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Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists: Career Profile
Provide beauty services, such as cutting, coloring, and styling hair, and massaging and treating scalp. May shampoo hair, apply makeup, dress wigs, remove hair, and provide nail and skincare services.
What Do Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Perform?
The core tasks performed by hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists span:
- Keep work stations clean and sanitize tools, such as scissors and combs.
- Bleach, dye, or tint hair, using applicator or brush.
- Cut, trim and shape hair or hairpieces, based on customers' instructions, hair type, and facial features, using clippers, scissors, trimmers and razors.
- Schedule client appointments.
- Update and maintain customer information records, such as beauty services provided.
- Demonstrate and sell hair care products and cosmetics.
- Analyze patrons' hair and other physical features to determine and recommend beauty treatment or suggest hair styles.
- Shampoo, rinse, condition, and dry hair and scalp or hairpieces with water, liquid soap, or other solutions.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Beautician
- Beauty Advisor
- Beauty Operator
- Beauty Specialist
- Beauty Therapist
- Colorist
- Cosmetic Consultant
- Cosmetician
How Many Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Are There?
There are about 235,173 hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists working in the United States today. Employment is projected to decline by -3.6% over the projection horizon.
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $39,017 |
| Hourly median | $18.76 |
| 10th percentile | $26,303 |
| 25th percentile | $32,660 |
| 75th percentile | $45,374 |
| 90th percentile | $51,731 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $58,920 |
| Hawaii | $52,000 |
| Vermont | $49,640 |
| South Dakota | $49,050 |
| Maine | $48,480 |
| District of Columbia | $48,060 |
| Massachusetts | $47,740 |
| Alaska | $44,700 |
| New Jersey | $44,110 |
| Colorado | $43,680 |
| Minnesota | $42,850 |
| New Hampshire | $42,000 |
| California | $39,370 |
| Nebraska | $39,190 |
| Montana | $38,230 |
| Virginia | $37,850 |
| Iowa | $37,850 |
| Connecticut | $37,070 |
| Wisconsin | $36,550 |
| Maryland | $36,440 |
| North Carolina | $36,140 |
| Oregon | $35,760 |
| Michigan | $35,720 |
| Arizona | $35,220 |
| Utah | $34,960 |
| Illinois | $34,800 |
| Kansas | $34,740 |
| New York | $33,960 |
| North Dakota | $33,870 |
| Idaho | $33,820 |
| Wyoming | $32,400 |
| Kentucky | $32,170 |
| Indiana | $31,480 |
| West Virginia | $31,150 |
| Delaware | $30,980 |
| Georgia | $30,790 |
| Guam | $30,730 |
| Oklahoma | $30,680 |
| Rhode Island | $30,510 |
| Missouri | $30,390 |
| Florida | $29,760 |
| Nevada | $29,690 |
| Pennsylvania | $29,680 |
| Alabama | $29,660 |
| Ohio | $29,440 |
| Tennessee | $29,170 |
| South Carolina | $29,120 |
| Texas | $28,370 |
| Mississippi | $28,360 |
| New Mexico | $28,150 |
| Arkansas | $26,450 |
| Louisiana | $23,470 |
| Puerto Rico | $20,410 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Pay for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $43,505 | 5.9% | 1.26 |
| Far Western US | $43,329 | 11.4% | 0.72 |
| Rocky Mountains | $39,284 | 4.4% | 1.12 |
| Plains States | $36,965 | 6.5% | 0.95 |
| Middle Atlantic | $35,545 | 21.0% | 1.45 |
| Great Lakes | $33,361 | 16.3% | 1.14 |
| Southeast | $31,504 | 22.9% | 0.99 |
| Southwest | $30,076 | 11.3% | 0.93 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | WA | $60,770 | 230 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $60,140 | 4,910 |
| Bellingham, WA | WA | $60,130 | 170 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | WA | $58,800 | 530 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | HI | $57,080 | 90 |
| Reno, NV | NV | $54,610 | 320 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | HI | $52,000 | 760 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | WA | $50,670 | 310 |
Which Industries Hire Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
Most hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 261,290 | $35,580 |
| Retail Trade | 27,230 | $29,430 |
| Information | 2,060 | $101,490 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 1,610 | $39,000 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 970 | $35,220 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 830 | $32,660 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 590 | $59,350 |
| Educational Services | 340 | $39,480 |
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Operating system software: Apple iOS (hot technology)
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Accounting software: Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Freedom to Make Decisions
How to Become Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
Typical hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists positions require some college, no degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Spa Managers (Primary-Long)
- Fashion Designers (Primary-Long)
- Floral Designers (Supplemental)
- Opticians, Dispensing (Supplemental)
- Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners (Supplemental)
- Costume Attendants (Supplemental)
- Barbers (Primary-Short)
- Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance (Primary-Short)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Future hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists typically earn programs in:
Personal and Culinary Services
8 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 39-5012.00 (Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists).
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