How to Choose a Massage School in Florida: 7 Things to Check

1. Is the School Approved by the Florida Board?

Florida requires a license to practice massage. To apply for one, you need a program of at least 500 hours at a school the Florida Board of Massage Therapy approves. Ask any school for its Board approval before you pay a deposit, and check it with the Board.

Hyphen is approved by the Florida Board of Massage Therapy.

Florida Board of Massage Therapy: license requirements

2. Is It Accredited, and by Whom?

Board approval and accreditation are two different things. Board approval is what Florida licensing needs. Accreditation is a separate review by an outside agency.

If a school says it's accredited, ask which agency accredits it. Then look the school up in that agency's own directory. Hyphen is accredited by COMTA, the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation. If federal financial aid matters to you, ask about that too. Federal financial aid is not currently available at Hyphen.

3. How Much of Campus Time Is Hands-On?

This is the question most people forget to ask. At some schools, a long campus day is mostly lecture. One student in an online massage forum described 9-hour school days with hands-on work only in the last 30 to 45 minutes.

Ask how a typical campus day is split. Then ask who corrects your body mechanics. You want an instructor watching your hands and posture, not just a lecture about it.

At Hyphen, theory is online, so campus days go to the table. Classes are capped at 10 students. Once you're ready, you practice on real clients by appointment, with an instructor correcting your pressure and posture on the spot.

4. How Does the School Prepare You for the MBLEx?

Florida uses the MBLEx for massage licensing. Ask whether exam prep runs through the whole program or gets squeezed in at the end. Ask for the school's MBLEx pass rate and the time period it covers. And ask what happens if you don't pass the first time.

At Hyphen, MBLEx content is built in from week one and reviewed all the way through. The exam fee is not included in tuition. If you don't pass the first time, you can retake it. Read is the MBLEx hard to pass for what the exam covers.

5. What Does It Cost, All In?

Get the total price in writing, and ask what it leaves out. The exam fee, fingerprinting, state license fees and a massage table can add up fast if they aren't included.

Hyphen's tuition is $6,490, with an interest-free payment plan. It includes your kit and an aluminum-framed massage table. Hyphen also pays your Florida license and registration fees once you pass the MBLEx. The MBLEx exam fee, fingerprinting and textbooks are paid separately. See the full breakdown of massage school cost.

6. Do the Class Days Fit Your Life?

Most adults can't stop working to go to school. Ask which days classes meet, and whether that stays the same for the whole program.

At Hyphen, massage classes meet Friday to Sunday. Lectures are online and available at any time. The campus faces I-4 at the Lee Road exit. Massage students drive in from Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, Four Corners, Kissimmee, Sanford, Apopka and Oviedo.

7. What Happens After You Graduate?

A school should help you get from graduation to your first paycheck. Ask about career services, and ask what share of graduates find work.

At Hyphen, career services are free for every student, and our placement rate is 90 to 95%. Spas, resorts, chiropractic offices and wellness studios across Orlando hire licensed massage therapists. Learn more about Hyphen's massage therapy school.

Take This Checklist on Your Tours

Visit at least two schools before you choose a massage school in Florida. Bring these seven questions, write down the answers, and compare them side by side. The right school is the one that answers all seven clearly.

Frequently Asked Questions