2025 Best Cosmetology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region

Cosmetology is above average in terms of popularity with it being the #81 most popular associate degree program in the country. So, you have a fair amount of options to choose from when looking for a school.

In 2025, College Factual analyzed 2 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Cosmetology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 82 associate degrees in cosmetology during the 2022-2023 academic year.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

• Best Associate Degree Schools List

Average Early-Career Salaries

To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their associate degree from the school. After all, your associate degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

• Major Focus - How many resources a school devotes to cosmetology students as compared to other majors.
• Major Demand - The number of cosmetology students who choose to seek a associate degree at the school.
• Educational Resources - How many resources are allocated to students. These resources may include educational expenditures per student, number of students per instructor, and graduation rate among other things.
• Student Debt - How much debt cosmetology students go into to obtain their associate degree and how well they are able to pay back that debt.
• Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized cosmetology related body.

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for cosmetology students working on their associate degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Cosmetology Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

Best Schools for Associate Students to Study Cosmetology in the Plains States Region

Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for cosmetology students seeking a an associate degree.

Top Plains States Region Schools for an Associate in Cosmetology

1

Johnson County Community College
Overland Park, KS

18 Annual Graduates

Every student pursuing a degree in an associate degree in cosmetology needs to check out Johnson County Community College. JCCC is a large public college located in the medium-sized city of Overland Park.More information about a associate in cosmetology from Johnson County Community College

2

Ridgewater College
Willmar, MN

10 Annual Graduates

Ridgewater College is one of the finest schools in the country for getting an associate degree in cosmetology. Located in the town of Willmar, Ridgewater College is a public college with a small student population.More information about a associate in cosmetology from Ridgewater College

Best Cosmetology Colleges by State

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

State	Colleges	Degrees Awarded
Minnesota	151	23
Kansas	146	51
Iowa	116	6

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Rankings in Majors Related to Cosmetology

Cosmetology is one of 4 different types of Personal & Culinary Services programs to choose from.

Cosmetology Focus Areas

Major	Annual Graduates
General Cosmetology/Cosmetologist	66
Aesthetician/Esthetician & Skin Care Specialist	15
Salon/Beauty Salon Management/Manager	1

Majors Similar to Cosmetology

Related Major	Annual Graduates
Culinary Arts	309
Funeral & Mortuary Science	60

Notes and References

• The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
• 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.