SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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. Excludes “Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance” (39-5091), “Manicurists and Pedicurists” (39-5092), and “Skincare Specialists” (39-5094).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 39-5012.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $27,040 | $2,253 | $520 | $13.00 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $30,120 | $2,510 | $579 | $14.48 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $35,790 | $2,982 | $688 | $17.21 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $48,830 | $4,069 | $939 | $23.48 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $71,190 | $5,932 | $1,369 | $34.23 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists is $35,790, which is 30% lower. Among the 32 occupations of the field Personal Care and Service, it ranks number 22 by median pay. With 305,710 jobs, it makes up about 20 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($43,960) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists pay by state
The highest median pay was in Washington ($59,510), Oregon ($57,580) and District of Columbia ($54,570). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($22,090), Louisiana ($26,030) and Mississippi ($27,560). The most jobs were in California (27,080), Florida (23,530) and Texas (22,440). The occupation is most concentrated in New Jersey, where its share of all jobs is 1.8 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 6,930 | $59,510 | $63,800 | $28.61 |
| Oregon | 1,860 | $57,580 | $57,220 | $27.68 |
| District of Columbia | 870 | $54,570 | $70,320 | $26.23 |
| South Dakota | 690 | $49,800 | $48,310 | $23.94 |
| Vermont | 440 | $48,650 | $54,760 | $23.39 |
| Connecticut | 4,090 | $44,620 | $49,130 | $21.45 |
| Maine | 970 | $44,000 | $48,760 | $21.16 |
| Minnesota | 5,320 | $39,170 | $48,240 | $18.83 |
| California | 27,080 | $38,660 | $48,290 | $18.59 |
| North Carolina | 8,490 | $38,410 | $43,670 | $18.47 |
| Montana | 690 | $38,000 | $42,890 | $18.27 |
| New Mexico | 1,230 | $37,750 | $39,550 | $18.15 |
| Colorado | 6,820 | $37,690 | $51,590 | $18.12 |
| Massachusetts | 9,600 | $37,290 | $49,700 | $17.93 |
| Arizona | 7,840 | $36,810 | $43,000 | $17.70 |
| Pennsylvania | 19,350 | $36,790 | $43,000 | $17.69 |
| Maryland | 5,860 | $36,420 | $45,350 | $17.51 |
| Ohio | 12,890 | $36,260 | $44,680 | $17.43 |
| Wisconsin | 6,260 | $36,230 | $39,190 | $17.42 |
| New Jersey | 15,500 | $36,150 | $52,200 | $17.38 |
| New York | 20,740 | $35,760 | $50,040 | $17.19 |
| Iowa | 2,930 | $35,700 | $40,410 | $17.17 |
| Idaho | 2,250 | $35,480 | $35,740 | $17.06 |
| Utah | 2,810 | $35,140 | $41,840 | $16.89 |
| Hawaii | 930 | $35,040 | $45,920 | $16.85 |
| North Dakota | 870 | $34,850 | $43,810 | $16.76 |
| Michigan | 8,970 | $34,820 | $47,290 | $16.74 |
| New Hampshire | 1,950 | $34,650 | $39,180 | $16.66 |
| Georgia | 7,910 | $34,560 | $42,830 | $16.62 |
| West Virginia | 1,020 | $34,480 | $40,320 | $16.58 |
| Delaware | 1,270 | $34,350 | $42,990 | $16.51 |
| Nebraska | 1,890 | $34,320 | $43,850 | $16.50 |
| Illinois | 13,190 | $34,040 | $39,720 | $16.37 |
| Nevada | 1,940 | $33,840 | $38,830 | $16.27 |
| South Carolina | 3,570 | $33,700 | $42,580 | $16.20 |
| Indiana | 5,920 | $32,830 | $36,720 | $15.78 |
| Alaska | 330 | $32,150 | $41,750 | $15.46 |
| Tennessee | 6,080 | $31,310 | $38,100 | $15.05 |
| Rhode Island | 1,470 | $31,200 | $35,620 | $15.00 |
| Missouri | 5,430 | $30,750 | $40,240 | $14.78 |
| Texas | 22,440 | $30,680 | $38,820 | $14.75 |
| Kentucky | 2,350 | $29,840 | $41,390 | $14.35 |
| Kansas | 2,190 | $29,710 | $39,980 | $14.28 |
| Oklahoma | 1,920 | $29,650 | $36,290 | $14.26 |
| Florida | 23,530 | $29,530 | $36,210 | $14.20 |
| Guam | 170 | $29,500 | $30,080 | $14.18 |
| Wyoming | 360 | $29,170 | $34,370 | $14.03 |
| Alabama | 3,300 | $29,150 | $33,700 | $14.02 |
| Arkansas | 1,410 | $28,830 | $33,100 | $13.86 |
| Mississippi | 1,040 | $27,560 | $33,830 | $13.25 |
| Louisiana | 2,720 | $26,030 | $27,600 | $12.51 |
| Puerto Rico | 960 | $22,090 | $24,140 | $10.62 |
| Virginia | 10,200 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Recreation Workers$36,560 a year
- Gambling Service Workers, All Other$36,310 a year
- Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants$36,300 a year
- Manicurists and Pedicurists$35,760 a year
- Funeral Attendants$35,680 a year
- Animal Caretakers$35,360 a year
Common questions
How much do Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists earn in the United States?
The median pay was $35,790 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $27,040 and the highest-paid 10% more than $71,190.
How many people work as Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists?
About 305,710 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.