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.
A Day in the Life of a Hairdresser, Hairstylist, or Cosmetologist
- Apply artificial fingernails.
- Train or supervise other hairstylists, hairdressers and assistants.
- Schedule client appointments.
- Cut, trim and shape hair or hairpieces, based on customers’ instructions, hair type and facial features, using clippers, scissors, trimmers and razors.
- Administer therapeutic medication and advise patron to seek medical treatment for chronic or contagious scalp conditions.
- Develop new styles and techniques.
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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.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Types of Hairdresser, Hairstylist, or Cosmetologist
- Beauty Operator
- Hypertrichologist
- Cosmetic Consultant
- Colorist
- Master Cosmetologist
Is There Job Demand for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 617,300 jobs in the United States for Hairdresser, Hairstylist, or Cosmetologist. 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. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 84,700 job openings in this field each year.
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.
Do Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Make A Lot Of Money?
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.
How much do Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists make in each U.S. state?
| 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 |
What Tools do Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Use?
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
Below are examples of industries where Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists work:
You May Also 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
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