La' James International College

What La' James International College does

La' James International College (LJIC) is a family-owned, NACCAS-accredited beauty school operating five campuses across Iowa: Fort Dodge (home office and original 1966 location), Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, and Des Moines (Johnston). Founded by Mrs. Becher in 1966, the institution has operated continuously for nearly 50 years and was recognized as a Founding Member School at NACCAS's 50-year celebration. The school offers five core credentialing programs — Cosmetology (1,550 hours), Esthetics (750 hours), Massage Therapy (900 hours), Nail Technology (350 hours), and Teacher Training (1,000 hours) — alongside an exclusive A.A.S. Degree in Health and Beauty Management delivered in partnership with Iowa Central Community College.

The technology stack supporting operations includes the Acadio online learning portal for state-approved continuing education, the Meevo online booking system for public salon and spa appointments, the proprietary LJIC Tracker student progress system, and the LJIC Seven Standards customer service curriculum framework. These systems enable online continuing education delivery, customer-facing appointment booking across all five campuses, and structured pedagogical tracking.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: tuition and program fees across all credentialing programs (with federal financial aid eligibility for qualifying students in programs of sufficient duration), transaction-based revenue from public-facing student salon and spa clinics at all five campuses (services priced $1-$250), and continuing education fees ($80-$90 per 4-hour class, $35 for Iowa Law online). Ancillary revenue includes $25 transcript/diploma fees, gift card sales, and product retail. The institution is wholly family-owned with no venture capital, private equity, or institutional investor backing, and does not publicly disclose financial results.

Name

La' James International College

Legal name

La' James International College

Website

https://ljic.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Family-owned Iowa beauty school operating five NACCAS-accredited campuses offering cosmetology, esthetics, massage therapy, nail technology, and teacher training programs plus continuing education and an A.A.S. degree pathway.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Beauty & Wellness Vocational Education

NAICS

Cosmetology and Barber Schools (611511), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Cosmetology Schools & Programs (HSALANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Esthetics & Skincare Training Programs (HSALANAB), Massage Therapy Schools & Certification Programs (HSALANAJ), Nail Technology (Manicure/Pedicure) Training Programs (HSALANAC), Salon Business, Management & Retail Training (HSALANAK), Continuing Education & License Exam Prep (CE/State Board Prep) (HSALANAL)

Keywords

• Cosmetology education
• Esthetician training
• Massage therapy school
• Nail technology courses
• Beauty school programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Fremont

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Program Fees: Revenue from cosmetology, esthetics, massage therapy, nail technology, and teacher training programs. Tuition varies by program. Financial aid available for those who qualify through federal student aid programs.
2. Salon and Spa Services: Student salon and spa clinic services offered to the public at affordable prices, including haircuts, coloring, facials, nail services, massage therapy, body treatments, and makeup applications.
3. Continuing Education: State-approved continuing education courses for licensed beauty professionals. LJIC graduates receive free lifetime continuing education; non-graduates pay $80 pre-registered or $90 at door for 4-hour classes, and $35 for Iowa Law online courses.
4. Gift Cards: Gift cards sold for use towards products or services at any La' James International College location, valid indefinitely.
5. Transcripts and Diplomas: $25 fee for duplicate diploma, transcript, or continuing education certificate requests.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

La' James International College is a family-owned post-secondary beauty school that delivers NACCAS-accredited diploma programs in cosmetology (1,550 hours), esthetics (750 hours), massage therapy (900 hours), nail technology (350 hours), and teacher training (1,000 hours), plus an A.A.S. degree in Health and Beauty Management offered jointly with Iowa Central Community College, a Multiple Licensure program, and continuing education. Students gain hands-on practice through student-operated salon and spa clinics that are open to the public, supported by the Acadio online learning portal and Meevo booking system.

