Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists (SOC 39-5012) earn a median $35,790 a year ($17.21 an hour) in the United States, with 305,710 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists do
Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists provide beauty care centered on hair: cutting, coloring, and styling it, plus scalp massage and treatment. They look over a customer's hair and physical features, suggest a treatment or style, and cut, trim, and shape hair or hairpieces to the customer's wishes, hair type, and face using clippers, scissors, trimmers, and razors. They bleach, dye, or tint hair with an applicator or brush, and wash, rinse, condition, and dry hair and scalp. Some also apply makeup, dress wigs, remove hair, and offer nail and skin care. Stylists schedule appointments, keep customer records of the services provided, show and sell hair care products and cosmetics, and sanitize scissors and combs while keeping their stations clean. Theatrical makeup artists, manicurists and pedicurists, and skincare specialists each have their own codes. Beautician, colorist, and beauty operator are other names for the work.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a post-secondary certificate as the usual education level (about 79 percent).
Also called: Beautician, Beauty Advisor, Beauty Operator, Beauty Specialist, Beauty Therapist.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.00 | $14.48 | $17.21 | $23.48 | $34.23 | $21.13 | 305,710 |
| Annual | $27,040 | $30,120 | $35,790 | $48,830 | $71,190 | $43,960 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $17.71 | $22.25 | $28.61 | $35.36 | $48.06 | $30.67 | 6,930 | 1.95 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $36,830 | $46,280 | $59,510 | $73,540 | $99,970 | $63,800 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $16.77 | $18.58 | $27.68 | $31.12 | $36.93 | $27.51 | 1,860 | 0.95 | 0.48 |
| Annual | $34,880 | $38,640 | $57,580 | $64,740 | $76,810 | $57,220 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $17.50 | $21.75 | $26.23 | $37.32 | $62.96 | $33.81 | 870 | 1.24 | 0.63 |
| Annual | $36,400 | $45,250 | $54,570 | $77,620 | $130,950 | $70,320 | ||||
| South Dakota | Hourly | $15.43 | $20.61 | $23.94 | $27.02 | $29.76 | $23.23 | 690 | 1.51 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $32,090 | $42,870 | $49,800 | $56,200 | $61,900 | $48,310 | ||||
| Vermont | Hourly | $14.88 | $17.25 | $23.39 | $29.26 | $38.72 | $26.33 | 440 | 1.45 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $30,960 | $35,870 | $48,650 | $60,860 | $80,530 | $54,760 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $17.00 | $17.60 | $18.59 | $23.57 | $33.00 | $23.22 | 27,080 | 1.49 | 0.76 |
| Annual | $35,360 | $36,600 | $38,660 | $49,030 | $68,640 | $48,290 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $13.20 | $13.63 | $14.20 | $16.87 | $28.04 | $17.41 | 23,530 | 2.37 | 1.21 |
| Annual | $27,450 | $28,340 | $29,530 | $35,090 | $58,320 | $36,210 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $11.34 | $13.59 | $14.75 | $22.68 | $28.72 | $18.67 | 22,440 | 1.60 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $23,580 | $28,270 | $30,680 | $47,180 | $59,730 | $38,820 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $16.33 | $16.63 | $17.19 | $28.04 | $42.57 | $24.06 | 20,740 | 2.14 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $33,960 | $34,580 | $35,760 | $58,320 | $88,540 | $50,040 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $11.40 | $13.97 | $17.69 | $26.62 | $33.05 | $20.68 | 19,350 | 3.19 | 1.62 |
| Annual | $23,700 | $29,050 | $36,790 | $55,360 | $68,750 | $43,000 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Corvallis, OR | Hourly | $17.36 | $23.68 | $29.75 | $33.23 | $50.43 | $29.86 | 120 | 3.06 | 1.56 |
| Annual | $36,120 | $49,240 | $61,880 | $69,120 | $104,890 | $62,120 | ||||
| Bellingham, WA | Hourly | $17.05 | $17.76 | $29.72 | $36.65 | $52.57 | $30.94 | 160 | 1.78 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $35,470 | $36,940 | $61,820 | $76,230 | $109,340 | $64,360 | ||||
