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PCI Academy
PCI Academy

PCI Academy Ames, IA

Hair salon in Ames, IA · 3 locations

Rated 4.7 out of 5 (868 on Google Maps) (opens in a new tab)

PCI Academy opened in 1978 in Ames, Iowa, as The Professional Cosmetology Institute. Marian Lokken founded the school, and it has trained students for more than 45 years. The school says it has graduated 3,950 students. After the Ames campus grew, it opened a campus in Plymouth, Minnesota, just outside downtown Minneapolis, and one in Iowa City, Iowa, which has been open since 2019.

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About

PCI Academy opened in 1978 in Ames, Iowa, as The Professional Cosmetology Institute. Marian Lokken founded the school, and it has trained students for more than 45 years. The school says it has graduated 3,950 students. After the Ames campus grew, it opened a campus in Plymouth, Minnesota, just outside downtown Minneapolis, and one in Iowa City, Iowa, which has been open since 2019.

The school offers training in cosmetology, barbering, esthetics, massage therapy, advanced practice esthetics, and continuing education. Students begin with a Fundamentals Phase and then move into a salon or wellness classroom, where they serve guests. Each program includes business training, along with a business coach assigned to every student, who helps set education and career goals and meets with the student regularly. The school holds NACCAS accreditation. According to the school, it was among the first Redken-endorsed schools and was an early user of the Summit Salon Business Center curriculum.

Salon and spa services are performed by students under licensed educator supervision. Listed prices are starting prices and can vary by location, student service provider and current product costs. A 17% service supply fee is added to each service at checkout. It covers the professional products, supplies and materials used during the appointment, and it is separate from the listed price and is not a gratuity. Walk-ins are welcome when available, and guests can book online or call their chosen campus. Not every service is bookable online or offered at every campus. Some services, including massage, beard maintenance, straight razor shaves and chemical peels, are offered at the Iowa campuses only. Each campus is open Monday to Thursday 9:00am to 9:00pm and Friday and Saturday 9:00am to 5:00pm.

Students can pick from several schedule options, with sessions throughout the week and several times a day. Financial help includes federal grants, student loans, help from financial coaches, 0% interest payment plans and help with scholarship applications. Graduates have the cost of their first state licensing exam and license application covered, free continuing education for life, and job placement help with résumé review, interview preparation and connections to a network of salons, spas, medical spas, barbershops and wellness centers. The site says job placement support is offered for life. Applying involves an online application, an application fee and document uploads, followed by a conversation with Admissions.

Puts the student first, with a team culture, continuous improvement and a habit of sharing knowledge and opportunities. Business skills are taught alongside technique in every program.

Each campus has purpose-built classrooms and hands-on training areas, from 9,000 square feet in Plymouth to 10,000 square feet in Ames.

Services

Final prices may vary.

Clipper haircuts and beard or mustache trims, with additional grooming offered at the Iowa campuses.

  • Clipper Haircut $16

Balayage and highlights, plus add-ons such as glaze, K18 and a metal detox pre-treatment.

  • K18 Treatment $22
  • Metal Detox Treatment $22
  • Glaze $25
  • Balayage $54
  • Highlight $54

Treatments for hands, arms and back, including a chemical peel for hands and elbows and a back facial.

  • Ultra Renewal Chemical Peel for Hands & Elbows $33
  • Back Refining Facial $48

Waxing for underarms, arms and half legs.

  • Underarm Wax $28
  • Arm Wax $30
  • Half Leg Wax $30

Wash and go styling meant to enhance natural curls, coils or waves.

  • Wash and Go $25+

Beard and mustache trims, beard maintenance and straight razor shaves.

  • Beard or Mustache Trim $12
  • Beard Maintenance $13+
  • Beard Maintenance (Iowa only) $13
  • Straight Razor Shave $16+
  • Straight Razor Shave (Iowa only) $16
  • Highlights $54+

Waxing for brows, lip, chin, or the full face.

  • Brow Wax $15
  • Chin Wax $15
  • Lip Wax $15
  • Full Face Wax $33

Color sealing, root retouches and all-over color, with a complimentary consultation offered before booking color.

