The largest-scale aesthetics and CME trainer with published tuition
The biggest name in aesthetics training, with unmatched scale, published tuition, and a strong 4.5/5 Birdeye aggregate — but undisclosed class sizes and hands-on-time criticism mean you should verify the student ratio for your session before enrolling.
Empire Medical Training is the largest-scale provider in aesthetics education, operating since around 1998 and reporting more than 175,000 graduates across 700+ training locations. Its catalog spans Botox and dermal filler certification plus a broad CME menu covering aesthetic, anti-aging, and pain procedures, supported by the Empire Live Mentor program and accreditation through AKH (ACCME/ACPE/ANCC).
Empire is one of the few trainers that publishes tuition — Botox courses run roughly $1,599-$2,049 and filler courses roughly $1,699-$2,049 — which makes comparison shopping unusually easy. The honest counterweight: independent critics have flagged undisclosed class sizes and limited per-student hands-on time at some sessions, and BBB complaints exist, so prospective attendees should ask hard questions about hands-on ratios for their specific course date.
Ideal customer
Physicians, NPs, PAs, and nurses who want an accessible, published-price entry into aesthetics with a large national schedule and a broad CME catalog, and who will vet hands-on ratios for their specific session.
Empire Medical Training is the volume leader in aesthetics education, and it isn't close. Operating since roughly 1998, it reports more than 175,000 graduates and a schedule spanning 700+ locations — an order of magnitude beyond every other provider in this comparison. Its catalog is equally broad: beyond core Botox and dermal filler certification, Empire runs a wide CME menu across aesthetic, anti-aging, and pain procedures, accredited through AKH (ACCME/ACPE/ANCC), plus the Empire Live Mentor program for post-course support.
Start with pricing transparency, because it is genuinely rare here: Empire publishes tuition, with Botox courses at roughly $1,599-$2,049 and filler courses at $1,699-$2,049. Most competitors make you call for a quote; Empire lets you comparison-shop from the website. Accessibility is the other pillar — with 700+ locations, nearly every clinician can find a nearby date, and the breadth of the CME menu means an attendee can return for advanced injectables, threads, or pain courses without changing providers. Aggregate satisfaction is solid: Empire holds a 4.5/5 across 654 reviews on Birdeye, a meaningful sample for this category.
The honest caveat is the flip side of scale. Independent critics have flagged undisclosed class sizes and limited per-student hands-on time at some Empire sessions, and BBB complaints exist. In a hands-on discipline like injectables, the difference between a 5-person session and a 30-person session is the difference between doing and watching — and Empire does not publish class-size caps the way a boutique like PracticalCME does. That uncertainty is why our Ease and Support scores sit below the headline Birdeye rating: many attendees clearly leave satisfied, but the experience appears to vary by city, date, and enrollment, and prospective students cannot verify the ratio in advance. Mentorship exists via Empire Live Mentor, but reputational friction around hands-on depth tempers an otherwise strong support story.
Choose Empire if you want the lowest-friction, published-price entry into aesthetics training with a course date near you and a long menu of follow-on CME. It is a rational choice for clinicians who prioritize accessibility, brand recognition with employers, and total-catalog breadth — and its price range is competitive given the accreditation stack. Before you enroll, do two things: ask directly how many students will attend your specific session and how many injections you personally will perform, and skim recent BBB and Birdeye commentary for your course city. If the answers are good, Empire's scale works in your favor; if they're vague, a small-cap boutique program may be worth the premium.
By Med Spa Vendor Hub Editorial Team. Last reviewed June 29, 2026. Independent editorial review — how we score.
One of the few aesthetics trainers with published tuition: Botox courses approximately $1,599-$2,049 and dermal filler courses approximately $1,699-$2,049, varying by date and package. Bundles and memberships can lower per-course cost. Verify current pricing on empiremedicaltraining.com.
Botox / Neurotoxin training
$1,599-$2,049
per course
Published tuition for Botox certification; varies by date and package.
Dermal filler training
$1,699-$2,049
per course
Published tuition for dermal filler certification; varies by date and package.
Pricing is researched from public sources and verified periodically; confirm current rates with the vendor.
Independent ratings from third-party review platforms, cited with sources. These are not our score.
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Training & CertificationThe American Association of Aesthetic Medicine & Surgery (AAAMS) is a Beverly Hills-based association and training body offering the hybrid "Aesthetics 101" course, virtual certification, in-person hands-on days and advanced surgical add-ons, with CME-based association credentialing.
Training & CertificationThe American Academy of Procedural Medicine (AAOPM) is a 28-year-old, high-volume CME body offering 1-day hands-on certifications on live patients and board pathways, with rare published pricing — Botox livestream from $699 and in-person hands-on from $1,699.
Training & CertificationAMET is one of the longest-running national aesthetic training companies, offering CME/CE-accredited Botox and dermal filler courses in all 50 states — established scale, though independent reviews raise questions about hands-on injection volume and oversight.