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | Hourly | $17.05 | $22.73 | $29.54 | $36.20 | $48.16 | $31.32 | 570 | 2.24 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $35,470 | $47,270 | $61,440 | $75,290 | $100,180 | $65,150 | ||||
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | Hourly | $14.47 | $16.24 | $29.19 | $29.64 | $45.55 | $28.35 | 80 | 1.09 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $30,090 | $33,790 | $60,710 | $61,650 | $94,740 | $58,960 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $18.71 | $22.29 | $28.76 | $35.70 | $48.72 | $31.69 | 4,510 | 2.16 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $38,910 | $46,370 | $59,810 | $74,260 | $101,340 | $65,920 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $16.10 | $16.63 | $17.37 | $26.43 | $44.13 | $24.83 | 27,660 | 2.91 | 1.48 |
| Annual | $33,480 | $34,580 | $36,120 | $54,970 | $91,780 | $51,650 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $15.00 | $15.00 | $16.47 | $20.37 | $28.35 | $19.12 | 12,000 | 2.66 | 1.35 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $31,200 | $34,260 | $42,360 | $58,960 | $39,760 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.54 | $17.70 | $20.91 | $29.53 | $35.22 | $26.10 | 10,910 | 1.74 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $36,490 | $36,820 | $43,500 | $61,420 | $73,260 | $54,290 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $13.75 | $15.38 | $17.94 | $23.77 | $31.02 | $21.15 | 9,960 | 3.44 | 1.75 |
| Annual | $28,600 | $31,980 | $37,320 | $49,440 | $64,530 | $43,990 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $15.19 | $16.81 | $18.00 | $28.83 | $37.91 | $23.56 | 7,870 | 2.91 | 1.48 |
| Annual | $31,600 | $34,970 | $37,430 | $59,960 | $78,850 | $49,010 | ||||
Top industries employing hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
Personal Care Services employ 86.8% of hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists nationally (265,230 jobs) at a median $36,170 a year ($17.39 an hour), followed by General Merchandise Retailers (5.7%) and Health and Personal Care Retailers (4.4%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Care Services NAICS 812100 | 265,230 | 86.8% | $36,170 | $17.39 |
| General Merchandise Retailers NAICS 455000 | 17,460 | 5.7% | $30,620 | $14.72 |
| Health and Personal Care Retailers NAICS 456100 | 13,410 | 4.4% | $31,120 | $14.96 |
| Motion Picture and Video Industries NAICS 512100 | 1,560 | 0.5% | $135,020 | $64.91 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 970 | 0.3% | $33,180 | $15.95 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (305,710). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $29,670 for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in May 2021 and $35,790 in May 2025, with employment of 285,980 and 305,710.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $29,670 | $14.26 | 285,980 |
| May 2022 | $33,290 | $16.01 | 298,050 |
| May 2023 | $34,970 | $16.81 | 294,840 |
| May 2024 | $35,250 | $16.95 | 295,460 |
| May 2025 | $35,790 | $17.21 | 305,710 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington profile | $28.61 | $59,510 | $36,830 | $99,970 | 6,930 | 1.95 | 0.99 |
| 2 | Oregon profile | $27.68 | $57,580 | $34,880 | $76,810 | 1,860 | 0.95 | 0.48 |
| 3 | District of Columbia profile | $26.23 | $54,570 | $36,400 | $130,950 | 870 | 1.24 | 0.63 |
| 4 | South Dakota profile | $23.94 | $49,800 | $32,090 | $61,900 | 690 | 1.51 | 0.77 |
| 5 | Vermont profile | $23.39 | $48,650 | $30,960 | $80,530 | 440 | 1.45 | 0.73 |
| 6 | Connecticut profile | $21.45 | $44,620 | $34,010 | $72,620 | 4,090 | 2.41 | 1.23 |
| 7 | Maine profile | $21.16 | $44,000 | $30,640 | $63,640 | 970 | 1.52 | 0.77 |
| 8 | Minnesota profile | $18.83 | $39,170 | $23,590 | $78,880 | 5,320 | 1.80 | 0.92 |
| 9 | California profile | $18.59 | $38,660 | $35,360 | $68,640 | 27,080 | 1.49 | 0.76 |
| 10 | North Carolina profile | $18.47 | $38,410 | $26,880 | $61,530 | 8,490 | 1.72 | 0.87 |
