Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Salary: $50,948 Median Pay (2026 stats)
TL;DR
About 295,460 hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists nationally earn a mean of $50,948. Employment in the series shown rose about 5% from the first to the last year; projections imply about 0.5% annual decline.
Key Statistics
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists: what the data shows
Common questions about hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists?
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 39-5012.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 295,460 workers.
What does a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Performing for or Working Directly with the Public, Selling or Influencing Others, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Assisting and Caring for Others, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Thinking Creatively, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists make?
BLS national median annual wage: $35,250 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $50,948 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,676 |
| 25th percentile | $36,550 |
| Median (50th) | $40,489 |
| 75th percentile | $48,491 |
| 90th percentile | $77,235 |
What education do you need?
For Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists, O*NET incumbent surveys in our extract most often report: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
These are education levels of current workers, not minimum legal requirements.
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Active Listening, Speaking, Service Orientation, Critical Thinking, Active Learning, Judgment and Decision Making, and knowledge areas including Customer and Personal Service, Sales and Marketing, Administration and Management, Education and Training. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 0.5% annual decline (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: -2.6%.
Ten-year projected employment change: -5.1%.
Current U.S. headcount: 295,460.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologistss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 295,460 | 20.0% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 295,200 | 20.0% |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 261,290 | 17.7% |
| Personal and Laundry Services | 261,210 | 17.7% |
| Personal Care Services | 260,460 | 17.6% |
| General Merchandise Retailers | 33,620 | 2.3% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials | 26,830 | $33,880 |
| Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers | 16,570 | $53,990 |
| Personal Financial Advisors | 270,480 | $102,140 |
| Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents | 472,300 | $78,140 |
| Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers | 4,590 | $34,530 |
| Personal Care Aides | — | — |
| Barbers | 18,100 | $38,960 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists workforce.
Employment Over Time
295,460 Workforce in 2023
The Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$50,948 Average Wage
In 2023, Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists earned an average of $50,948.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
Salary distribution for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
Employment Growth Projections
-0.5% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
82,874 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: -2.6%
80,726 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: -5.1%
This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
Wage Trends by Industry
7.8% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 20,610 employees, $51,136 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 5,480 employees, $63,136 avg wage
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 2,370 employees, $47,843 avg wage
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: 2,020 employees, $46,938 avg wage
- Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 1,880 employees, $48,307 avg wage
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 1,790 employees, $42,865 avg wage
- Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 1,720 employees, $48,904 avg wage
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA: 1,580 employees, $43,616 avg wage
- San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD: 1,260 employees, $52,421 avg wage
- Fresno MSA: 360 employees, $42,999 avg wage
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura MSA: 350 employees, $43,050 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
Diversity
Demographic information on Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists in 2023 was 295,460 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists in 2023 were Business Administration, Business, Social Sciences.
Common majors for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists workers.
Education level distribution for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
Skills
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists need many skills, but most especially Active Listening, Speaking, Service Orientation, Critical Thinking, Active Learning.
Required skills for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists include Customer and Personal Service, Sales and Marketing, Administration and Management, Education and Training, English Language.
Knowledge areas required for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists include Near Vision, Manual Dexterity, Arm-Hand Steadiness, Finger Dexterity, Oral Expression.
Required abilities for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
Daily Activities
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists spend their time on activities such as Performing for or Working Directly with the Public, Selling or Influencing Others, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Assisting and Caring for Others, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge.
Most important work activities for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.
About
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
The average yearly wage for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists was $50,948 in 2023.
SOC Code
39-5012 - Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists reports an average salary of $50,948.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 295,460 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -0.5%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.