Colleges

Private for-profit · Community college

The Institute of Beauty and Wellness

Milwaukee, Wisconsin · Large city

#4 graduation rate in Wisconsin
0%
Transfer rate
$12,897
Avg net price
90%
Grad / completion
$31,723
Median earnings

The Institute of Beauty and Wellness is a private for-profit certificate-granting institution in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (large city setting), enrolling 186 undergraduates. Admission is open to all applicants.

Private for-profitSmall · 186 undergradsLarge cityCold wintersSnowy

About Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Milwaukee is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The etymological origin of the name Milwaukee is disputed. Wisconsin academic Virgil J. Vogel has said, "the name [...] Milwaukee is not difficult to explain, yet there are a number of conflicting claims made concerning it." Milwaukee is a popular location for sailing, boating, and kayaking on Lake Michigan, ethnic dining, and cultural festivals. (Wikipedia)

Setting
Large city
Highest degree offered
Certificate
Nearest big city
Milwaukee, WI
To Great Lakes shore
< 1 mile
Nearest airport
6 miles to General Mitchell (MKE) · major hub

How The Institute of Beauty and Wellness compares

Graduation rate90%

Higher than 90% · #4 of 40 in Wisconsin

First-year retention93%

Higher than 86%

Earnings, 10 years after entry$31,723

Higher than 38% · #24 of 40 in Wisconsin

Average net price$12,897

Cheaper than 58% · #19 cheapest of 38 in Wisconsin

Median debt at graduation$6,333

Lower than 90%

Student–faculty ratio9 : 1

Lower than 86%

Undergraduate enrollment186

Larger than 43%

Percentiles compare The Institute of Beauty and Wellness with the nation's 3,519 two-year and certificate schools, among schools reporting each statistic. State ranks count two-year and certificate schools in Wisconsin.

Student body

Undergraduates by gender

186undergrads
  • Women16890%
  • Men1810%

Undergraduates by race / ethnicity

  • White48%
  • Black17%
  • Hispanic22%
  • Asian5.9%
  • Other or multiracial6.5%

Graduate gender splits aren't published in this data, so the gender chart covers undergraduates only.

By the numbers

Undergraduate enrollment
186
Student–faculty ratio
9 : 1
Pell Grant recipients
54%
First-generation students
39%
Students over 25
33%
Median family income
$26,230

Colleges don't publish true class-size data; student–faculty ratio (IPEDS) is the closest public measure of it.

Cost

In-state tuition
—
Room & board
—
Total cost of attendance
—
Average net price
$12,897

Net price is the total cost minus grants and scholarships — what students actually pay. It varies sharply by family income; see the breakdown below.

Outcomes

Graduated
90%
First-year retention
93%
Transferred to another college
0%
Median earnings, 6 years after entry
$31,535
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
$31,723
Median debt at graduation
$6,333
Students with federal loans
75%
Paying down their loans (1 year in)
49%

Graduating on time

By student background (4 years)

All students
90%
First-generation
71%

When these bars run close together, students from every background tend to finish at similar rates — a sign the school supports the ~30% who are first-gen or low-income.

Campus life & athletics

On-campus housing
No
Application fee
$50

Housing and fees: IPEDS 2023–24. Athletics rosters: Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25. Dorm capacity can include graduate and family housing, so the share of undergrads can top 100%.

What you'll actually pay, by family income

Average net price (total cost minus grants and scholarships) paid by aided students in each family-income band.

< $30k
$12,165
$30–48k
$12,184
$48–75k
$12,841
$75–110k
$15,058
$110k+
$16,190

College Scorecard / IPEDS, most recent year. Family income is total household income; net price covers tuition, fees, room, board and supplies after grant aid, for students receiving federal aid.

Does the school pay you to attend?

The Institute of Beauty and Wellness funds essentially no grants of its own — almost all aid here comes from federal (Pell), state, or outside sources rather than the school's own discount. Its sticker price is what it is.

Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid, 2022–23 full-time first-year undergraduates.

Is it worth it?

A rough return-on-investment read from what graduates earn versus what they borrow.

Median earnings (10 years)
$31,723
Typical debt at graduation
$6,333
Debt vs. one year's pay
20%
Out-earn a HS grad
38%

Typical debt would take roughly 2.0 years to repay at about a tenth of median earnings.

Solid value

A reasonable return: earnings comfortably clear the debt over a few years for most students who finish.

Earnings are the College Scorecard median for former students (working, not enrolled) 10 years after entry — not a guarantee, and they vary a lot by major. Debt is the median federal loan balance at graduation.

Campus climate

Summer high
85°F
Winter low
15°F
Annual rain
39.4″
Annual snow
52.3″

Average temperature

HighLow
10°50°90°JFMAMJJASOND

Average precipitation (inches)

0.02.55.0JFMAMJJASOND

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, West Allis, WI US station (5 mi from campus).

What The Institute of Beauty and Wellness graduates study — and earn

Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services
201 grads$25k 1 yr$30k 5 yr$11k debt
Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services
15 grads$24k 1 yr$32k 5 yr$9k debt
Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems
11 grads$18k 1 yr— 5 yr$11k debt

Median earnings of this school's own graduates 1 and 5 years after finishing each program, and median federal-loan debt at completion (College Scorecard). Small programs are privacy-suppressed (—). Click a major to compare colleges nationally.

Colleges similar to The Institute of Beauty and Wellness

Schools with a comparable profile — size, selectivity, cost, and graduate outcomes. Compare The Institute of Beauty and Wellness side by side →

VICI Beauty School

For-profit

Greenfield, Wisconsin · Large suburb · 9 mi to Milwaukee

Students
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Tuition
—
Transfer
0%
Earnings
$32k

The Institute of Beauty and Wellness Madison

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Madison, Wisconsin · Large city · < 1 mi to Madison

Students
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Tuition
—
Transfer
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Earnings
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The Salon Professional Academy-Appleton

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Appleton, Wisconsin · Midsize suburb · 28 mi to Green Bay

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Tuition
—
Transfer
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Earnings
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The Salon Professional Academy-Onalaska

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Onalaska, Wisconsin · Small city · 106 mi to Madison

Students
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Tuition
—
Transfer
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Earnings
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First Class Cosmetology School

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Students
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Tuition
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Transfer
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Earnings
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The Professional Hair Design Academy

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Students
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Tuition
—
Transfer
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Earnings
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Colleges near The Institute of Beauty and Wellness

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design

Milwaukee, WI · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's · 837 students

< 1 mi

Milwaukee School of Engineering

Milwaukee, WI · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's · 2,654 students

1 mi

Milwaukee Area Technical College

Milwaukee, WI · Public · Certificate · 12,024 students

1 mi

Marquette University

Milwaukee, WI · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's · 7,660 students

1 mi

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Milwaukee, WI · Public · Bachelor's · 16,758 students

3 mi

Alverno College

Milwaukee, WI · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's · 631 students

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Wisconsin Lutheran College

Milwaukee, WI · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's · 943 students

6 mi

Medical College of Wisconsin

Milwaukee, WI · Private nonprofit · Graduate

6 mi

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard (most recent cohorts), IPEDS institutional characteristics, Equity in Athletics (EADA) data, Clery Act Campus Safety and Security data, and NOAA US Climate Normals. Distances are straight-line from campus coordinates. Percentiles compare schools of the same level (four-year vs. two-year) that report each statistic.