International Salon and Spa Academy

What International Salon and Spa Academy does

International Salon and Spa Academy (ISSA), legally operating under CS Beauty Schools, is a private, for-profit vocational beauty school founded in 1971 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and led by veteran ownership since 1999. The institution delivers five core programs — Cosmetology (1,500 hours), Barbering (1,500 hours), Esthetics (600 hours), Nail Technology (600 hours), and Continuing Education — designed to prepare students for Colorado state licensure. All programs are delivered from a single campus at 5707 N. Academy Boulevard, with full-time (5-15 months) and part-time (8.5-22.5 months) scheduling options. The institution holds NACCAS national accreditation and is approved by the Colorado Office of Veterans Education and Training to accept GI Bill benefits.

The technology stack is modest and primarily operational: KlassApp for paperless progress tracking and instructor-student communication, the third-party CIMA by Milady digital curriculum platform, mobile time tracking for attendance, and classroom security cameras originally deployed for pandemic-era contact tracing. The student salon and spa functions as both a training environment and a revenue-generating retail channel, where community members receive discounted hair, skin, and nail services performed by students under certified instructor supervision.

Revenue is generated primarily through tuition for the five core programs, supplemented by student salon service fees and continuing education course fees. Title IV federal financial aid (Pell Grants, SEOG, Stafford Loans, Direct Loans, Parent Plus loans) and VA GI Bill benefits are administered on campus, making the institution highly dependent on federal student aid eligibility. Headcount stands at 32 employees with an estimated 166-317 enrolled students, and the school pursues a direct-to-consumer enrollment motion via website registration forms, phone outreach, and content marketing through an educational blog and social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest).

Name

International Salon and Spa Academy

Legal name

CS Beauty Schools

Website

https://csbeautyschools.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

International Salon and Spa Academy is a NACCAS-accredited, veteran-led private beauty school in Colorado Springs offering cosmetology, barbering, esthetics, nail technology, and continuing education programs leading to Colorado state licensure, serving aspiring beauty professionals through a single-campus, Title IV-eligible enrollment model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

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

Barbering Schools & Programs (HSALANAD), Continuing Education & License Exam Prep (CE/State Board Prep) (HSALANAL), Salon & Spa Management / Operations (EDAOALAK)

Keywords

• Cosmetology training programs
• Beauty school education
• Barbering instruction
• Esthetics training
• Nail technology courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Colorado Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Cosmetology Program Tuition: Comprehensive hair, skin, nail training program with 1,500 hours required for Colorado licensure. Program includes textbooks bundled in kit.
2. Barbering Program Tuition: Men's grooming and cutting techniques program - 1,500 hours for barbering license in Colorado.
3. Esthetics Program Tuition: Skincare and facial treatments program - 600 hours for esthetics license.
4. Nail Technology Program Tuition: Nail care and artistry program - 600 hours for nail technician license.
5. Student Salon Services: Hair, skin, nails, and spa services provided by students under instructor supervision. Community members receive discounted beauty services while students gain hands-on experience.
6. Continuing Education: Ongoing education programs for licensed beauty professionals seeking to update skills or learn new techniques.
7. Federal Financial Aid: Federal student aid including Pell Grants, SEOG, Stafford Loans, Direct Loans, and Parent Plus loans administered to eligible students.
8. GI Bill Veterans Benefits: Approved by Colorado Office of Veterans Education and Training for education of veterans and eligible individuals under GI Bill programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

International Salon and Spa Academy operates a NACCAS-accredited beauty school that delivers diploma programs in cosmetology, nail technology, esthetics, and barbering, designed to prepare students to sit for Colorado state licensure. The academy supplements classroom instruction with a student-run salon and spa open to the public, offers continuing education courses for already-licensed professionals, and hosts themed children's party events such as Princess and Superhero parties on campus.

