Cosmetology is a Diploma program offered by Stewart School in Sioux Falls, SD. The program takes 1,500 clock hours, 51 weeks to complete, with a total tuition of $14,700.
Program Overview
Cosmetology, 1,500 hours. Stewart School's Cosmetology program runs 1,500 clock hours over about 51 weeks. It introduces the theory and practice of cosmetology, public relations, communications, business management and cosmetology law, and prepares graduates for entry-level work as salon stylists, make-up technicians, manicurists, pedicurists, hair consultants and product or sales representatives.
Four terms. Term I (450 hours) introduces cosmetology, Term II (450 hours) develops skill and service orientation, Term III (300 hours) refines speed and skill through model experience, and Term IV (300 hours) prepares students for their careers.
What students learn. Alongside cutting, color techniques, chemical hair reformation and styling for all textures of hair, students learn skin care, microdermabrasion, makeup application, lash extensions, nail treatments and nail drill, hair extensions, social media and the business side of the industry, with the safety and sanitation training each service requires. The curriculum is reviewed every year through a Program Advisory Committee.
What sets this Program apart
- An eight-day trial period. A cosmetology student's first eight scheduled days confirm that the profession and the school are the right choice before the student commits.
- An iPad kit with Milady CIMA. The student kit includes an iPad and Milady CIMA, an online resource that tracks each student's performance with videos and quizzes.
- A working student salon. Clinic assignments simulate a real salon, and area salon managers present to the student body every month.
- An ACCSC School of Excellence. ACCSC has recognized Stewart School as a School of Excellence at every renewal since 2014, including 2019 and 2025.
Admission Requirements and Process
Admission requirements. Prospective students take part in a campus visit and submit the Stewart School Enrollment Application with the $50 application fee, preferably at least 60 days before class starts, together with a high school diploma, an official final transcript showing the graduation date, or a GED certificate with its completion date, and a current state-issued photo ID. After acceptance, a $100 class deposit is due at least 30 days before class starts.
Home-school and foreign credentials. Home-school graduates provide a diploma and transcript showing the completion date, a certificate approving the home-school program, and an ACT score of at least 18 or an SAT score of at least 960. Documents in another language must be translated and verified as equivalent to a U.S. high school diploma or GED.
Background and transfers. The Enrollment Application asks about any conviction more serious than a minor traffic violation, and the school may run a background check; a felony may prevent licensure. Transfer students provide an official transcript with grades of 75% or higher, complete a placement assessment, and finish at least 25% of South Dakota's required hours at Stewart School.
School Information
Campus Location
Why Accreditation Is Important
When you attend an accredited institution, you attend a school that has been independently evaluated for educational quality.
Stewart School is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) and licensed by the South Dakota Cosmetology Commission.
- A reliable indicator of quality
- Approved program of study
- Qualified instructors
- Recognition by employers nationwide
Accreditations
General Requirements
- Campus visitParticipate in a campus visit before enrolling.
- Enrollment ApplicationSubmit the Stewart School Enrollment Application with the $50 application fee.
- High school diploma or GEDA diploma, an official final transcript with graduation date, or a GED certificate with completion date.
- Photo IDA copy of a current state-issued photo ID.
- Class depositA $100 class deposit after acceptance, at least 30 days before class starts.
Application Process
- 1Request informationFill out the Request Information Form on the Stewart School website.
- 2Visit the campusTour the school; a campus visit is part of admission.
- 3
- 4Send your documentsSubmit your diploma, transcript or GED certificate and a state-issued photo ID.
- 5Pay the class depositAfter acceptance, pay the $100 class deposit at least 30 days before your start date.
Program Schedule
Freshman course. The ten-week freshman course meets Tuesday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm.
Sophomore through senior levels. Advanced training and clinic hours add a Monday rotation of one on and two off and one required evening a week: Monday 9 to 3, Tuesday and Thursday 8:30 to 4:30 on a day schedule or 11:30 to 8 on an evening schedule, and Wednesday and Friday 8:30 to 4:30. Students are scheduled for an average of 32.5 hours a week, and the graduation prep level runs Monday through Friday.
Start dates. Cosmetology generally starts five times a year, usually in February, April, June, August and October. The school's current start-date sheet marks every 2026 start and the February, April and June 2027 starts full; August 31 and November 9, 2027 are the next starts it lists without that mark.
Curriculum
Three courses, 1,500 hours. The 280-hour Freshman Theory & Practical Course, the 225-hour Advance Theory & Practical Course and 995 hours of supervised practical instruction in the clinic make up the program, shown below. Students must pass the written examinations and complete the clinic task syllabus at each level (freshman, sophomore, junior and senior) to advance.