  • Color Sealing Treatment $22
  • Color Retouch $42
  • All Over Color $92
  • Complimentary Color Consultation Price at booking

Consultation, installation and maintenance for hair extensions.

  • Hair Extension Consultation Price at booking
  • Hair Extension Installation Price at booking
  • Installation Service Price at booking
  • Maintenance Service Price at booking
  • Professional Hair Extension Consultation Price at booking

A Redken bonding concentrate treatment and a scalp facial.

  • Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Treatment $18
  • Scalp Facial $18

Haircuts for adults and children, plus a conditioning haircut.

  • Childs Haircut $14
  • Haircut $16
  • Conditioning Haircut $34

Hydrafacial treatments with optional boosters and add-ons for lips and eyes.

  • Lip Treatment $37
  • Britenol Booster $38
  • DermaBuilder Booster $38
  • Eye Treatment $47
  • Hydrafacial $169

Manicures, pedicures, deluxe pedicures and gel polish upgrades.

  • Gel Polish Upgrade $13
  • Manicure $20
  • Pedicure $33
  • Deluxe Pedicure $40

Relaxers and perms that change the natural curl pattern.

  • Relaxer $51

Signature facials, hand and arm renewal, chemical peels and microdermabrasion.

  • Hand and Arm Renewal $15
  • Signature Facial $39
  • Chemical Peel $58+
  • Chemical Peel (Iowa only) $58
  • Microdermabrasion $58+
  • Microdermabrasion (Iowa only) $58

A semi-permanent KeratinComplex smoothing treatment.

  • KeratinComplex Smoothing Treatment $140

Blowouts, styling, braids, special occasion styles and silk press.

  • Blowout $25
  • Wash & Go $25
  • Braids $28/unit
  • Braids (per hour) $28
  • Blowout and Style $34
  • Special Occasion Style $37
  • Conditioning Blowout $40
  • Silk Press $45

A Mizani moisturizing treatment for curls, coils and waves, and perms.

  • Mizani Treatment $15
  • Perm $51

Photos

  • Large group photo of staff posing outdoors in front of a white building
  • Stylist curling a client's dark hair in a salon, with a branded cape visible
  • Two instructors demonstrating a massage technique on a client in a dim treatment room
  • Model laughing while makeup is applied during training
  • Lash extension application on a client under a purple-lit lamp
  • Ames campus nail station area with pedicure chairs and wall art
  • Styling stations in the Iowa City campus salon
  • Bright styling floor with chairs at the Plymouth campus
  • Front desk and retail product wall in the store
  • Large group photo of staff posed in the store

Meet the team

Team members listed on their website. Individual roles, credentials, and current employment have not been independently verified.pci-academy.com (opens in a new tab)

Highlights
  • Services performed by student providers under licensed educator supervision
  • Redken products used for hair color and blonding, plus a Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate treatment
  • Hair extensions from Babe Hair Extensions, with tape-in, keratin bond and sew-in options
  • A one-on-one business coach for each student
  • Licensing exam and first license application covered for graduates, with lifetime free continuing education
  • 0% interest payment plans and help researching scholarships
Good for
  • First salon visit
  • Budget-minded bookings
  • Walk-in appointments when available
  • Natural curls, coils and waves
  • Children's haircuts (ages 10 and under)
  • Hair extension consultations
  • Guests interested in a beauty or barbering career
Treats
  • Haircuts and styling
  • Hair color and highlights
  • Hair extensions
  • Smoothing and straightening
  • Unwanted hair removal
  • Facial hair grooming
  • Skin treatments
  • Manicures and pedicures
Techniques
  • Balayage
  • Highlights
  • Glaze
  • Color sealing
  • Metal detox pre-treatment
  • KeratinComplex smoothing
  • Relaxer
  • Perm
  • Silk press
  • Braids

Products & treatments

  • Redken
  • Babe Hair Extensions
  • Voesh
  • DND polish
  • Mizani
  • K18
  • Britenol
  • DermaBuilder

Other locations

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