Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services programs in Iowa
21 schools in Iowa teach this, at certificate or associate level. 15 of them report what graduates earn two years out; the highest is $27,376 at Aveda Institute-Des Moines.
What this work pays in Iowa
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists in Iowa earn a median of $35,700 a year across 2,930 jobs. That is what the occupation pays everyone in it — not what graduates of any one program below earned.
| Also leads to | Median | Jobs in Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers | $38,780 | 770 |
| Skincare Specialists | $37,080 | 710 |
| Personal Service Managers, All Other | $69,720 | 230 |
| Manicurists and Pedicurists | $45,420 | 190 |
| Barbers | $58,900 | 130 |
Occupation wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.
Schools
| School | Credential | Median debt | Graduate earnings, 2 yrs | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aveda Institute-Des Moines West Des Moines | Undergraduate certificate | $11,937 | $27,376 (162 grads) | 124 |
| PCI Academy-Ames Ames | Undergraduate certificate | $6,333 | $24,035 (159 grads) | 69 |
| PCI Academy-Iowa City Iowa City | Undergraduate certificate | $6,333 | $24,035 (159 grads) | 40 |
| The Salon Professional Academy-Cedar Falls Cedar Falls | Undergraduate certificate | $12,000 | $24,035 (13 grads) | 28 |
| La James International College-Ft Dodge Fort Dodge | Undergraduate certificate | — | $23,340 (26 grads) | 14 |
| Iowa School of Beauty-Des Moines Des Moines | Undergraduate certificate | $6,333 | $22,329 (80 grads) | 61 |
| Capri College-Cedar Rapids Cedar Rapids | Undergraduate certificate | $7,842 | $21,312 (140 grads) | 83 |
| La James International College-Johnston Johnston | Undergraduate certificate | $6,857 | $21,052 (52 grads) | 47 |
| La James International College-Cedar Falls Cedar Falls | Undergraduate certificate | — | $20,140 (38 grads) | 16 |
| Capri College-Davenport Davenport | Undergraduate certificate | $7,796 | $19,192 (109 grads) | 93 |
| Capri College-Dubuque Dubuque | Undergraduate certificate | $7,826 | $18,818 (130 grads) | 75 |
| SOHO Hair Academy Council Bluffs | Undergraduate certificate | $9,350 | $18,315 (35 grads) | 22 |
| La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology Mason City | Undergraduate certificate | $8,000 | $17,950 (46 grads) | 38 |
| American Hair Academy Mt. Pleasant | Undergraduate certificate | $13,189 | $16,706 (18 grads) | 10 |
| La James International College-Davenport Davenport | Undergraduate certificate | — | $15,552 (30 grads) | 62 |
| Faust Institute of Cosmetology-Spirit Lake Spirit Lake | Undergraduate certificate | $12,000 | not published | 11 |
| Iowa School of Beauty-Sioux City Sioux City | Undergraduate certificate | $12,000 | not published | 24 |
| Iowa Central Community College Fort Dodge | Associate's degree | — | not published | 3 |
| Iowa Lakes Community College Estherville | Associate's degree | — | not published | 4 |
| Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
A dash under earnings or debt means the U.S. Department of Education has not published a figure for that program — it withholds any median computed from too few graduates, which covers about four of every five programs. It never means zero, and it says nothing about whether the program is any good. Where a figure is shown, the number of graduates behind it is shown with it.
Email me when these figures change
The U.S. Department of Education publishes new cost, debt and earnings figures once a year, and every number on this page changes at once. One email when that happens for Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services — nothing else, and nothing in between.
Program and outcome figures: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, released 2026-06-10.