. Hope this helps.