The Salon Professional Academy

• The cosmetology program at Nashville's Salon Professional Academy runs 1,500 hours and can be completed in as little as 10 months or as many as 25 months. The school works solely with Redken products, allowing students to become comfortable with various chemicals and interactions during hands-on coursework. The school works to keep class size low and attempts to place students upon graduation in one of the 6,000 salons in the 50 states.
  
  

Paul Mitchell School

• The Paul Mitchell School is just outside of Nashville in the town of Antioch. First and foremost it tries to work with students to find financial solutions to pay for tuition. The school utilizes Paul Mitchell products and has been operating campuses across the U.S. for more than 20 years. Students have a wide variety of options upon graduation since there are 100,000 Paul Mitchell salons in 81 countries. The school's goal is to teach the basics but inspire creativity in the field of beauty.
  
  

Lyle's School of Hair Design

• Lyle's School of Hair Design offers a smaller environment without the corporate affiliation of some of the larger schools. Its goals are simple: to teach students how to be effective cosmetologists without charging a large tuition fee. While access to a series of salons isn't available, students will develop a relationship with the people of Nashville. Graduates are encouraged to build their clientele as they work their way through school. All services at the salon are performed by students, so students leave with an extensive portfolio of work.
  
  

Volunteer Beauty Academy

• Volunteer Beauty Academy, with three Nashville locations, is owned by the former administrator of the Tennessee State Board of Cosmetology. It's been in business for more than 20 years, offering affordable tuition and accepting Pell Grants and Stafford Loans. Students get plenty of hands-on experience as they learn how to treat and maintain hair. This school offers freedom of choice when it comes to products, teaching the chemical formulas for many different brands concurrently.