Product overview

La' James International College (LJIC) is a family-owned beauty school with five campuses throughout Iowa offering a portfolio of credential and degree programs. The core offerings include Cosmetology (1,550 hours), Esthetics (750 hours), Massage Therapy (900 hours), Nail Technology (350 hours), and Teacher Training (1,000 hours). LJIC offers exclusive programs including an A.A.S. Degree in Health and Beauty Management (partnered with Iowa Central Community College), Multiple Licensure for earning consecutive licenses with credit transfers, and Lifetime Continued Education for graduates. Students receive hands-on training in on-campus salon/spa clinics before working with real clients. Public salon and spa services are also offered at all campuses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cosmetology Diploma Program A 1,550-clock-hour NACCAS-accredited diploma program that trains students in hair, skin, and nail services to qualify for Iowa cosmetology licensure.
• Esthetics Diploma Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Students can earn 52 credits toward A.A.S. degree through LJIC programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Iowa Central Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership allows LJIC students to apply their beauty program hours as 52 credits toward a two-year Associate of Applied Sciences (A.A.S.) Degree in Health and Beauty Management. Students need only 18 additional credits through Iowa Central Community College online to complete the degree. This exclusive partnership enables students to earn both a professional license and a college degree simultaneously.
• EstheticianEdu.orgminorOthersRecognized La' James International College as the top pick school in Iowa for esthetics. This recognition helps validate the quality of LJIC's esthetics program and attracts prospective students.
• American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA)minorOthersLJIC is a member of AMTA, which provides massage therapy students access to AMTA Student Scholarships up to $5,000 and industry resources.
• American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS)minorOthersLJIC is a member of AACS, which partners with industry sponsors to offer scholarships and grants to deserving cosmetology students through BeautySchools.org.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Aveda Institutes: Network of cosmetology and esthetics schools affiliated with the Aveda brand, operating across major U.S. cities. Offers comparable programs in cosmetology, esthetics, and continuing education, with similar student salon/clinic model and NACCAS accreditation.
• Paul Mitchell Schools: National cosmetology and barbering school network operating over 100 locations across the U.S. Offers comparable cosmetology, esthetics, and instructor training programs with brand affiliation to Paul Mitchell. Directly comparable in curriculum hours, target student, and tuition-driven revenue model.
• Empire Beauty School: Largest cosmetology school chain in the U.S. operating across dozens of states with similar cosmetology, esthetics, and nail technology programs. Directly comparable in product offering (state-licensed beauty education) and target customer (aspiring beauty professionals seeking licensure), but with substantially greater geographic scale.
• The Salon Professional Academy (TSPA): Network of independently-owned cosmetology and esthetics schools across the U.S. with a standardized curriculum. Directly comparable in target student, program offerings, and NACCAS accreditation, though typically operating single-campus locations rather than multi-campus networks.
• Xenon International Academy: Multi-campus cosmetology and esthetics school in the Midwest (Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas) offering similar programs. Closely comparable as a regional Midwest peer with overlapping Iowa presence, comparable program hours, and student salon/clinic model.
• Tricoci University of Beauty Culture: Multi-campus beauty school in the Midwest (Chicago, Indianapolis, Rockford) offering cosmetology, esthetics, nail technology, and teacher training. Closely comparable to LJIC in program portfolio, instructor training track, and regional multi-campus operating model.

Others

• American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS): National industry association representing accredited cosmetology schools (LJIC is a member). Comparable as a sector-level ecosystem and advocacy body that shapes policy, accreditation standards, and scholarship funding relevant to LJIC's operating environment.
• Milady (Cengage): Dominant publisher of cosmetology and esthetics curriculum and state board exam prep materials used across the beauty school industry. Comparable as an ecosystem enabler — its curriculum is the de facto standard for cosmetology programs including LJIC's.

Regional players

• Mr. Jim's Beauty College: Family-owned beauty school operating across multiple states in the South and Midwest with cosmetology, esthetics, and nail programs. Comparable in family-owned positioning and tuition-driven model, though operating in different geographies than LJIC's Iowa footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Iowa Central Community College: LJIC's A.A.S. Degree partner institution; also offers its own vocational programs. Overlapping in target adult learner and continuing education student segments in Iowa, though operating as a public community college rather than a private for-profit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• TikToktiktok.com/@ljic1
• Xx.com/LJIC1
• Facebookfacebook.com/lajamesinternational

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about La' James International College