What is a Hairdresser, Hairstylist, or Cosmetologist?
Career Description Provide beauty services, such as shampooing, cutting, coloring, and styling hair, and massaging and treating scalp. May apply makeup, dress wigs, perform hair removal, and provide nail and skin care services.
Life As a Hairdresser, Hairstylist, or Cosmetologist: What Do They Do?
- Administer therapeutic medication and advise patron to seek medical treatment for chronic or contagious scalp conditions.
- Keep work stations clean and sanitize tools, such as scissors and combs.
- Order, display, and maintain supplies.
- Recommend and explain the use of cosmetics, lotions, and creams to soften and lubricate skin and enhance and restore natural appearance.
- Apply artificial fingernails.
- Operate cash registers to receive payments from patrons.
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What Every Hairdresser, Hairstylist, or Cosmetologist Should Know
Below is a list of the skills most Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists say are important on the job.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Types of Hairdresser, Hairstylist, or Cosmetologist Jobs
- Manager Stylist
- Salon Customer Experience Specialist
- Hairstylist
- Wig Stylist
- Image Consultant
Job Demand for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
In the United States, there were 617,300 jobs for Hairdresser, Hairstylist, or Cosmetologist in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 13% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 80,100 new jobs for Hairdresser, Hairstylist, or Cosmetologist by 2026. The BLS estimates 84,700 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Hairdresser, Hairstylist, or Cosmetologist are Utah, Washington, and Tennessee. Watch out if you plan on working in Kansas, Wyoming, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Hairdresser, Hairstylist, or Cosmetologist Make?
The typical yearly salary for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists is somewhere between $17,980 and $50,110.
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists who work in District of Columbia, Massachusetts, or Washington, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $23,490 |
| Alaska | $32,170 |
| Arizona | $29,010 |
| Arkansas | $23,890 |
| California | $31,400 |
| Colorado | $34,830 |
| Connecticut | $34,140 |
| Delaware | $35,810 |
| District of Columbia | $45,680 |
| Florida | $31,530 |
| Georgia | $26,960 |
| Hawaii | $34,300 |
| Idaho | $31,090 |
| Illinois | $29,900 |
| Indiana | $27,460 |
| Iowa | $28,360 |
| Kansas | $25,620 |
| Kentucky | $27,270 |
| Louisiana | $22,990 |
| Maine | $28,680 |
| Maryland | $30,590 |
| Massachusetts | $42,260 |
| Michigan | $29,080 |
| Minnesota | $30,690 |
| Mississippi | $25,800 |
| Missouri | $28,620 |
| Montana | $26,170 |
| Nebraska | $28,850 |
| Nevada | $23,420 |
| New Hampshire | $28,770 |
| New Jersey | $37,230 |
| New Mexico | $23,370 |
| New York | $30,920 |
| North Carolina | $28,550 |
| North Dakota | $28,240 |
| Ohio | $27,300 |
| Oklahoma | $25,180 |
| Oregon | $28,050 |
| Pennsylvania | $26,990 |
| Rhode Island | $28,730 |
| South Carolina | $24,090 |
| South Dakota | $30,630 |
| Tennessee | $28,300 |
| Texas | $25,520 |
| Utah | $26,370 |
| Vermont | $35,700 |
| Virginia | $34,250 |
| Washington | $40,910 |
| West Virginia | $24,260 |
| Wisconsin | $28,970 |
| Wyoming | $30,000 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Intuit QuickBooks
- YouTube
- Appointment scheduling software
- Customer information databases
- Sale processing software
Becoming a Hairdresser, Hairstylist, or Cosmetologist
What education or degrees do I need to become a Hairdresser, Hairstylist, or Cosmetologist?
What work experience do I need to become a Hairdresser, Hairstylist, or Cosmetologist?
Where Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Work
The table below shows the approximate number of Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists employed by various industries.
Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Are you already one of the many Hairdresser, Hairstylist, or Cosmetologist in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: Tiffany Bumgardner via Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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