As the demand for high-quality, reliable barbering and cosmetology state board exams increases, state boards are looking for exam content that ensures public safety while maintaining national alignment. PSI’s approach offers a unique solution that meets the needs of states, educators, candidates, and the public.
In this blog, we’ll share how PSI’s written and practical exams adhere to industry standards, providing a dependable option for barbering and cosmetology licensure, with a strong focus on public health and safety and a rigorous test development process.
National consistency and public health focus
PSI’s barbering and cosmetology state board exams are designed to ensure consistency across the country, offering a national exam that provides the same content in every state. This is a true national test that focuses on the things state boards are actually concerned about.
This uniformity in both test content for written exams and proctoring for practical exams is vital for ensuring candidates across the nation are assessed against the same standards. And it gives educators and state boards confidence in the validity of the exam results and the competency of every licensed individual.
One of the core differences between PSI’s barbering and cosmetology state board exams and other content options is our focus on public health and safety. While other companies’ exams may emphasize specific techniques within the industry, PSI’s exam content prioritizes essential safety concerns, such as proper tool usage, disinfection, and hygiene standards. These are the key areas that directly impact public safety, making them the primary focus of PSI’s exams. By removing content unrelated to health and safety, PSI ensures that our exams are directly relevant to the protection of public wellbeing.
Cross-disciplinary consistent exam content
At PSI, we take great pride in our test development process. Our exams are the result of extensive collaboration with subject matter experts (SMEs) across the fields of barbering and cosmetology, ensuring that the content is not only accurate but also comprehensive and up to date.
A key strength of PSI’s approach is that we conduct full item reviews across disciplines simultaneously. While SMEs bring deep expertise in their specific area, we also review shared topics with a cross-disciplinary group of SMEs. This process ensures that any content relevant to multiple disciplines – such as safety and infection control – is not only accurate, but also consistent across exams.
Unlike some other exam content options that may review exams one discipline at a time, PSI’s simultaneous review approach delivers greater consistency, reliability, and fairness for candidates. This collaborative and coordinated process means candidates in all related professions are tested on content that reflects a holistic and defensible view of the field. At the same time, SMEs retain full oversight within their own areas of expertise.
State boards can also be assured that PSI exam content references the same trusted materials as alternative content programs, including the Milady Standard Series and Pivot Point.
Discover top tips to maximize SME time and impact in test development.
The rigorous test development process
Collaboration among SMEs is just one component of PSI’s broader test development process, which ensures each exam reflects real-world skills, industry standards, and public safety priorities.
In addition, PSI’s exam content undergoes a rigorous development cycle to ensure it meets the highest standards. The process includes multiple rounds of content validation, psychometric testing, and feedback from industry professionals to ensure that the exams are both accurate and effective.
The development process is both thorough and systematic, ensuring that every question, every section, and every exam is designed to measure the critical skills and knowledge necessary for public health and safety.
- At the heart of this process is the job analysis, a comprehensive study of the tasks and knowledge required for safe, competent practice. This involves reviewing industry references, conducting interviews with SMEs, and surveying licensed professionals to identify core tasks and knowledge areas that are critical for licensure. The results inform the development of exam content outlines, ensuring that every question measures relevant skills and knowledge.
- Once the content outline is established, SMEs – including licensed barbers, cosmetologists, and other industry specialists – begin generating exam items. These experts then collaborate in structured review meetings, discussing each item and refining them until a consensus is reached. This iterative process guarantees that every exam question is accurate, fair, and linked directly to the essential tasks identified in the job analysis. The same rigorous approach applies to both written and practical exams, ensuring that hands-on skills are assessed with the same level of precision and consistency as theoretical knowledge.
- Throughout development, psychometric methods are employed to maintain fairness and reliability. These include carefully defining the minimal competence required for licensure, avoiding biased or culturally loaded language, and continuously monitoring item performance. Candidate feedback and statistical analyses further inform item revisions, with any flagged questions being brought before a panel of SMEs for review before being reintroduced to the exam(s).
This combination of detailed job analyses, SME collaboration, psychometric oversight, and continuous review ensures that PSI exams reflect public health and safety priorities, industry standards, and the competencies candidates need to practice safely and effectively.
Download our guide: How to develop licensure exam content.
Adaptability and support in state board exams
One example of PSI’s adaptability is our work with cosmetology compacts. Our exam content is designed to be compatible with the compact, making it easier for states to adopt a consistent licensure process that facilitates the movement of professionals across state lines. We work closely with cosmetology compacts, and they are positive about our exam content and our approach.
Additionally, PSI provides educator support through live workshops, offering in-person opportunities for educators to learn about key exam points and best practices for preparing students. This hands-on support sets PSI apart from other test content providers, who may rely solely on online resources.
Why more states are choosing PSI
As more states look for a reliable, standardized testing solution for their barbering and cosmetology state board exams, PSI continues to see increased interest from state boards across the country. States like California, Michigan, Colorado, and Georgia have already made the switch to PSI’s exams, recognizing the value in national consistency and the public health and safety focus. This shift reflects a broader trend in the industry towards a unified, safety-first approach to licensure.
With rigorous test development, national standards, and ongoing educator support, PSI’s barbering and cosmetology exams provide states with a reliable, safety-focused licensure solution. As more states make the switch to PSI, it’s clear that our exams set the standard for excellence in the industry.
Learn more about PSI’s Barber & Cosmetology licensure exams.