Greenville, MSprivate forprofitupperkutzbarbercollege.com
Upper Kutz Barber & Style College isn't a traditional liberal arts campus; it's a direct pipeline to a licensed trade in Greenville, Mississippi. With an open-door admissions policy and a laser focus on its 1,000-hour barbering program, this is a school for students who want to turn a passion into a paycheck, fast. The culture is proudly vocational, centered on skill mastery, with a completion rate that suggests those who stick it out are highly likely to walk away with a credential and a career.
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Outcomes & value
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Campus & location
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Upper Kutz operates on an open admission policy, meaning any student with a high school diploma or equivalent can attend. The is universally reported as 100%. The school does not require SAT or ACT scores for admission, and its policy on these tests is listed as 'unknown' or 'data not available' in federal databases. The process appears to be straightforward: prospective students are encouraged to call the school directly at 662-807-8707 to make an appointment and get more information. There is no indication of an Early Decision or Early Action program; the institution's focus is on continuous enrollment for its vocational programs rather than competitive undergraduate admissions cycles.
Academics at Upper Kutz are singularly focused on the trades of barbering and cosmetology instruction. The college offers a concentrated, 1,000-hour barber educational program designed to prepare students for licensure. The most popular and primary major is Barbering, which typically awards about 16 degrees annually. A much smaller number of degrees (about 1 per year) are awarded in Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor. The philosophy, as stated by the college, is that students come for 'education, skill development, and career advancement.' The program is structured to build upon entry-level training towards an exciting career path as a licensed barber. Social media posts highlight academic incentives, noting students can 'strive for an exceptional average' score, with one graduate celebrated for scoring an 88.
Student life revolves around the trade. The college promotes itself as 'The Lions Den of Barbering,' suggesting an intense, focused environment for mastering the craft. Campus life resources are sparse, reflecting the school's vocational, non-residential nature. The college's own messaging emphasizes that they 'do more than just cut hair,' hinting at a broader sense of community and skill-building beyond technical haircuts. The program is designed to turn a passion into a career in about one year, indicating a fast-paced, career-oriented daily experience for students. There is no information available regarding traditional collegiate amenities like housing, athletics, or clubs; the experience is centered on the classroom and the barber's chair.
Outcomes data presents a mixed but telling picture. The most critical metric for a vocational school—completion rate—is notably high. One source reports an overall completion rate of 91%, while another notes a 90.91% rate for its cohort. However, the first-year retention rate for full-time students is much lower, at 60%, suggesting a significant portion of students do not continue past the initial phase of the program. For those who do graduate, earnings data shows progression: graduates report median earnings of $36,427 one year after graduation, rising to $45,519 after five years. The school's own strongest standing relative to peers is reportedly in 'net tuition revenue per full-time equivalent student.'
The average after aid for students is $26,734 per year. This figure includes tuition, living costs, books, supplies, and fees, minus the average grants and scholarships for federal financial aid recipients. Published tuition is listed at $17,500 for in-state students, with other figures noting amounts around $15,950. The school actively promotes that 'Financial Aid Is Now Available For Those Who Qualify,' directing all inquiries to its phone number, 662-807-8707. It provides a Net Price Calculator on its website for prospective students to estimate their individual cost after factoring in potential grant and scholarship aid. The primary resource for establishing eligibility for needs-based aid is the school's own financial aid page.
Upper Kutz Barber & Style College stands out for its utter lack of pretense and its total commitment to a single, clear mission: training licensed barbers. In a landscape of sprawling universities, it is a focused trade school with an open-door policy (100% acceptance) and a curriculum built around a 1,000-hour barbering program. Its identity is captured in its self-proclaimed title, 'The Lions Den of Barbering'—a place for dedicated, hands-on skill acquisition. The high completion rate (over 90%) for those who persist past the first year indicates a program that effectively prepares determined students for credentialing and entry into the workforce, with reported earnings showing solid growth in the years following graduation. It is an institution designed not for exploration, but for direct, rapid career transformation.