📚 Online Hours for Esthetician Students: What Colorado Allows (and Doesn’t)
Understanding the Rules Before You Enroll
If you’re researching Colorado esthetician training or considering Denver esthetician schools, you’ve probably seen programs that advertise flexibility with online learning. While some distance education is allowed, there are strict limits in Colorado that every student needs to know. Choosing a school that doesn’t follow the law could cost you your career.
🔹 Colorado’s Rule on Online vs. In-Person Training
Colorado requires all esthetician students to complete a 600-hour program. Within those 600 hours:
450 hours minimum must be in-person at a licensed facility.
150 hours maximum may be completed online through distance education.
That’s it. No school can legally replace more than 150 hours with online work. This ensures you get the hands-on training required to succeed as an esthetician.
🔹 Why In-Person Training Is Critical
Esthetics is a hands-on profession. You cannot learn how to properly extract, wax, perform chemical peels, or manage advanced treatments entirely through a computer screen. In-person training provides:
Live model practice for real-world experience.
Supervision and feedback from licensed instructors.
Training in sanitation protocols that meet state board standards.
Confidence in client communication and professional behavior.
Without these hours, students often struggle to pass the state board practical exam—or worse, they enter the workforce unprepared.
🔹 The Risks of Too Many Online Hours
Some schools cut corners by advertising programs with mostly online training. While this may sound convenient, it is illegal in Colorado. The risks include:
Licensure Denial: Hours may not be accepted by the state board.
Lost Tuition: Money spent on an illegal program may not count toward your career.
Time Wasted: Students may need to retake training at a compliant school.
Poor Preparation: Graduates often lack the hands-on experience needed to succeed.
🔹 How to Protect Yourself
Before enrolling in any Denver esthetician training program, ask these questions:
How many hours are completed online, and how many are completed in person?
Do you guarantee at least 450 in-person hours?
Will these hours qualify me to sit for the Colorado state board exam?
If the school avoids answering or promotes mostly online learning, walk away.
🔹 Why Elite Aesthetics Academy is Different
At Elite Aesthetics Academy in Denver, we follow the law and put students first:
Students complete 450+ in-person hours in our professional clinic.
Only 150 hours are offered online, designed to reinforce—not replace—hands-on training.
Students work with live models and real clients under instructor supervision.
We emphasize sanitation, professionalism, and real-world readiness.
✅ Final Takeaway
Colorado law is clear: no more than 150 hours of online learning are allowed in a 600-hour esthetician program. Schools that offer more are breaking the law—and putting your career at risk.
Choose a program that prioritizes compliance and real experience. At Elite Aesthetics Academy, we proudly meet Colorado requirements so our graduates are ready to succeed.
👉 Looking for Colorado esthetician training done the right way? Contact us today to learn more.