Grading and progress. Written grades weight chapter tests at 80% and homework at 20%, and practical skills are scored four times in each area on a 100-point scale. Grades run from Superior (94-100%) through Above Average (87-93%), Average (80-86%) and Below Average (75-79%); below 75% is failing. At each evaluation period, at 450, 900, 1,200 and 1,500 hours, students need an overall 75% grade average and 80% attendance of scheduled hours.
Graduation. Graduates complete their contracted hours and all class assignments, including job search, pass senior written and practical testing at 75% or higher, pass every advancement level, complete an exit interview and meet their financial obligations, and then receive a Stewart School diploma. Graduates then take the South Dakota State Board exam at their own expense to be licensed.
Required Courses
| Name | Total |
|---|---|
| Freshman Theory & Practical Course | 280 |
| Advance Theory & Practical Course | 225 |
| Supervised Practical Instruction/Clinic Course | 995 |
| Totals | 1,500 |
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition (1,500 hours) | $14,700 |
| Books/equipment | $1,984.93 |
| Sales tax | $123.07 |
| Total program cost (valid through June 30, 2027) | $16,808 |
Fees outside the total. A $50 application fee is due with the Enrollment Application and a $100 class deposit is due at least 30 days before class starts; financial aid does not cover either. Tuition paid by credit card carries a 2% service charge.
Financial aid. Stewart School offers Federal Pell Grants, Direct Stafford Loans and Direct PLUS Loans to students who qualify in its Cosmetology, Esthetics and Massage Therapy programs; students complete the FAFSA using school code 010138. Financial aid may not cover the total program cost.
Paying over time. Tuition is due one week before class starts. With Time Pay, 50% of the total is due one week before class starts and 25% each at the one-quarter and halfway points of the scheduled hours; students may combine payment methods.
Cancellation and refunds. An applicant who is not accepted receives a full refund, including the application fee, and an applicant who withdraws by midnight of the third business day after orientation, signing the enrollment agreement, making a first payment or touring the school receives all money paid. Cancelling later but within the trial period refunds everything except the $50 application fee and $100 class deposit. After that, based on scheduled hours, the school keeps 20% of tuition from 3.51% of the program, 30% from 5%, 40% from 10%, 45% from 15%, 60% from 25%, and all tuition from 60%. Refunds are mailed within 30 days.
Other costs. For budgeting, the school's 2026-27 cost of attendance estimates a $120 licensure expense for cosmetology, plus monthly living costs.
Career Outcomes
Careers. Graduates are prepared for entry-level work as salon stylists, make-up technicians, manicurists, pedicurists, hair consultants and product or sales representatives, and licensed cosmetologists can go on to manage or own a salon, work on a cruise ship or at a resort, or style for photo shoots, magazines and film.
Placement assistance. Stewart School works with area salons to help students find employment: salon managers present to the student body every month, a job board is kept for students, and employment is discussed at evaluations, mentoring sessions and one-on-one with the Student Services Coordinator as graduation nears. The school does not guarantee placement.
Working in another state. Stewart School meets South Dakota's licensing requirements but either does not meet, or does not know whether it meets, any other state's, including Minnesota and Iowa, so students planning to work elsewhere should expect additional steps or training.
What to expect as a Stewart School student
The campus. Stewart School has trained students in Sioux Falls since 1959. It sits at 604 N. West Avenue in a park-like setting next to Covell Lake, in a 15,799-square-foot, two-story building with a two-story open clinic floor, classrooms at the north end and a central student break room and lockers; no stairs are needed to reach the student areas.
Class size. A freshman cosmetology class is limited to 20 students, and the clinic keeps at least one instructor for every 15 students, as the South Dakota Cosmetology Commission requires.
Student benefits. Students may earn free personal services within their scope of practice once a month, receive 30% off services and full-price retail products, and use high-speed internet at school. The kit includes an iPad with Milady CIMA, and classrooms use laptops, projectors, iPads and Chromebooks alongside a library of books, periodicals and DVDs.
Professional standards. Students wear black professional attire and black shoes, with the issued smock whenever they are scheduled in the clinic, and may be sent home without the kit items a class needs.
School Information
Campus Location
Why Accreditation Is Important
When you attend an accredited institution, you attend a school that has been independently evaluated for educational quality.
Stewart School is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) and licensed by the South Dakota Cosmetology Commission.
- A reliable indicator of quality
- Approved program of study
- Qualified instructors
- Recognition by employers nationwide