Veteran Trade Schools

VA-approved barber and cosmetology programs in South Dakota

Quick answer

Rapid City accounts for 4 of the 6 barber and cosmetology locations in South Dakota. The others are spread across 2 other cities.

VA's GI Bill® Comparison Tool lists 6 barber and cosmetology training locations in South Dakota with 7 approved programs: 5 with school programs and 1 with apprenticeship or on-the-job training. 2 have a VA caution flag.

Before you enroll, open the VA profile to confirm the exact program, and ask the School Certifying Official to confirm your start date. [VA: Choosing a GI Bill approved school]

6 locations, by city

The Salon Professional Academy

Rapid City, SD
VA profile for The Salon Professional Academy (opens VA Comparison Tool)
VA-approved School program For-profit VA caution flag
  • Cosmetology Cert

VA caution flag: School has an accreditation issue. This school's accreditation has been taken away and is under appeal, or the school has been placed on probation, because it didn't meet acceptable levels of quality. Learn more about this school's accreditation

GI Bill students (all programs): 10Accredited (hybrid)

Source: VA GI Bill Comparison Tool program data, retrieved October 23, 2026. School details come from VA's data file dated October 8, 2026. The list is sorted by city, then name. It isn't a ranking.

Common questions

How many GI Bill-approved barber and cosmetology programs are in South Dakota?

VA's GI Bill Comparison Tool lists 7 approved programs at 6 locations in South Dakota as of October 23, 2026. That's about 0% of the 1,563 barber and cosmetology locations in VA's data nationally. By type: 4 for-profit schools, 1 employer or apprenticeship sponsor, 1 public college or technical school.

[VA: GI Bill Comparison Tool]

Which cities in South Dakota have barber and cosmetology programs?

By number of locations: Rapid City (4), Sioux Falls (1), Watertown (1).

[VA: GI Bill Comparison Tool]

Are there paid barber and cosmetology apprenticeships in South Dakota that take the GI Bill?

Yes. 1 location offers VA-approved on-the-job training in South Dakota (1 program). With the Post-9/11 GI Bill, you're paid wages plus a monthly housing payment that steps down every six months.

[VA: GI Bill Comparison Tool] [VA: On-the-job training and apprenticeships]

Do any barber and cosmetology schools in South Dakota have VA caution flags?

Yes. 2 locations have a VA caution flag. Each flag is shown on its listing in VA's wording. Read it before you enroll.

[VA: GI Bill Comparison Tool]

Other trades in South Dakota

← All Barber & Cosmetology programs · Does the GI Bill cover barber or cosmetology school?

Sources

  1. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, “GI Bill Comparison Tool”. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  2. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, “GI Bill Comparison Tool data (ComparisonToolData.xlsx)”. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
  3. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, “Choosing a GI Bill approved school”. Retrieved October 23, 2026.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.