Capri College is a family-owned school with four locations in Eastern Iowa. We are not a corporate chain or product-driven franchise. That means we have the freedom to quickly adapt to industry trends and expose our students to a variety of professional products.
You will never just be a number at Capri College. You are part of our family, part of what we feel makes our school great. Our educators receive regular training opportunities that allow them to bring back new ideas and techniques.
For 60 years, our family-owned school philosophy has been developed to support you from the enrollment process to graduation and employment.
Charles Fiegen and Edward Bisenius founded Capri Cosmetology College on February 20, 1966, in Dubuque, Iowa. The second location was established in downtown Cedar Rapids in 1977, and 10 years later, the third location was established in Davenport, Iowa. We became accredited to ACCSC in 1988 so we could expand our program offerings, and then we changed the name to Capri College to reflect our ever-changing programs.
1992 was a big year for Capri College. We launched the first Nail Technology program in Iowa and introduced our Massage Therapy program. In 1995, Ed Bisenius retired, and Chuck Fiegen became president and sole owner of Capri College.
In 2001, we introduced Esthetics to our program offerings. In the following years, there were some big changes to our campuses as the Cedar Rapids location moved to a new building on the west side of the city, the Davenport location moved to a new facility on the flourishing 53rd Street Corridor, and we renovated our clinic floor in our historic Main Street building in Dubuque to the original interior to re-establish the integrity of the structure and create a beautiful and historic atmosphere.
Our fourth Capri College location opened in Waterloo in 2014.
Our campuses have all earned “School of Excellence” status from ACCSC: Dubuque in 2024, Waterloo in 2023, Davenport in 2020, and Cedar Rapids in 2015.
Today, we continue to operate as a student-centered institution that blends tradition with innovation. We hope to see you at one of our campuses soon!
Experience matters in this industry, and Capri College has been helping students get hands-on training and real-world experience while studying what they love since 1966. We may have grown and changed over the years, but we have never forgotten that your success is our mission. Here are a few key reasons to choose Capri College as your beauty school in Iowa.
Our curriculum is designed with your future in mind. With hands-on training in our student salon and spa areas, comprehensive subjects designed to provide a thorough training in each program, special training on business-related matters, and a supportive family atmosphere, we are focused on your goal to receive a beauty education that prepares you for a future in the beauty industry.
As a beauty school student, you can work with real clients in our open-to-the-public, on-site student salon and spa. Under the guidance of licensed instructors, you can help real clients feel better about the way they look and feel through high-quality beauty services. The more real clients you practice on, the more confident and prepared you can be to enter the professional world.
Become part of a community of like-minded, style-savvy, and creative individuals at Capri College. Our family-like atmosphere can help you feel comfortable learning and growing with your classmates. Make some amazing friends, and get the support you need as you pursue your educational dreams!
Capri College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). That means our programs are held to specific standards by an objective third party. Being accredited also makes it possible to offer Federal Financial Aid to help cover the cost of your educational investment. Financial aid is available to those who qualify.
Capri College is dedicated to staying up-to-date and taking full advantage of modern technology where it is beneficial. Each student receives a kit containing the tools and products they need to learn their chosen course of education. We expertly choose an assortment of professional materials that give students experience using salon and spa-quality products. Most of our program kits include an iPad (Nail Technology and Cosmetology Instructor programs excluded). Students can access convenient online learning materials and get up-to-the-minute updates. The iPad, which is yours to keep after graduation, can be a great tool as you train for and build your beauty career.
Our Two-Week Enrollment Satisfaction Guarantee allows you to try out our school without being committed, or if you need to cancel your enrollment for any reason, we will provide a refund on tuition paid, excluding the application and registration fee.
Are you ready to begin your enrollment journey? Contact us for more information or to schedule a school tour!
Our four campuses in Eastern Iowa all offer cosmetology, esthetics, massage therapy, nail technology, and cosmetology instructor programs. If you are interested in attending our school, we encourage you to schedule a school tour, so you can get a better feel for the fun and dynamic atmosphere at each of our campuses. While you are here, you can meet with instructors and current students, who may be able to answer your questions.
We support our communities with donations to local charities, our Random Acts of Kindess, offering beauty services to the public at affordable prices, and maintaining strong ties with local salons and spas.
If you don’t like the idea of working in a cubicle environment, a restaurant, or a factory, we provide accredited training programs that prepare students for entry level careers in the beauty and wellness industry, so you can do what you love. Along the way, our educational programs can help students find purpose, feel supported, and make lifelong friends.
Admissions requirements at Capri College include showing that you have graduated from high school or have your GED, providing a valid driver’s license or government-issued ID, submitting a completed application form and $100 fee, touring the campus of your choice, and completing a pre-admissions interview. Get started with your enrollment process today by contacting us for more information or to schedule your school tour and interview.
Capri in Waterloo is absolutely amazing.I went to school there and they did amazing job I learned so much. I graduated and I still get my hair done there because there prices and the teachers and students do such amazing job every time.
I was a student at Capri and graduated last year. My instructors were all so supportive and kind and always there for us not just with school stuff but personal too. (The amount of times I cried in Surps office cuz I was having a bad day and she never ever made me feel bad for it and would let me sit there and talk to her until I felt better) Capri is not just about beauty, it’s about building lasting friendships and learning about yourself! ????????The beauty industry is literally billions of dollars and we can ALL be successful and Capri helped show us that!!!
I graduated from Capri almost 2 years from the cosmetology program and Capri definitely set me up for success with all the knowledge my instructors had and passed down to me! If you are interested in going to cosmetology school I highly recommend Capri College in Waterloo ????
I attended Capri last year and graduated through the cosmetology program and my college experience was great!!???? All the instructors there are very kind and helpful while still letting you have full range of your creativity! S.O to my instructor Surp for pushing me to finish my hours !!????
Capri in Waterloo is absolutely amazing.I went to school there and they did amazing job I learned so much. I graduated and I still get my hair done there because there prices and the teachers and students do such amazing job every time.
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