Product overview

International Salon and Spa Academy (ISSA) is a beauty and wellness education institution offering a unified portfolio of career-focused programs. The core offerings consist of five educational programs: Cosmetology (comprehensive hair, skin, and nail training), Nail Technician, Esthetics, Barbering, and Continuing Education. These programs are complemented by a student-run salon and spa where students gain real-world experience providing hair, skin, and nail services to actual clients under instructor supervision. The institution also offers special event services like Princess/Superhero Parties. The programs prepare students for Colorado state licensing examinations and careers in the beauty industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 33% projected job growth for nail technicians by 2030 (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• RedkenminorOthersProfessional hair care product brand used in student salon and training. Redken products are utilized by students for coloring, styling, and treatments.
• PravanaminorOthersProfessional hair color and styling products used in the academy. Pravana provides professional-grade color products for student education.
• OPIminorOthersProfessional nail care and polish brand used in nail technician training. OPI products included in nail curriculum.
• Satin SmoothminorOthersHair removal and waxing products used in esthetics and cosmetology training programs.
• Image SkincareminorOthersProfessional skincare products used in esthetics program for facials and skin treatments.
• MiladyminorOthersStandard cosmetology textbooks and digital learning platforms (CIMA) used throughout all programs. Milady is the industry standard for beauty education curriculum.
• Surface HairminorOthersProfessional hair care brand partnership for student training and education.
• Bio-TherapeuticminorOthersSkincare and spa equipment/products used in esthetics training for advanced skin treatments.
• CACCS (Colorado Association of Career Colleges and Schools)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level association of career colleges and schools. CACCS membership supports advocacy and standards for career education in Colorado.
• StudentAid.gov (U.S. Department of Education)coreOthersOfficial federal student aid website. ISSA participates in Title IV federal financial aid programs allowing students to apply for Pell Grants and loans.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Milan Institute: Multi-campus for-profit trade school offering cosmetology, esthetics, and nail programs alongside other vocational tracks, with NACCAS-style accreditation and Title IV participation. Closely comparable to ISSA in program scope and funding model.
• PJ's Beauty & Barber School: Single-/few-campus cosmetology and barbering school with comparable local-market, Title IV-funded trade-school model. Comparable to ISSA in scale, program mix including barbering, and reliance on community-based student salon services.
• Xenon Academy: Small, multi-campus cosmetology and esthetics school with comparable program mix (cosmetology, esthetics, nail) and similar reliance on Title IV funding. A close peer in scale and operating model, though it serves a different geographic footprint.
• Salon Professional Academy: Network of independently-operated Redken-associated cosmetology schools offering similar licensure programs and brand-aligned curriculum. Comparable to ISSA's Redken partnership and trade-school structure, though typically larger in student capacity.

Others

• Milady (Cengage): Industry-standard cosmetology curriculum publisher whose textbooks and CIMA digital platform ISSA uses. An enabling ecosystem partner rather than a competitor, but a useful comparable for understanding the curriculum infrastructure underpinning beauty schools.

Broad incumbents

• Empire Beauty Schools: Largest multi-state cosmetology school chain in the U.S. with dozens of campuses offering cosmetology, esthetics, and nail programs. Directly comparable to ISSA in core curriculum and Title IV-funded vocational beauty education, but with substantially greater scale and geographic reach.
• Aveda Institute: Network of Aveda-branded cosmetology and esthetics schools with a sustainability- and brand-driven positioning. Comparable to ISSA in delivering licensure-track beauty programs with deep product-partner integration, though differentiated by a more upscale/premium brand identity.
• Paul Mitchell The School: National network of branded cosmetology and barbering schools operating across multiple states, leveraging the Paul Mitchell brand affinity. Comparable to ISSA in offering state-licensure programs in cosmetology and barbering, but with significantly stronger national brand recognition.

Regional players

• Tricoci University of Beauty Culture: Multi-campus cosmetology, esthetics, and nail school operating primarily in the Midwest and select Western markets. Comparable to ISSA in trade-school model and Title IV-funded enrollment, but concentrates in a different geographic footprint.
• Denver School of Hair Design (and other CO cosmetology schools): Colorado-based cosmetology school offering similar licensure programs in the same state regulatory environment. Most direct geographic peer, competing for the same Colorado student population.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ISSABeauty1
• Facebookfacebook.com/InternationalSalonandSpaAcademy
• Instagraminstagram.com/issa5707
• Pinterestpinterest.com/issabeauty
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/international-salon-and-spa-academy

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 International Salon and Spa Academy