The Salon Professional Academy campus
The Salon Professional Academy logo

The Salon Professional Academy

Type Less than 2 year, Private
Business Model For Profit
Campus locale City: Small
Degrees offered Undergraduate
Calendar system Continuous
Student body size Small
Student to faculty ratio 6 to 1
Students retention rate 42%

Located in Rapid City, South Dakota, The Salon Professional Academy is a private, for profit institution that offers undergraduate degrees. The college operates on a continuous calendar system, providing flexibility in scheduling.

One of the notable aspects of The Salon Professional Academy is its open admission policy. This means that all high school graduates and individuals who hold a GED qualification are eligible to apply for admission. This inclusive approach allows a wide range of students to pursue their higher education goals, regardless of their academic background.

The Salon Professional Academy is accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences, ensuring that the institution meets certain standards of quality and effectiveness. This accreditation also allows students to transfer credits to other accredited institutions if they choose to continue their education elsewhere.

With a students-to-faculty ratio of 6-to-1, The Salon Professional Academy emphasizes small class sizes, fostering a supportive and interactive learning environment.

The retention rate of students at The Salon Professional Academy is 42% , which is lower than both the state and national averages. The state average retention rate in South Dakota is 65%, while the national average is 76%. This indicates that a significant proportion of students who enroll at The Salon Professional Academy do not continue their studies after the first year.


  • Accredited by: National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences

Tuition & Fees

The most popular programs at The Salon Professional Academy are Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist, Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage. Below is the cost of attendance for these programs as well as the cost of attendance for similar schools that provide the same program.

Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist

Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage

Average Net Price

The net price represents the amount of money students pay after receiving financial aid. In 2022, the average net price for first-year, full-time students at The Salon Professional Academy was $12,395. This amount varies among students due to the different levels of financial aid offered based on their family's financial status.

Financial aid includes federal, state, or local government grants and institutional grants and scholarships

The Salon Professional Academy net price calculator

$12,395

Below is the average net price of Less than 2 year, private For Profit colleges in South Dakota and nationwide.

South Dakota's average $15,501
National average $17,367
Below is the net price of The Salon Professional Academy for the past 10 years categorized by different levels of family income brackets.
Year Average Price Change Less than $30k $30k to $48k $48k to $75k $75k to $110k over $110k
2022 $12,395 $174 (1%) $12,156 $17,276
2021 $12,221 $2,391 (24%) $11,570 $13,956 $14,545 $17,765 $17,765
2020 $9,830 $616 (7%) $10,854
2019 $9,214 $312 (3%) $9,718
2018 $9,526 $190 (2%) $10,790
2017 $9,336 $1,395 (18%) $9,521 $11,554
2016 $7,941 $495 (6%) $7,520 $12,387 $12,387
2015 $8,436 $523 (7%) $6,573 $10,981 $11,553
2014 $7,913 -- $7,979 $11,958 $11,958

How does The Salon Professional Academy's $12,395 net price compare to similar institutions nationwide?

The national average net price of private, Less than 2 year institutions is $17,367. However, for South Dakota colleges, that number is $15,501. The table below displays the average net price of comparable colleges:
College name College Type Average net price Comparison
Stewart School logo Stewart School
Sioux Falls SD
Private $12,431 Similar

Tuition Plans

Tuition plans offered by The Salon Professional Academy during 2022 academic year.

  • Prepaid tuition plan
    Not Offered
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
    Not Offered
  • Tuition payment plan
    Offered
  • Other alternative tuition plan
    Not Offered

Financial Aid

Average Grant & Scholarships

In 2022, 48 of freshman students at The Salon Professional Academy received on average $5,199 in grant and scholarships from the college, the state and/or the federal government. Below is detail stats of the aid provided to full-time, freshman students.

$5,199
Students Receiving Aid Average Amount Total Amount
Pell Grant 19 48% $5,067 $96,280
Other Federal Grant 19 48% $5,067 $96,280
State Grant/Scholarships 3 8% $833 $2,500
Institutional Grant/Scholarships 0 0% - -
Total Grant & Scholarships 19 48% $5,199 $98,780

Average Student Loans

In 2022, 55% of freshman students at The Salon Professional Academy received $6,195 (average) in federal student loan. Below is detail stats of all the loans provided to full-time, freshman students.

$6,195
Students Receiving Loan Average Amount Total Amount
Federal Student Loans 22 55% $6,195 $136,295
Private Loans 0 0% - -
Total Loans 22 55% $6,195 $136,295

Financial Aid By Income Level

Financial aid breakdown by students family income level. The data is organized by income level group starting from families making below $30k to above $110k.

NO DATA
NO DATA
NO DATA
NO DATA

Post-9/11 GI Bill

Post 9/11 GI Bill is a federal education benefit program for veterans, who served on active duty after September 10, 2001. This Department of Veteran Affairs benefit provides up to 36 months of education benefits at an approved institution for the following college costs: tuition and fees, books and supplies and housing. The tuition and fees payment, which is the cost for an in-state student attending a public institution, is made directly to the post-secondary institution whereas payments for books and supplies and housing are sent directly to the student.

$11,379
Average aid amount
2022

Academic Programs

Below is a list of academic programs offered at The Salon Professional Academy sorted by popularity.

Culinary and Personal Services

Total number of students graduated under this category 45

Cosmetology/Cosmetologist

Undergraduate Certificate 24 students

Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist

Undergraduate Certificate 17 students

Nail Technician/Specialist and Manicurist

Undergraduate Certificate 4 students

Health Professions

Total number of students graduated under this category 4

Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage

Undergraduate Certificate 4 students

Outcome

Graduation Rate

Out of 36 students who enrolled in 2018 and after, 0 students graduated within the normal graduation time of their respective program and 29 students graduated late (within 150% of the normal time it takes to graduate).

80.6%

Dropout Rate

Out of 36 students who enrolled in 2018 and after, 7 students dropped out of the school.

19.4%

Students Population

Gender Diversity

Very Low

Based on the 2021-2022 data, the undergraduate student population at The Salon Professional Academy is greatly skewed towards women students, with 98.1% of undergraduate students being women and 1.9% being men. The total number of full-time, first-year undergraduate students is 53, with 52 women and 1 men.

  • men 1.9% 1 students
  • women 98.1% 52 students

Students Age Diversity

  • 18-19 30% 14 students
  • 22-24 19% 9 students
  • 20-21 17% 8 students
  • 25-29 13% 6 students
  • 35-39 11% 5 students
  • 30-34 6% 3 students
  • 40-49 2% 1 students
  • 50-64 2% 1 students

Miscellaneous

Service Offerings

The Salon Professional Academy provides the following additional services to its students
  • Placement services for graduates
  • Academic/career counseling services

Educational Offerings

The Salon Professional Academy offers educational programs in the following categories. Check the programs page to learn more about specific programs that you are interested in.
  • Occupational

Veteran Services

  • Yellow Ribbon Program (officially known as Post-9/11 GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon Program)