Hyphen Beauty + Massage School
Cosmetology students at laptops during a classroom lesson at Hyphen Beauty + Massage School

Hyphen Beauty + Massage School

Cosmetology School in Orlando, FL

Every cosmetology school in Orlando will tell you the hours and the accreditation. Almost none of them will tell you the price.

Ours is $8,995. That's 1,200 hours over 9 months, three days a week, with your kit and your state license fees included.

We're not cheaper because we cut hours. We run the same 1,200 hours Florida-approved programs run. We're cheaper because we don't carry a national brand's overhead, and because we built the schedule around students who continue to work while attending school.

Cosmetology students gathered around an instructor's mannequin demo at Hyphen Beauty + Massage School in Winter Park, FL

The Schedule Is the Real Difference

Most of our cosmetology students work while attending school at Hyphen. Retail, hotels, the parks, Amazon, driving. Most accredited schools require you on campus 5 days per week. That means quitting your job and going into debt.

Hyphen's Cosmetology program meets three days a week. That leaves four days per week where you can continue working. Lectures and quizzes are delivered online at your convenience through Hyphen's eLearning platform, which is available in English and Spanish, and most of our instructors are fluent in both English and Spanish.

Hyphen has a new cosmetology class starting every three months. Please contact the Admissions Office for the next upcoming start date.

Program Details

Duration
9 months (1,200 hours)
Schedule
3 days a week
Format
Lectures and quizzes online, hands-on training at the Winter Park campus
Tuition
$8,995
Financing
Interest-free payment plans. $660 due at enrollment.
Call (321) 323-3216

How long it takes to become a cosmetologist in Orlando

What the 1,200 Hours Cover

Hair

Cutting, color, chemical texture, styling, and the correction work that pays. You'll spend real hours on color theory, because color is where new stylists either build a following or lose clients.

Skin and nails

Cosmetology students working on mannequins in a busy classroom at Hyphen Beauty + Massage School in Winter Park, FL

Facials, waxing, manicures, pedicures and enhancements. Hyphen's Cosmetology students are trained under practicing Estheticians and Nail Technicians rather than a Hair Stylist with little to no practical experience in esthetics or nails. Hyphen graduates earn more money as they can confidently upsell waxing, brows, lashes and nail treatments to their client base.

The state board exam

The program prepares you for the Florida state board exam. We also give students a custom AI study tool trained on our classroom material and Florida law. You can drill exam questions at any time from the convenience of your phone instead of waiting for the next review class.

How to become a licensed cosmetologist in Florida

The business half

Consultation, pricing, rebooking, retail and building a book. Most graduates rent a chair or a booth within a couple of years, and that's a small business whether anyone calls it one or not.

At Hyphen, we go a step further: Graduates can come back and use Hyphen's service rooms and equipment under Hyphen's salon license. Hyphen offers ten free sessions to all graduates so they can start their own salon or spa rent free.

What you learn in cosmetology school

Your Kit and What's Actually Included

You get Hyphen's Burmax kit, which includes three real-hair mannequins. Real hair matters more than it sounds. Synthetic hair doesn't lift, deposit or process like the head you'll have in your chair, so a student who learns color on synthetic learns the wrong lesson twice.

Your state license fees are included in tuition too. That's one of the costs schools most often leave for the end, right when students are out of money.

What isn't included: textbooks, because some students prefer an e-book and others find printed books cheaper online. There's no separate charge for clinic floor hours, no kit rental for the exam, no required upgrade halfway through.

How to finance cosmetology school in Orlando

Cosmetology instructor showing students how to section hair on a mannequin at Hyphen in Winter Park, FL

Why Students Pick Hyphen

  • $8,995, published. Most schools in this market make you request a tour before they'll give you a number.
  • 9 months. Faster than the 10.5- to 12-month options at peer schools. We all cover the same 1,200-hour curriculum mandated by the State of Florida.
  • Meets 3 days a week. Designed so that you can continue working while attending school.
  • Kit and license fees included. Hyphen's Burmax kit, three real-hair mannequins.
  • Interest-free payment plan: $926 a month for 9 months after a $660 deposit. No outside lender, no interest, no balloon payment.
  • Instructors who came from Aveda and Paul Mitchell. People who taught inside the big-brand system and chose to teach here. You get that training without the brand-school price tag.
  • Hyphen's custom AI tutor for state board prep. Trained on our classroom material and Florida law. Nobody else in this market has one.
  • COMTA accredited, with programmatic accreditation for the Cosmetology program.
  • 90 to 95% job placement, with free career services for every student.

