Sierra College of Beauty
Merced, CA 95340
About Sierra College of Beauty
Sierra College of Beauty is a private for-profit trade school in Merced, California, enrolling about 220 students. Programs focus on certificates and workforce credentials that prepare students for skilled trades and technical careers. The published completion rate is about 84.35% at 150% of normal time. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $18,519 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $18,519.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Sierra College of Beauty is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 329% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra College of Beauty | — | $10,794 | 1 |
| Private For-profit (national median) | $16,637 | — | 477 |
| California (state median) | $8,093 | $8,343 | 287 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,600 | $14,971 | 1,517 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is Sierra College of Beauty really?
Evidence: average net price at Sierra College of Beauty versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Sierra College of Beauty is $10,794.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $10,794 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $2,451 above the California median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $4,177 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Sierra College of Beauty: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Sierra College of Beauty—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Avg. net price
$10,794
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $10,212 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $13,241 |
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Sierra College of Beauty is known for
Top program completions
- Barbering/Barber53
- Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist41
- Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General38
- Real Estate Development10
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Sierra College of Beauty a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Sierra College of Beauty is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Sierra College of Beauty.
Campus
Location
Merced, CA
City / state
- ZIP
- 95340
- NCES locale
- Town
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is 28% below the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Private For-profit
Control
- Region
- Far West
Size
Enrollment
220
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 290
- Full-time share
- 61%
Student aid
Debt & aid
- Pell grant share
- 76.70%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Costs include tuition and fees. Room & board, books, and other expenses are additional where not shown.
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Sierra College of Beauty.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Sierra College of Beauty was not reported in the College Scorecard extract for this institution.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Sierra College of Beauty in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | — | — | $4,229 |
| 2014 | — | — | $3,198 |
| 2015 | — | — | $10,846 |
| 2016 | — | — | $11,126 |
| 2017 | — | — | $11,242 |
| 2018 | — | — | $11,052 |
| 2019 | — | — | $10,902 |
| 2020 | — | — | $11,771 |
| 2021 | — | — | $8,449 |
| 2022 | — | — | $8,338 |
| 2023 | — | — | $11,519 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Sierra College of Beauty reported total enrollment of about 220 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 34% male and 66% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Hispanic or Latino (73.2%), White (12.7%), and Race/ethnicity unknown (8.2%). About 76.70% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 61.2% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
61.4% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Sierra College of Beauty in 2024 is 220 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 290 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
87.0%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
78.26% 100% Completion Time
84.35% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 78.26% of students graduating from Sierra College of Beauty completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Barbering/Barber: 79% male / 21% female
- Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist: 0% male / 100% female
- Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General: 8% male / 92% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Sierra College of Beauty graduates earn a median of $18,519 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Sierra College of Beauty.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $18,519. Average net price used in cost models: $10,794.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Sierra College of Beauty graduates report median earnings of $18,519 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Sierra College of Beauty.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 4 programs by IPEDS completions (5 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Sierra College of Beauty.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Sierra College of Beauty graduates.
Institutional resources
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Sierra College of Beauty—instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Instructional Resources
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $898
- California median 0.14× the median ($6,474)
- Far West median 0.13× the median ($7,030)
- U.S. median 0.12× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
Sierra College of Beauty at a glance
Sierra College of Beauty
Sierra College of Beauty is a private for-profit institution in Merced, CA.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Barbering/BarberAesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care SpecialistCosmetology/Cosmetologist, General
- Largest enrollment groups
- Hispanic or Latino73.2%White or Caucasian12.7%Race/ethnicity unknown8.2%
Schools near Sierra College of Beauty
Other campuses in Merced, CA when available, plus nearby institutions in California.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C) within California, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Sierra College of Beauty located?
Sierra College of Beauty is located in Merced, CA.
How much does Sierra College of Beauty cost?
Reported tuition is N/A and average net price is $10,794 in the latest College Scorecard data.
What explains Sierra College of Beauty's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($10,794), completion (84.4% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($18,519). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Sierra College of Beauty?
Sierra College of Beauty reports undergraduate enrollment of about 290 students, Hispanic or Latino (73.2%), White (12.7%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Sierra College of Beauty?
About 61.2% of students at Sierra College of Beauty are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Sierra College of Beauty earn?
Median earnings are $21,701 six years after entry and $18,519 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Sierra College of Beauty?
The 150%-time completion rate is 84.4% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
Is Sierra College of Beauty public or private?
Sierra College of Beauty is a private for-profit institution located in Merced, CA.
Is Sierra College of Beauty an HBCU?
No. Sierra College of Beauty is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Sierra College of Beauty a tribal college?
No. Sierra College of Beauty is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Is Sierra College of Beauty a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?
By the common federal eligibility proxy used here (≥25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard), yes—Sierra College of Beauty reports 73.2% Hispanic enrollment share.
Is Sierra College of Beauty religiously affiliated?
No religious affiliation is reported for Sierra College of Beauty in IPEDS institutional characteristics.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
- California college profile
- California college costs
- California colleges by ROI
- California trade schools profile
- Merced, California city profile
- Far West regional profile
- Town college profile
- Campus-setting profiles
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in California
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.