La James
College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology
For-profit College in Mason City, IA. Six-year graduation rate 76%. Median 10-year earnings $27,484.
Students who entered La James College of Hairstyling and Cosmetology reach a median of $27,484 a decade later, a figure that trails the typical four-year outcome. The six-year graduation rate of 77% is well above average and the clearest sign this school holds onto its students. Borrowing stays contained, with median debt at graduation of $6,930.
Earnings: College Scorecard, median ten years after entry across students who received federal aid — completers and non-completers alike.
- ✓ Debt-to-income ratio 0.25 — healthy (below the 0.40 threshold)
- ✓ Graduation rate 76% — well above the national average
- ✓ 3-year loan default 0.0% — below national benchmark
Academics
77% of students finish within six years, putting completion well above the national norm. Retention is strong at 91%, and first-year attrition is where most degrees are lost. The two rates sit near each other: few students who return for a second year are missing from the six-year completion figure. A 7:1 ratio points to small classes and accessible faculty. Being a for-profit two-year institution is the single most useful context for these numbers — the sector's spread is wide enough that the school-level figures matter more than usual.
Financial Aid
IPEDS Student Financial Aid · 2023-24 · grant and loan rates against 95 degree- or certificate-seeking undergraduates
At $5,608 a year on average after grant aid, cost is low here relative to most undergraduate institutions. Net price swings hard on family income here, from $3,738 at the $0–30k band to $16,232 at $110k+. About 63% get grants averaging $8,312, so plan on the possibility of paying closer to full price. Borrowing is widespread: 81% take federal loans.
Entering first-year students
A different, smaller group than the rates above: full-time students in their first year of college anywhere. The grant series here also excludes the "other sources" counted in the all-undergraduate figure, so the two are not comparable.
IPEDS Student Financial Aid · 2023-24 · 85 students
Net price by family income
The same students as the headline above, limited to those who received Title IV federal aid — a narrower group, with a lower overall average. IPEDS publishes no combined figure across these bands, so they should not be averaged into one.
| Family income band | Average net price |
|---|---|
| $0–30k | $3,738 |
| $30–48k | $3,505 |
| $48–75k | $2,537 |
| $75–110k | $5,774 |
| $110k+ | $16,232 |
IPEDS Student Financial Aid · 2023-24
Federal student loans went to 77 of these 95 students, totalling $511,843 — an average of $6,647 each.
IPEDS Student Financial Aid · 2023-24
Local housing costs
Typical rents near campus (Cerro Gordo County) — budget these against any cost-of-attendance housing estimate.
HUD Fair Market Rents (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities) · FY2026
Veterans & GI Bill
VA GI Bill Comparison Tool (Veterans Affairs GIDS)