Cosmetology school or traditional college?

Three Questions Other Schools Make You Call to Ask

What does it actually cost?

$8,995. It's on this page because you shouldn't have to sit through an admissions tour to learn whether a program is affordable. Most cosmetology schools in Orlando send you to a form instead of a number.

Can I keep working?

Yes, for most students. Hyphen's students only meet 3 days a week, which leaves four days to continue working. Programs that require you to attend school 5 days per week don't work when rent is due.

What else will I be charged?

Your kit and your state license fees are included in the $8,995. Hyphen's students opt to buy their books separately as many students prefer e-books or want to shop for printed books online.

What if I already have hours?

If you started a program somewhere else or hold a license from another state, bring your transcripts and Hyphen's Registrar will carry over any applicable credits.

Transfer your license or hours

Who This Program Is Built For

Our typical cosmetology student is aged between 23 and 35, working in a job that caps their potential. A lot of them come from retail, restaurants and service jobs from Orlando's Parks, Amazon or Uber.

The pattern is the same: the money is barely enough, the schedule owns them, and there's no version of the next five years that looks different. Cosmetology is one of the few careers where you can become licensed in nine months while continuing with your current job, and then graduate and start your own business. Chair rental, a booth, mobile bridal work, or a salon of your own are all on the table once the license is in your hand.

If that's you, the question isn't whether you can do the work. It's whether the schedule and the tuition make it possible. That's what we built around.

From a service job to cosmetology

Wide view of cosmetology students practicing at their stations at Hyphen Beauty + Massage School in Winter Park, FL

Orlando Is a Good Place to Get Licensed

Bolstered by 50 million tourists per year and a large population of retirees, there is no shortage of clients for hair, esthetics and nail services throughout Orlando. Resort and hotel spas hire. So do the salons clustered around Winter Park and Baldwin Park, and the studios spread through Kissimmee and the tourist corridor. Then there's the steady stream of weddings, conventions and events Orlando runs year-round.

Our campus is at 501 Wymore Rd in Winter Park, facing I-4 at the Lee Road exit, three miles north of downtown Orlando. Because classes meet three days a week, students commute from farther out than they would for a five-day program.

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Finished blonde double-process hair color on a straight cutCosmetology instructor demonstrating hair color on a mannequin for students at Hyphen in Winter Park, FLFinished partial highlights blended through layered hair

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does cosmetology school cost in Orlando?

At Hyphen, $8,995 for the full 1,200-hour program, including Hyphen's Burmax kit and your state license fees. Interest-free payment plans are available.

How long is the program?

Nine months, meeting three days a week.

Can I work while I'm in cosmetology school?

Most of our students do. That's why we meet three days a week instead of running a 4-day or 5-day per week program.

Does tuition include my license fees?

Yes. Kit and state license fees are both included in the price of our programs.

Is the program available in Spanish?

Our eLearning platform runs in English and Spanish, and most of our instructors are fluent in both English and Spanish.

Do you prepare students for the Florida state board exam?

Yes. Exam prep runs throughout the program, and students get access to Hyphen's custom AI study tool trained on our classroom material and Florida law.

Can I do cosmetology school online?

Online learning is reinforced through hands-on training by Hyphen's instructors at the Winter Park campus.

Can you do cosmetology school online in Orlando?

Since Cosmetology is a hands-on trade, Florida requires a significant portion of all cosmetology training to be done in person.

Cosmetology or esthetics?

Although it is a longer 9-month program, training as a cosmetologist allows you to perform services on hair, skin and nails. The 3-month Esthetics program allows you to earn money faster and gives you more opportunity for specialized training on treatments of the skin.

Hyphen Beauty + Massage School in Orlando

Come walk the floor before you decide. A tour takes about 30 minutes. You'll leave with the schedule, the full cost and the next start date, which is more than most schools will put in writing before you apply.

Select Book a Free Tour below, choose cosmetology and an available time. Bring your work schedule and questions about tuition or licensing. You can also call (321) 323-3216 to book with Admissions.

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