Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists pay in the U.S.
$43,960avg. a year
$21.13 an hour · 305,710 employed
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists in the U.S. earn an average of $43,960 a year and a median of $35,790. Pay is highest in District of Columbia ($70,320) and lowest in Louisiana ($27,600).
$35,790Median pay
$21.13Average hourly
+34%Avg. pay since 2020
305,710Jobs in the U.S.
Top-paying states for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
Average pay by state. Swipe to see the top 10.
1870 jobs
District of Columbia
$70,320
$33.81 an hour
26,930 jobs
Washington
$63,800
$30.67 an hour
31,860 jobs
Oregon
$57,220
$27.51 an hour
4440 jobs
Vermont
$54,760
$26.33 an hour
515,500 jobs
New Jersey
$52,200
$25.10 an hour
66,820 jobs
Colorado
$51,590
$24.80 an hour
720,740 jobs
New York
$50,040
$24.06 an hour
89,600 jobs
Massachusetts
$49,700
$23.90 an hour
94,090 jobs
Connecticut
$49,130
$23.62 an hour
10970 jobs
Maine
$48,760
$23.44 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists pay, charted
Pay over time
United States, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where the jobs are
Employment by state, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · tap a state
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Under $39k$39k–$43k$43k–$48k$48k+
Top-paying metro areas
Average pay, May 2025 (areas with 100+ jobs)
| Metro area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $65,920 | $31.69 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $65,150 | $31.32 |
| Bellingham, WA | $64,360 | $30.94 |
| Corvallis, OR | $62,120 | $29.86 |
| Boulder, CO | $60,730 | $29.20 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $60,670 | $29.17 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $60,560 | $29.12 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $58,660 | $28.20 |
Related jobs
- Manicurists and Pedicurists$38,570
- Skincare Specialists$51,850
- Barbers$47,070
- Shampooers$31,980
- Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance$102,240
- Childcare Workers$35,030
Average U.S. pay, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists pay in every state
States without a figure had too few jobs or too little survey data for BLS to publish.
| State | Avg. pay | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $33,700 | $29,150 | 3,300 |
| Alaska | $41,750 | $32,150 | 330 |
| Arizona | $43,000 | $36,810 | 7,840 |
| Arkansas | $33,100 | $28,830 | 1,410 |
| California | $48,290 | $38,660 | 27,080 |
| Colorado | $51,590 | $37,690 | 6,820 |
| Connecticut | $49,130 | $44,620 | 4,090 |
| Delaware | $42,990 | $34,350 | 1,270 |
| District of Columbia | $70,320 | $54,570 | 870 |
| Florida | $36,210 | $29,530 | 23,530 |
| Georgia | $42,830 | $34,560 | 7,910 |
| Hawaii | $45,920 | $35,040 | 930 |
| Idaho | $35,740 | $35,480 | 2,250 |
| Illinois | $39,720 | $34,040 | 13,190 |
| Indiana | $36,720 | $32,830 | 5,920 |
| Iowa | $40,410 | $35,700 | 2,930 |
| Kansas | $39,980 | $29,710 | 2,190 |
| Kentucky | $41,390 | $29,840 | 2,350 |
| Louisiana | $27,600 | $26,030 | 2,720 |
| Maine | $48,760 | $44,000 | 970 |
| Maryland | $45,350 | $36,420 | 5,860 |
| Massachusetts | $49,700 | $37,290 | 9,600 |
| Michigan | $47,290 | $34,820 | 8,970 |
| Minnesota | $48,240 | $39,170 | 5,320 |
| Mississippi | $33,830 | $27,560 | 1,040 |
| Missouri | $40,240 | $30,750 | 5,430 |
| Montana | $42,890 | $38,000 | 690 |
| Nebraska | $43,850 | $34,320 | 1,890 |
| Nevada | $38,830 | $33,840 | 1,940 |
| New Hampshire | $39,180 | $34,650 | 1,950 |
| New Jersey | $52,200 | $36,150 | 15,500 |
| New Mexico | $39,550 | $37,750 | 1,230 |
| New York | $50,040 | $35,760 | 20,740 |
| North Carolina | $43,670 | $38,410 | 8,490 |
| North Dakota | $43,810 | $34,850 | 870 |
| Ohio | $44,680 | $36,260 | 12,890 |
| Oklahoma | $36,290 | $29,650 | 1,920 |
| Oregon | $57,220 | $57,580 | 1,860 |
| Pennsylvania | $43,000 | $36,790 | 19,350 |
| Rhode Island | $35,620 | $31,200 | 1,470 |
| South Carolina | $42,580 | $33,700 | 3,570 |
| South Dakota | $48,310 | $49,800 | 690 |
| Tennessee | $38,100 | $31,310 | 6,080 |
| Texas | $38,820 | $30,680 | 22,440 |
| Utah | $41,840 | $35,140 | 2,810 |
| Vermont | $54,760 | $48,650 | 440 |
| Washington | $63,800 | $59,510 | 6,930 |
| West Virginia | $40,320 | $34,480 | 1,020 |
| Wisconsin | $39,190 | $36,230 | 6,260 |
| Wyoming | $34,370 | $29,170 | 360 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
$51,650
27,660 jobsChicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$39,760
12,000 jobsLos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$54,290
10,910 jobsPhiladelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$43,990
9,960 jobsBoston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$49,010
7,870 jobsWashington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$49,360
7,010 jobs$40,050
6,630 jobsPhoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$43,250
6,440 jobsQuestions and answers
How much do hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists make?
The average is $43,960 a year across the U.S. Half earn more than $35,790 and half earn less (the median).
What is the hourly pay?
The average hourly wage is $21.13, and the median is $17.21 an hour.
Which state pays hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists the most?
District of Columbia, with an average of $70,320 a year. The best-paying metro area is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $65,920.
What is the pay range?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $27,040 a year, and the top 10% earn over $71,190.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 39-5012. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.