Phoenix Hair Styling School:
Skip Cosmetology and Focus on Hair
No nails. No skin. No 1,500 hours.
In Arizona, standalone hair styling programs are incredibly rare. Our specialized 1,000 hour program gets you straight to your career faster.
What is Hair Styling?
Hair styling is the art of changing a client’s hair through the use of chemistry to create a look that matches their internal self-image. You are highlighting their internal beauty. Hair styling accomplishes this through a variety of professional techniques, including curling, hair cutting, hair coloring, braiding, chemical services, and advanced extensions. This knowledge is absolutely required to safely alter a client’s hair because improper technique can permanently damage their hair or scalp.
You Don’t Just “Play” with Hair
Hair styling requires an advanced knowledge of the anatomy and structure of all different hair types. Strategies that work beautifully on one hair texture can completely destroy another. Becoming an expert in diverse hair types is essential to avoid causing severe chemical or heat damage to a client. There are many critical ways that lacking this structural knowledge can go wrong. You are a hair master.
What is a Hair Stylist?
A Hair Stylist or “Stylist” is a professional artist who holds a license through their state’s Board of Cosmetology. Professional hairstylists invest time at a hair styling school in Arizona to learn how to safely and accurately alter a client’s hair for cosmetic beauty. You are your client’s professional hair designer, helping them create the perfect first impression.
The Power of a Professional License
Becoming a licensed Hair Stylist unlocks high-earning services that you cannot legally perform without licensure, such as hair coloring and advanced chemical treatments. A licensed hair stylist in Phoenix can also open their own independent salon anywhere in the state of Arizona. Your license tells the State Board and your clients that you possess the verified knowledge to safely work with every hair type.
What Does a Hair Stylist Do?
It would be obvious to say that a Hair Stylist styles hair. The reality, though, is that you are in a service industry. This means your goal is for your client to feel better when they leave than when they first sat down in your chair. Hair stylists master advanced technical skills to create these transformations. You will learn foundational cutting angles and degrees, deep color theory for perfect color matching, and how to balance alkaline and acid chemicals to safely perform perms or relaxers. You will also master the science of heating and cooling hair to create stunning, long-lasting updos.
Creating A Style
The most successful Hair Stylists create their own unique style. You are an artist, and your work should be immediately identifiable as yours, the same way someone can instantly identify a Van Gogh. The biggest difference is that your clients wear your art out into the world every single day.
This unique aesthetic is your greatest business asset. We show you how to leverage your signature style to build a high-end digital portfolio, allowing you to attract high-paying clients and start growing your business from day one.
What Do You Learn in a Hair Styling Class?
Our Phoenix based program covers the main pillars of Hair Styling: hair washing, hair treatments, hair cutting, hair color, braiding, hair extensions, hair design, and chemical services. By understanding the biology and anatomy of the scalp and hair, you can create almost any style. We teach you the chemistry, sanitation, and safety procedures required to professionally perform services for clients.
Hair Design
Hair styling is a term often used when referring to hair design. Hair design encompasses the foundational skills of heating, cooling, moving, manipulating, and shaping hair to create a finished look. Knowing how to blow dry, curl, and flat iron all contribute to the final presentation of the hair.
Hair Cutting
Hair cutting requires a deep understanding of geometry and angles. Understanding what the difference between a 0, 45, 90, and 180 degree haircut is and knowing how to apply it ensures you can create any cut from a picture. You will often get a client who walks into a salon with a photo and complains that their previous haircut did not match. They usually do not understand that the raw cut has not been treated with proper hair design skills to create that final, polished style.
Hair Coloring
Hair coloring will challenge your expertise in color theory by teaching you which colors cancel each other out. You need to learn how to correct color just as much as how to apply it. Learning whether you should be using 10, 20, 30, or 40 volume developer is essential when creating highlights in a fast and safe way.
Hair Braiding
Hair braiding lets you add a whole new level of customization to your updos and hair designs. Understanding how to braid fine hair is completely different than working with coarse hair. Whether you are executing box braids, cornrows, fishtails, or skeleton braiding styles, you will learn how to work with your client’s tension so you are never pulling painfully on their scalp.
Hair Extensions
Hair extensions come in a variety of styles that all require unique technical skills. We teach tape ins, sew ins, i tips, k tips, braid ins, and bead extensions. Mastering hair extension services is an incredible asset because this is consistently one of the highest earning services in the entire hairstyling industry.
Chemical Services
Chemical services like perms and relaxers require expert knowledge. You must understand the chemical composition of the hair strand as well as the chemistry of the products you apply. Knowing how chemicals interact and exactly how long they should be left on is the legal difference between a great style and your client losing their hair.
Hair Treatments
Hair treatments are important to master because you will frequently encounter clients whose hair is not strong enough for the chemical services they want. Repairing and prepping the hair before a service is conducted can save you and your client from serious mishaps.
Combining Services
You will often be challenged to combine multiple services together to create a complete work of art. You may be asked to highlight hair, design a custom face frame, and finish it off with an intricate braid design. Being able to move seamlessly from service to service is the absolute best way to gain and retain high value clients.
