Douglas J Institute Ann Arbor
Beauty school salon in Ann Arbor, MI · 6 locations
The company describes itself as family-owned, now spanning four generations, and says it has more than 60 years of experience in the salon and spa industry.
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The company describes itself as family-owned, now spanning four generations, and says it has more than 60 years of experience in the salon and spa industry.
The East Lansing campus, opened in 1986 near Michigan State University, is the school's flagship and headquarters, and it keeps a spiral staircase from the original Jacobson's store. The Ann Arbor school opened in 2004 inside Nicholas Arcade. Grand Rapids has occupied a historic downtown post office since 2007, Royal Oak opened in 2008, and Knoxville has been in Market Square since 2011, in a former diner building whose ceilings, staircase, flooring and bar were kept.
It can be taken full-time over 11 months or part-time over 15 months, prepares students for the state board exam, and is licensed by the Michigan Board of Cosmetology and accredited by NACCAS. Barbering is offered in East Lansing, Knoxville and Lincoln, covering skincare, cutting and shaving, coloring, chemical treatments, consultation, business, and marketing and social media. The Knoxville barbering program is set up like a traditional barbershop, with licensed barber educators. Part-time evening programs are available in cosmetology and esthiology.
Cosmetology students begin in the classroom with educators and then train on the student clinic floor with guests. Esthiology students practice on mannequins and live models before moving to the student clinic spa. Clients should expect services performed by students under licensed supervision. The school says student salon prices come to a fraction of standard salon costs. Guest hours at Ann Arbor, East Lansing, Grand Rapids and Royal Oak are Monday 5pm to 10pm, Tuesday 9:30am to 10pm, Wednesday to Friday 9am to 10pm, and Saturday 9am to 4:30pm, while Knoxville keeps its own schedule.
The school says it offers job placement help and direct connections to salons and spas, and that financial aid and scholarships are available. The East Lansing campus says it won the 2026 Golden School Award for Student Salon and Spa from the American Association of Career Schools, and it says the student salon, spa and barber shop welcomed 34,907 service guests in 2025.
The school says its teaching goes beyond technical skill to cover personal growth and professional development.
Campuses sit in converted historic buildings, from a former diner in Knoxville to a historic post office in Grand Rapids.
Services
Final prices may vary.
Free consultations for braiding, bridal styling, haircuts, extensions, keratin, Liscio Thermal Retexture, perms, relaxers, and style or set, including a virtual style and set option.
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Braiding Consultation Free
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Bridal Style Consultation Free
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Haircut Consultation Free
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Hair Extension Consultation Free
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Keratin Consultation Free
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Liscio Thermal Retexture Consultation Free
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Perm Consultation Free
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Relaxer Consultation Free
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Style/Set Consultation Free
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Virtual Style/Set Consultation Free
Color retouches, all-over color or a few highlights, partial and full highlights, and custom color such as balayage and color correction, with free color consultations and new color guest visits.
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Color Consultation Free
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New Color Guest Free
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New Color Guest with Haircut Free
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Color Retouch $55+
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All-Over Color or A Few Highlights $79+
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Color Retouch with Haircut $99+
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Color + Partial Highlight $103+
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All over Single Process Color or A Few Highlights with Haircut $123+
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Full Highlight $128+
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Color + Partial Highlight with Haircut $147+
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Custom Color $152+
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Full Highlight with Haircut $172+
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Custom Color with Haircut $196+
Cuts for women, men and children, a beard trim, and haircut options that finish with a blowout.
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Beard Trim $18
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Haircut - Child Female $28+
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Haircut - Child Male $28+
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Haircut - Female $44+
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Haircut - Male $44+
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Haircut Blowout Finish $53+
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Haircut Thermal Blowout $64+
The 1,500-hour cosmetology program, which covers the full range of beauty training.
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Cosmetology program (1,500 hours) Price at booking
Blowouts for women and men, thermal blowout styles, and special occasion styling at junior and senior levels.
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Blowout Finish - Male $28+
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Styling Blowout Finish - Female $28+
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Blowout Thermal Style $50+
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Special Occasion Style - Junior Level $89
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Special Occasion Style - Senior Level $102
Photos
Meet the team
Their website doesn't list the team, so we don't either.
- Highlights
- Services performed by students under licensed instructor supervision
- Cosmetology, esthiology and barbering programs, with part-time evening options
- Cosmetology program licensed by the Michigan Board of Cosmetology and accredited by NACCAS
- Job placement help and direct connections to salons and spas
- Financial aid and scholarships available
- Free consultations for many hair services
- Good for
- budget-conscious clients
- clients who want a supervised service
- evening and Saturday appointments
- children's haircuts
- bridal style consultations
- color consultations
- prospective students
- Treats
- haircuts
- hair color and highlights
- balayage
- color correction
- bridal styling
- hair extensions
- relaxers and perms
- special occasion styling
- Techniques
- balayage
- color correction
- partial and full highlights
- color retouch
- Liscio Thermal Retexture
- keratin treatment
- perms
- relaxers
- thermal blowouts
- braiding
Products & treatments
- Davines
- Back of Bottle
- ColorSpace
- PCA Skin
- Eminence Organic Skin Care
- Biolage
- Reuzel
- American Crew
Other locations
- Barbering East Lansing 333 Albert Ave, East Lansing, MI 48823
- Grand Rapids 138 Commerce Ave SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
- Royal Oak 125 W Fourth St, Royal Oak, MI 48067 Rated 4.7 out of 5 (2518 on Google Maps) (opens in a new tab)