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Best Cosmetology Trade Schools in Iowa

2023 Best Cosmetology Trade Schools in Iowa

16 Colleges
$19,998 Avg Salary
$9,320 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Cosmetology School for You

In 2021-2022, cosmetology students earned 685 degrees and certificates from an Iowa school, making the subject the 5th in the state.

It's not easy to decide which trade school program to enroll in when you have so many options available. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.

To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Trade College Search has created its Best Cosmetology Trade Schools in Iowa ranking. This report analyzed 16 schools in Iowa to see which ones offered the best programs for trade school students.

View our full ranking methodology.

2023 Best Cosmetology Schools in Iowa

The colleges and universities below are the best for cosmetology majors pursuing a .

Top 10 Best Cosmetology Schools

#1

Aveda Institute - Des Moines

West Des Moines, IA

Our 2023 rankings named Aveda Institute - Des Moines the best school in Iowa for cosmetology students. Aveda Institute - Des Moines is a small private for-profit school located in the city of West Des Moines.

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#2

E Q School of Hair Design

Council Bluffs, IA

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend E Q School of Hair Design. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Cosmetology Trade Schools in Iowa list. EQ School is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the small city of Council Bluffs.

Full Cosmetology at E Q School of Hair Design Report

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#3

PCI Academy-Ames

Ames, IA

The excellent programs at PCI Academy-Ames helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best cosmetology schools in Iowa. Located in the small city of Ames, PCI Academy-Ames is a private for-profit school with a small student population.

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#4

Capri College, Cedar Rapids

Cedar Rapids, IA

A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Capri College, Cedar Rapids is a great place for cosmetology students. Located in the city of Cedar Rapids, Capri College, Cedar Rapids is a private for-profit school with a small student population.

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The excellent programs at La James International College-Davenport helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best cosmetology schools in Iowa. La James International College-Davenport is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Davenport.

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La James International College-Cedar Falls landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best cosmetology programs. La James International College-Cedar Falls is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the city of Cedar Falls.

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#7

Capri College, Dubuque

Dubuque, IA

Capri College, Dubuque came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Cosmetology Trade Schools in Iowa ranking. Located in the small city of Dubuque, Capri College, Dubuque is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.

Full Cosmetology at Capri College, Dubuque Report

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#8

Capri College, Davenport

Davenport, IA

Capri College, Davenport landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best cosmetology programs. Located in the medium-sized city of Davenport, Capri College, Davenport is a private for-profit school with a small student population.

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Iowa School of Beauty-Des Moines landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best cosmetology programs. ISB is a small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Des Moines.

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Best Cosmetology Colleges in the Plains States Region

Explore all the Best Cosmetology Schools in the Plains States Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
Kansas 1,184
Missouri 1,382
Minnesota 1,054
South Dakota 209
North Dakota 203
Nebraska 441

One of 4 majors within the trade school area of study, cosmetology has other similar majors worth exploring.

Cosmetology Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
General Cosmetology/Cosmetologist 50,210
Aesthetician/Esthetician & Skin Care Specialist 40,040
Nail Technician/Specialist & Manicurist 13,960
Barbering/Barber 9,893
Facial Treatment Specialist/Facialist 2,907
Other Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Arts 2,184
Master Aesthetician/Esthetician 1,729
Hair Styling/Stylist & Hair Design 1,238
Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, & Nail Instructor 1,230
Make-Up Artist/Specialist 440
Electrolysis/Electrology & Electrolysis Technician 354
Salon/Beauty Salon Management/Manager 336
Permanent Cosmetics/Makeup & Tattooing 90

Majors Similar to Cosmetology

Related Major Annual Graduates
Culinary Arts 22,075
Funeral & Mortuary Science 2,186
Casino Operations and Services 385
Other Personal & Culinary Services 95

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 16 schools only.

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Tiffany Bumgardner.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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