Do I Need a High School Diploma or GED to Enroll?
Mima’s Beauty College does NOT require you to have a diploma or GED to be able to pursue Hair Styling school. Whatever reason you were not able to complete your high school education does not change who you are or your ability to get your Hair Styling license.
Your Fresh Start Starts Here
The reason that many schools require you to have a GED or diploma is not because you legally need one to practice. It is because those schools are required by the Department of Education to have one on file in order to issue student loans, FAFSA, or Pell Grants. We choose to not work with the federal government to give the opportunity to all students looking to create a career, regardless of past education.
Not having a diploma does not change whether you can be successful as a Hair Stylist. The only things that matter are that you are passionate, motivated, and want to learn how to be a business owner.
How Do I Become a Licensed Hair Stylist in Arizona?
The process to get a Hair Styling license in Arizona is really straightforward and simple. The first step is to complete a 1000-hour course with a state-licensed program like Mima’s Beauty College. After you complete your hours, you will take a Theory and Practical exam proctored by Professional Credential Services. When you score a minimum of a 75%, you will have passed your tests and can officially apply for your license. After you apply for your license, it will take the State Board 2–4 weeks to process your application.
The Path Forward:
Do I Need to Get a License to Be a Hair Stylist in Arizona?
The answer is it depends. You do not need a license to perform dry styling services in Arizona. In other words, as long as your client washes their own hair, you can legally perform braiding, hot tool styling, and extension services without a license. This is an option for practitioners who focus solely on bridal styling.
However, you do need an Arizona Hair Styling license if you want to perform hair cutting, hair coloring, chemical services, and hair treatments. Hair styling services often overlap. A client getting extensions installed will almost always want you to color match and blend their natural hair with the extension hair. Not having your licensure strictly limits your potential earnings, as you cannot perform those essential services, and the client will likely find someone else who can.
What Happens If I Practice Without a License in Arizona?
If you are currently performing Hair Service that are not “Dry hair” and charging money, transparently, you are breaking the law. Since you are performing services to clients, if they were to report you to the state board, you can face significant consequences. You can face warnings, fines, or being barred from ever getting a Hair Styling license. But, most importantly you leave yourself unprotected. Not being licensed means you do not have professional liability insurance, an LLC, or anything you can use if you hurt someone. If you damage someone’s scalp or cause hair loss, they could pursue legal action. This stress is not worth it when you can get your license in as little as 6 months.
How Much Does Hair Styling School Cost?
Your tuition, kit, and complete business scaling classes are all included with no additional costs or surprises. We offer down payments starting at $500 up to $2,500 to custom-fit your financial life.
With a $500 Down Payment:
You get your training materials on day one, and your advanced artistry tools and extension kits are distributed in phases as you move through the curriculum and make your regular monthly payments.
With a $2,500 Down Payment:
You unlock and receive your entire professional styling and technical kit upfront on day one of classes.
What Are My Monthly Payment Options?
We believe everyone should have access to affordable education. We work with people of all different incomes, credit scores, and life situations. We have worked with over 80 students to find a plan that works. For those looking to be completely debt-free and work directly with the school, we offer non-credit monthly payment plans with 100% approval. For those who need third-party financing for smaller monthly payments, we partner with Affirm to offer 0% interest loans for up to 24 months.
Tier 1: Debt Free
Best Fit For: Graduation completely debt-free
*Balances are calculated assuming a $2,500 down payment; total numbers and payment timelines will adjust if a lower option is selected.
Do You Offer FAFSA or Scholarships for the Nail Tech Program?
At Mima's, we choose to work with students who don't have a high school diploma or GED. Because of that, we don't offer FAFSA or traditional student loans.
Honestly, we see that as a good thing. Student loan debt can set you back significantly right when you are just trying to build a career and get your life started. Instead, we offer flexible payment plans and financing options that make school a reality for all income levels, without forcing you to take on a mountain of debt.
Skills for Independence
A large part of any art career is understanding the business side of the industry. If you only learn how to do the services that a Hair Stylist performs, you are limiting your potential income. You are an entrepreneur from day one—you invested in a career, so learn to be a business owner. Don't rely on a salon owner to give you your clients. You'll learn how to build your client book from scratch with just a portfolio.
Why Is Investing In This Level of Training Better For Your Future?
The best thing you can do for your career is make sure that the investment you make with your tuition leads you to the best possible outcome.
Traditional Hair Stylist schools in Phoenix focus on teaching you the trade so you can pass the state exam, which is important, but they usually stop there.
They just don't teach the legal, business, tax, or marketing side of things. Leaving those skills out is what ends up costing you more money in the long run.
Right now, the average wage of a Hair Stylist in Arizona is around $41.6k a year, which is low for a technical trade. But as a Hair Stylist, you can make up to $150k a year.
Hitting that top-end income means having top-end skills—and the skills that actually make you $150k are the business skills. Learning the trade is only a small part of what will make you successful.