| 11 | Montana profile | $18.27 | $38,000 | $22,160 | $75,440 | 690 | 1.35 | 0.68 |
| 12 | New Mexico profile | $18.15 | $37,750 | $27,190 | $52,560 | 1,230 | 1.41 | 0.72 |
| 13 | Colorado profile | $18.12 | $37,690 | $31,520 | $98,860 | 6,820 | 2.37 | 1.21 |
| 14 | Massachusetts profile | $17.93 | $37,290 | $31,600 | $79,330 | 9,600 | 2.64 | 1.34 |
| 15 | Arizona profile | $17.70 | $36,810 | $31,050 | $57,790 | 7,840 | 2.42 | 1.23 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania profile | $17.69 | $36,790 | $23,700 | $68,750 | 19,350 | 3.19 | 1.62 |
| 17 | Maryland profile | $17.51 | $36,420 | $31,830 | $72,940 | 5,860 | 2.12 | 1.08 |
| 18 | Ohio profile | $17.43 | $36,260 | $23,520 | $77,330 | 12,890 | 2.32 | 1.18 |
| 19 | Wisconsin profile | $17.42 | $36,230 | $23,790 | $58,970 | 6,260 | 2.13 | 1.08 |
| 20 | New Jersey profile | $17.38 | $36,150 | $32,220 | $92,090 | 15,500 | 3.62 | 1.84 |
| 21 | New York profile | $17.19 | $35,760 | $33,960 | $88,540 | 20,740 | 2.14 | 1.09 |
| 22 | Iowa profile | $17.17 | $35,700 | $26,650 | $56,250 | 2,930 | 1.88 | 0.96 |
| 23 | Idaho profile | $17.06 | $35,480 | $22,810 | $48,000 | 2,250 | 2.63 | 1.34 |
| 24 | Utah profile | $16.89 | $35,140 | $21,810 | $75,860 | 2,810 | 1.62 | 0.82 |
| 25 | Hawaii profile | $16.85 | $35,040 | $29,120 | $73,820 | 930 | 1.49 | 0.76 |
| 26 | North Dakota profile | $16.76 | $34,850 | $24,130 | $77,800 | 870 | 2.02 | 1.03 |
| 27 | Michigan profile | $16.74 | $34,820 | $25,960 | $95,370 | 8,970 | 2.04 | 1.04 |
| 28 | New Hampshire profile | $16.66 | $34,650 | $25,720 | $58,210 | 1,950 | 2.86 | 1.45 |
| 29 | Georgia profile | $16.62 | $34,560 | $17,310 | $79,170 | 7,910 | 1.62 | 0.82 |
| 30 | West Virginia profile | $16.58 | $34,480 | $23,580 | $60,300 | 1,020 | 1.45 | 0.74 |
| 31 | Delaware profile | $16.51 | $34,350 | $31,200 | $75,950 | 1,270 | 2.62 | 1.33 |
| 32 | Nebraska profile | $16.50 | $34,320 | $28,080 | $73,740 | 1,890 | 1.85 | 0.94 |
| 33 | Illinois profile | $16.37 | $34,040 | $31,200 | $58,960 | 13,190 | 2.16 | 1.10 |
| 34 | Nevada profile | $16.27 | $33,840 | $26,160 | $64,300 | 1,940 | 1.25 | 0.64 |
| 35 | South Carolina profile | $16.20 | $33,700 | $21,340 | $77,430 | 3,570 | 1.55 | 0.79 |
| 36 | Indiana profile | $15.78 | $32,830 | $23,890 | $58,620 | 5,920 | 1.85 | 0.94 |
| 37 | Alaska profile | $15.46 | $32,150 | $30,900 | $55,850 | 330 | 1.02 | 0.52 |
| 38 | Tennessee profile | $15.05 | $31,310 | $25,700 | $58,000 | 6,080 | 1.85 | 0.94 |
| 39 | Rhode Island profile | $15.00 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $38,630 | 1,470 | 2.93 | 1.49 |
| 40 | Missouri profile | $14.78 | $30,750 | $28,600 | $58,530 | 5,430 | 1.85 | 0.94 |
| 41 | Texas profile | $14.75 | $30,680 | $23,580 | $59,730 | 22,440 | 1.60 | 0.81 |
| 42 | Kentucky profile | $14.35 | $29,840 | $22,580 | $76,170 | 2,350 | 1.18 | 0.60 |
| 43 | Kansas profile | $14.28 | $29,710 | $21,910 | $77,790 | 2,190 | 1.52 | 0.77 |
| 44 | Oklahoma profile | $14.26 | $29,650 | $18,980 | $60,390 | 1,920 | 1.12 | 0.57 |
| 45 | Florida profile | $14.20 | $29,530 | $27,450 | $58,320 | 23,530 | 2.37 | 1.21 |
| 46 | Wyoming profile | $14.03 | $29,170 | $18,150 | $56,640 | 360 | 1.28 | 0.65 |
| 47 | Alabama profile | $14.02 | $29,150 | $21,300 | $56,700 | 3,300 | 1.56 | 0.79 |
| 48 | Arkansas profile | $13.86 | $28,830 | $23,920 | $49,990 | 1,410 | 1.08 | 0.55 |
| 49 | Mississippi profile | $13.25 | $27,560 | $17,370 | $58,790 | 1,040 | 0.89 | 0.45 |
| 50 | Louisiana profile | $12.51 | $26,030 | $21,590 | $33,900 | 2,720 | 1.41 | 0.71 |
| – | Virginia profile | * | * | * | * | 10,200 | 2.48 | 1.26 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (39-5010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Personal Care and Service Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 39-5012 Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 39-5012, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 39-5012.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.