Big Wins as Paul Mitchell Schools Receive 9 AACS Golden School Awards
Each year, the American Association of Career Schools (AACS) presents their Golden School Awards, recognizing member schools for excellence in areas such as advocacy, placement, school culture, and community involvement.
The 2026 winners were announced in October at the AACS Annual Conference, the only national event built specifically for leaders of beauty, barber, and wellness schools.
Congratulations to the four Paul Mitchell Schools who were named as winners and finalists across multiple categories.
Paul Mitchell The School Esani
Winner: Advocacy & Legacy Alumni
Finalist: School of the Year, Facilities, Marketing Innovation, School Culture
No stranger to the Golden School Awards, Paul Mitchell The School Esani took top honors in two categories: Advocacy, for their active involvement in advocating for the interests of the beauty and wellness school industry and its students, and Legacy Alumni, for producing successful alumni who continue to make major contributions to the beauty and wellness industry as well as to their alma mater. Esani was also named a finalist in several categories, including School of The Year, which they previously won in 2023 and 2025.
Paul Mitchell The School Pasadena
Winner: Community Involvement
With a 22-year history of philanthropy, community relationships, and service, giving back has been at the heart of Paul Mitchell The School Pasadena since 2004, where Future Professionals, alumni, and team members use their time, talents, and resources to make a meaningful difference. In addition to taking part in Paul Mitchell Schools annual charity FUNraising campaign, the Pasadena campus has built meaningful relationships through direct service, mentorship, and volunteerism. Their community outreach includes Fred Jordan Missions, which serves people experiencing homelessness on Skid Row; foster youth and mental health organizations, and local cultural initiatives. For five consecutive years, the school has served as the official hair sponsor for the Tournament of Roses Rose Court, and they recently supported families affected by the Eaton and Palisades fires, providing beauty services, essential supplies, and compassionate care during times of crisis.
Paul Mitchell The School Richland
Finalist: Community Involvement
Paul Mitchell The School San Diego
Finalist: Legacy Alumni
“Every school represented this week is a starting point for someone’s career, and this conference is our chance to celebrate the people who make that happen,” said AACS Executive Director John D. Russell.
Stacy Wells, AACS Board Chair, added, “When I look at this year’s Golden School Award winners, I see schools that are placing graduates in good jobs, giving back to their communities, and building places where students believe in what they can become. That work happens in small towns and big cities alike, and you can see it every time someone walks into a salon, a barbershop, or a spa.”
AACS reports that demand for that training continues to grow, citing the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projection that employment of barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists will grow 7 percent from 2025 to 2035 — much faster than the average for all occupations, with about 80,300 job openings each year over the decade.
ABOUT AACS
Founded in 1924, the American Association of Career Schools (AACS) is a national nonprofit association representing privately owned schools of cosmetology arts and sciences. For over 100 years, AACS has been advancing beauty, barber, and wellness education through education, networking, and advocacy. The association’s membership includes cosmetology, skin, nail, barbering, and massage schools that have educated and advanced millions of students into the beauty and wellness industry. AACS is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
RELATED LINKS
Paul Mitchell The School Esani: 2025 AACS School of the Year
Paul Mitchell The School Pasadena 2026 AACS Award [coming soon]
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