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Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region

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2023 Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region

Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices

52 Colleges
$5,746 Avg Tuition & Fees*

Finding the Best Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate School for You

In 2021-2022, 149,352 personal & culinary services students received a degree or certificate, making the major the #2 most popular in the country.

There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which trade school program is right for you. As online education oppotunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses.

The Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate 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 52 schools in the Plains States Region to see which ones offered the best value basic certificate programs for personal & culinary services students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.

When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. 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.

Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.

2023 Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region

The colleges and universities below are the best value schools for personal & culinary services majors pursuing a basic certificate.

Top 25 Best Plains States Region Schools for Affordable Quality for an Award Taking Less Than 1 Year in Personal & Culinary Services

#1

Saint Paul College

Saint Paul, MN

Our 2023 rankings named Saint Paul College the best value school in the Plains States Region for personal & culinary services students working on their basic certificate. Located in the city of Saint Paul, Saint Paul College is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Saint Paul College are $6,318 per year.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at Saint Paul College Report

Out of the 52 schools in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Southeast Community College Area landed the # 2 spot on the list. Southeast Community College is a medium-sized public school located in the city of Lincoln.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Southeast Community College are $3,864 a year.

Read full report on Personal & Culinary Services at Southeast Community College Area

#3

Ridgewater College

Willmar, MN

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Ridgewater College. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. 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.

Read full report on Personal & Culinary Services at Ridgewater College

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Kansas City Kansas Community College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. Kansas City Kansas Community College is a small public school located in the city of Kansas City.

Kansas City Kansas Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,244 in tuition and fees each year.

Read full report on Personal & Culinary Services at Kansas City Kansas Community College

A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Western Iowa Tech Community College is a great value for personal & culinary services students working on their basic certificate. Located in the small city of Sioux City, Western Iowa Tech Community College is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Western Iowa Tech Community College are $4,946 per year.

Read full report on Personal & Culinary Services at Western Iowa Tech Community College

Saint Louis Community College landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate personal & culinary services programs. Located in the suburb of Bridgeton, Saint Louis Community College is a public school with a fairly large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Saint Louis Community College are $6,990 a year.

Read More…

#7

Mitsu Sato Hair Academy

Overland Park, KS

With a ranking of #7, Mitsu Sato Hair Academy did quite well on this year’s best value schools for personal & culinary services students working on their basic certificate. Located in the city of Overland Park, Mitsu Sato Hair Academy is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.

Read full report on Personal & Culinary Services at Mitsu Sato Hair Academy

#7

PCI Academy-Plymouth

Plymouth, MN

PCI Academy-Plymouth landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate personal & culinary services programs. Located in the city of Plymouth, PCI Academy-Plymouth is a private for-profit school with a fairly small student population.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at PCI Academy-Plymouth Report

Faust Institute of Cosmetology-Spirit Lake landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate personal & culinary services programs. Faust Institute of Cosmetology-Spirit Lake is a small private for-profit school located in the remote town of Spirit Lake.

Read More…

#7

Model College of Hair Design

Saint Cloud, MN

Model College of Hair Design ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. Model College of Hair Design is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the small city of Saint Cloud.

Read full report on Personal & Culinary Services at Model College of Hair Design

#7

Neosho Beauty College

Neosho, MO

Neosho Beauty College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in the distant town of Neosho, Neosho Beauty College is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.

Read More…

La James International College-Davenport did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for personal & culinary services students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #7 on the list. Located in the medium-sized city of Davenport, La James International College-Davenport is a private for-profit college with a small student population.

Read More…

With a ranking of #7, Iowa School of Beauty-Des Moines did quite well on this year’s best value schools for personal & culinary services students working on their basic certificate. Located in the large suburb of Des Moines, ISB is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at Iowa School of Beauty-Des Moines Report

With a ranking of #7, Hays Academy of Hair Design did quite well on this year’s best value schools for personal & culinary services students working on their basic certificate. Hays Academy of Hair Design is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the town of Hays.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at Hays Academy of Hair Design Report

Merrell University of Beauty Arts and Science landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate personal & culinary services programs. Merrell University of Beauty Arts and Science is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Jefferson City.

Read More…

#7

Stewart School

Sioux Falls, SD

Stewart School landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate personal & culinary services programs. Located in the midsize city of Sioux Falls, Stewart School is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.

Read More…

#7

City Pointe Beauty Academy

Webb City, MO

City Pointe Beauty Academy ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. City Pointe Beauty Academy is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the small suburb of Webb City.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at City Pointe Beauty Academy Report

#7

Aveda Institute - Des Moines

West Des Moines, IA

Aveda Institute - Des Moines ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. Located in the city of West Des Moines, Aveda Institute - Des Moines is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.

Read More…

Minnesota School of Cosmetology-Woodbury Campus ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. Minnesota School of Cosmetology-Woodbury Campus is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the large suburb of WOODBURY.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at Minnesota School of Cosmetology-Woodbury Campus Report

Josef’s School of Hair, Skin & Body-Fargo ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Personal & Culinary Services Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region list. Josef's School of Hair, Skin & Body is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the city of Fargo.

Read More…

#7

Bellus Academy

Manhattan, KS

Bellus Academy did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for personal & culinary services students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #7 on the list. Bellus Academy is a small private for-profit school located in the small city of Manhattan.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at Bellus Academy Report

#7

Central College of Cosmetology

Saint Robert, MO

With a ranking of #7, Central College of Cosmetology did quite well on this year’s best value schools for personal & culinary services students working on their basic certificate. Located in the town of Saint Robert, Central College of Cosmetology is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.

Read More…

Grabber School of Hair Design landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value basic certificate personal & culinary services programs. Grabber School of Hair Design is a fairly small private for-profit school located in the suburb of St. Louis.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at Grabber School of Hair Design Report

With a ranking of #7, Academy of Hair Design - Springfield did quite well on this year’s best value schools for personal & culinary services students working on their basic certificate. Academy of Hair Design - Springfield is a small private for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of Springfield.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at Academy of Hair Design - Springfield Report

With a ranking of #7, Josef’s School of Hair, Skin & Body, Grand Forks did quite well on this year’s best value schools for personal & culinary services students working on their basic certificate. Located in the small city of Grand Forks, Josef's School of Hair, Skin & Body is a private for-profit college with a fairly small student population.

Full Personal & Culinary Services at Josef’s School of Hair, Skin & Body, Grand Forks Report

Best Personal & Culinary Services Colleges by State

Explore the best personal & culinary services schools for a specific state in the Plains States region.

State Degrees Awarded
Kansas 1,296
Minnesota 1,197
Iowa 953
South Dakota 212
North Dakota 207
Missouri 1,495
Nebraska 571

Personal & Culinary Services Majors to Study

Major Annual Graduates
Cosmetology 124,611
Culinary Arts 22,075
Funeral & Mortuary Science 2,186
Casino Operations and Services 385
Other Personal & Culinary Services 95

Majors Similar to Personal & Culinary Services

Related Major Annual Graduates
Mechanic & Repair Technologies 105,741
Precision Production 55,411
Construction Trades 40,802
Transportation & Materials Moving 33,306

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 52 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 U.S. Army Europe Images.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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