La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology is a private for-profit institution offering certificate degrees based in Mason City, Iowa. It enrolls 56 students (a very small, intimate student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
AccreditorNational Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences
Academic CalendarContinuous
How It Measures Up
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (2-Year), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Strong
80/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes91
Value76
Affordability82
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology admits essentially everyone who qualifies, so plan around cost and completion instead of your odds of getting in.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $4,522 a year on average, it sits well below what private for-profit colleges charge nationally. At that level cost is rarely the reason to rule a college out. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$3,738
$30,001 – $48,000
$3,505
$48,001 – $75,000
$2,537
$75,001 – $110,000
$5,774
Over $110,000
$16,232
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$3,97125%percentile
$6,930Medianpercentile
$8,00075%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $6,860
—
No Pell $3,694
↓ $3,236
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $1,430
Independent students $6,596
↓ $334
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $4,750, less than completers ($6,930), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
50% of students who start here finish within six years, and 89% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
50%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
89%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
High first-year retention. Students who arrive tend to stay.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $27,484 a year, below the national median. Weigh that against the cost above before taking on debt here. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$27,484
Earning > $25K
42%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
23.4 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 67% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 56 students, an intimate, close-knit community.
Total Enrolled
56
Part-Time
0%
First-Generation
—
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 75.0%42
Hispanic 14.3%8
Black 10.7%6
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Town: RemoteMason City, Iowa
Housing
Mostly residential36 beds on campus
Adult Learners
41%of students are 25 or older
Academic Calendar
Continuousscheduling structure
What You Can Study
La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology offers
a focused set of programs:
1 distinct programs across
1 major.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 7 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.
Student : Faculty
7:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Pros & Cons of La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology
No college is right for everyone. Here is where La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
For-profit institution, verify accreditation and outcomes carefully
Best for:
Based on the data, La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology
The questions families ask most about La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology hard to get into?
Not especially. La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology admits most qualified applicants, and reports no competitive acceptance rate. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology?
No acceptance rate is reported, which for a college like this normally means admission is open to anyone meeting the basic requirements. Confirm with the admissions office rather than assuming it.
How much does La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology cost?
Budget around $4,522 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology worth it?
On the numbers, yes: strong return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $27,484 a year against a net price of $4,522, about 6.1 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology known for?
Mostly Cosmetology. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology graduates earn?
About $27,484 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology accredited?
Yes. La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology is accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences.
How many students attend La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology?
56 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology?
50% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology a public or private college?
It is Private For-Profit. Private for-profit, so compare completion and earnings carefully against a public alternative.
Where is La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology located?
La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology is located in Mason City, Iowa.
What programs does La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology offer?
1 different programs, most commonly Cosmetology. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology?
7 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in Iowa
Other colleges in Iowa share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
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