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2023 Best Cosmetology Trade Schools in Iowa
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.
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2023 Best Cosmetology Schools in Iowa
The colleges and universities below are the best for cosmetology majors pursuing a .
Top 10 Best Cosmetology Schools
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 small city of West Des Moines.
Out of the 16 schools in Iowa that were part of this year’s ranking, E Q School of Hair Design landed the # 2 spot on the list. EQ School is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Council Bluffs.
Read full report on Cosmetology at E Q School of Hair Design
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend PCI Academy-Ames. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Cosmetology Trade Schools in Iowa list. Located in the small city of Ames, PCI Academy-Ames is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Capri College, Cedar Rapids is a great place for cosmetology students. Located in the medium-sized city of Cedar Rapids, Capri College, Cedar Rapids is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.
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 fairly small private for-profit school located in the city of Davenport.
Read full report on Cosmetology at La James International College-Davenport
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 small private for-profit school located in the city of Cedar Falls.
Read full report on Cosmetology at La James International College-Cedar Falls
Capri College, Dubuque ranked #7 on this year’s Best Cosmetology Trade Schools in Iowa list. Located in the city of Dubuque, Capri College, Dubuque is a private for-profit school with a small student population.
With a ranking of #8, Capri College, Davenport did quite well on this year’s best schools for cosmetology students. Located in the midsize city of Davenport, Capri College, Davenport is a private for-profit college with a small student population.
Iowa School of Beauty-Des Moines came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Cosmetology Trade Schools in Iowa ranking. ISB is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Des Moines.
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 |
Rankings in Majors Related to Cosmetology
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.