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Best Value Cosmetology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region

2023 Best Value Cosmetology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region

Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices

3 Colleges
$5,968 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$16,507 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Cosmetology Associate Degree School for You

In 2021-2022, 124,611 degrees and certificates were awarded to cosmetology students, making the major the most popular in the country.

With all the trade school programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. 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.

The Best Value Cosmetology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking is one of many tools that Trade College Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 3 schools in the Plains States Region to see which ones offered the best value associate degree programs for cosmetology students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.

Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.

In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.

2023 Best Value Cosmetology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region

The colleges and universities below are the best value schools for cosmetology majors pursuing a associate degree.

Best Plains States Region Schools for Affordable Quality for an Associate in Cosmetology

#1

Johnson County Community College

Overland Park, KS

Our analysis found Johnson County Community College to be the best value school for cosmetology students who want to pursue a associate degree in the Plains States Region . JCCC is a large public school located in the medium-sized city of Overland Park.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at JCCC are $5,472 per year.

On top of its placing in our value ranking, JCCC also did well on our Best Cosmetology Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Plains States Region list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

Full Cosmetology at Johnson County Community College Report

#2

Saint Paul College

Saint Paul, MN

A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Saint Paul College is a great value for cosmetology students working on their associate degree. Located in the large city of Saint Paul, Saint Paul College is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Saint Paul College are $6,318 a year.

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#3

Ridgewater College

Willmar, MN

A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Ridgewater College is a great value for cosmetology students working on their associate degree. Located in the remote town of Willmar, Ridgewater College is a public school with a small student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Ridgewater College are $6,114 a year.

In addition to its great value ranking, Ridgewater College is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Cosmetology Associate Degree Trade Schools in the Plains States Region list.

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Best Cosmetology Colleges by State

Explore the best cosmetology schools for a specific state in the Plains States region.

State Degrees Awarded
Kansas 1,184
Missouri 1,382
Minnesota 1,054
South Dakota 209
Iowa 685
North Dakota 203
Nebraska 441

Cosmetology is one of 4 different types of trade school programs to choose from.

Cosmetology Concentrations

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 3 schools only.

  • 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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