If your school only teaches you the trade skills, you will make less money over the course of your career.
We include all of it because we want you to actually reach that full earning potential.
How We Invest In Your Potential
About 20% of businesses fail in their first year. By year five, that number jumps to 50%. With stats like that, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the average Hair Stylist only lasts about five years in this industry before throwing in the towel.
Why does that happen? Simply put, most schools just teach you how to do a job, when they should be preparing you for a career.
Instead of making you start from zero and trying to figure out how to build a business all by yourself, we help you learn from our mistakes. We pass our business expertise down to you so you don’t have to stress about how to be successful—you just have to show up and put in the work.
We guide you step-by-step on how to create your own LLC so you can pay yourself properly, all while teaching you the exact techniques you need to build and scale your own clientele.
Legal & Financial Security
We don't just teach you how to play with hair; we teach you how to open your own legal LLC. Anyone can finish a beauty program, but we give you the tools to build a permanent, legal business that protects your family and can never be taken away from you.
If you are looking to work for a salon first, we teach you how to read and understand employment contracts. We help you understand the difference between a W2 and a 1099 employee, and we help you understand your legal rights as a worker in the state of Arizona. We cover everything from what to ask for in your contract, to who legally owns your clients' information when working for a salon. No matter what path you choose, you should know how to advocate for yourself.
Generational Wealth & Legacy
You are not going to school just because it will be fun, you are going to school because you have goals. You and your family are choosing to make sacrifices so that you can have a better future—to leave a business, wealth, security, and comfort for your loved ones. It all starts with a single step.
The owner of Mima's Beauty College, Maggie Serrano, got her cosmetology license at 42. She built something for her three kids, but she also built a school that values your sacrifices, so that everyone who walks into our school has a family supporting them. We're here to help you create your own legacy. Maggie values her community and wants to give everyone the skills necessary to succeed.
No one succeeds alone—it takes a team. By being part of your team, we can help all of our communities. You're not just another student or enrollment number, you're a business owner, and we treat you like one from day one.
Treat yourself like the owner you are. Create your schedule, control your income, and build something real and long-lasting for yourself and your family
Your 1,000 Hour Hair Styling Schedule
Standalone hair styling programs are incredibly rare. Most schools force you into lengthy cosmetology courses that cover nails and skincare. Our specialized 1,000 hour hair styling program gets you straight to the chair faster. Running Tuesday through Saturday in Phoenix, we offer flexible tracks and only two exclusive start dates each year:
(Includes lunch break)
(Includes lunch break)
*With only two class launches per year, our structured schedules ensure you complete your required hours efficiently while maintaining a high focus, premium learning environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a high school diploma or GED to enroll?
No. We intentionally choose to work with students who don't have a diploma or GED. A piece of paper shouldn't stop you from building a career and supporting your family.
Can I keep working my current job while in school?
Yes. We built our flexible schedule tracks specifically for busy people and working adults. You can choose between our Morning Session or our Afternoon Session (both run Tuesday through Friday with full days on Saturdays), making it easy to balance school around your current job and family responsibilities.
What happens if I miss a class or get sick?
Life happens, especially when you have a family or a job. You get 10 absence days throughout the program to handle emergencies. However, because the state requires you to hit exactly 1,000 hours to graduate, you still have to make up any time you miss. We will work with you to get those hours made up so you stay on track to graduate in 10 months.
Are there any hidden fees for kits, books, or materials?
None at all. We don't do hidden fees or surprises. The total cost includes your tuition, your full professional Hairstyling kit, and your business classes. Your $2,500 upfront down payment ensures you get your entire kit on day one. If anything, when we have a scholarship available, you'll pay less!
Is the State Board exam fee included in the tuition?
No. The state board exam and licensing fees are paid directly to the State of Arizona when you apply to take your test. Your tuition covers everything else, your classes, your extensive kit, and making sure you are 100% prepared to pass that test the first time. You will pay $177 for your two state board tests (you do have to pay this again if you need to retake it, but 87% of our students pass on their first attempt). You will also pay $63 for your licensing fees, which you renew every two years on your birthday.
Can I take my state licensing exam if I still owe a balance to the school?
Yes, you can still sit for your state board exam regardless of your remaining balance. However, when you actually get your physical license from the state depends on the payment tier you choose. Tier 1 releases your license right away. Tier 2 releases in full at graduation. Tier 3 releases your license once you're approved and set up through Affirm.
Your Next Step Starts Here
You have seen the schedule, you know how the pricing works, and you know we are here to help you build a real, long lasting business. Now, the choice is yours.
We do not do high pressure sales pitches or aggressive corporate recruiting lines. Instead, we invite you to come see the space, meet our team, and see if Mima's feels like the right home for your future.
Become a Licensed Hair Stylist:
- Fill out the form: Take 2 minutes to complete our quick enrollment questionnaire.
- Tour the school: We will reach out to schedule a relaxed, zero pressure tour of our space so you can check out the environment yourself.
- Lock in your spot: Pick your payment track, set your schedule, and start building your career.
