Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologistss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- District of Columbia$70,320
- Washington$63,800
- Oregon$57,220
- Vermont$54,760
- New Jersey$52,200
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Louisiana$27,600
- Arkansas$33,100
- Alabama$33,700
- Mississippi$33,830
- Wyoming$34,370
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $70,320 | $54,570 | $34 | +60% | 870 |
| 2 | Washington | $63,800 | $59,510 | $31 | +45.1% | 6,930 |
| 3 | Oregon | $57,220 | $57,580 | $28 | +30.2% | 1,860 |
| 4 | Vermont | $54,760 | $48,650 | $26 | +24.6% | 440 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $52,200 | $36,150 | $25 | +18.7% | 15,500 |
| 6 | Colorado | $51,590 | $37,690 | $25 | +17.4% | 6,820 |
| 7 | New York | $50,040 | $35,760 | $24 | +13.8% | 20,740 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $49,700 | $37,290 | $24 | +13.1% | 9,600 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $49,130 | $44,620 | $24 | +11.8% | 4,090 |
| 10 | Maine | $48,760 | $44,000 | $23 | +10.9% | 970 |
| 11 | South Dakota | $48,310 | $49,800 | $23 | +9.9% | 690 |
| 12 | California | $48,290 | $38,660 | $23 | +9.8% | 27,080 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $48,240 | $39,170 | $23 | +9.7% | 5,320 |
| 14 | Michigan | $47,290 | $34,820 | $23 | +7.6% | 8,970 |
| 15 | Hawaii | $45,920 | $35,040 | $22 | +4.5% | 930 |
| 16 | Maryland | $45,350 | $36,420 | $22 | +3.2% | 5,860 |
| 17 | Ohio | $44,680 | $36,260 | $21 | +1.6% | 12,890 |
| 18 | Nebraska | $43,850 | $34,320 | $21 | -0.3% | 1,890 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $43,810 | $34,850 | $21 | -0.3% | 870 |
| 20 | North Carolina | $43,670 | $38,410 | $21 | -0.7% | 8,490 |
| 21 | Arizona | $43,000 | $36,810 | $21 | -2.2% | 7,840 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $43,000 | $36,790 | $21 | -2.2% | 19,350 |
| 23 | Delaware | $42,990 | $34,350 | $21 | -2.2% | 1,270 |
| 24 | Montana | $42,890 | $38,000 | $21 | -2.4% | 690 |
| 25 | Georgia | $42,830 | $34,560 | $21 | -2.6% | 7,910 |
| 26 | South Carolina | $42,580 | $33,700 | $20 | -3.1% | 3,570 |
| 27 | Utah | $41,840 | $35,140 | $20 | -4.8% | 2,810 |
| 28 | Alaska | $41,750 | $32,150 | $20 | -5% | 330 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $41,390 | $29,840 | $20 | -5.8% | 2,350 |
| 30 | Iowa | $40,410 | $35,700 | $19 | -8.1% | 2,930 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $40,320 | $34,480 | $19 | -8.3% | 1,020 |
| 32 | Missouri | $40,240 | $30,750 | $19 | -8.5% | 5,430 |
| 33 | Kansas | $39,980 | $29,710 | $19 | -9.1% | 2,190 |
| 34 | Illinois | $39,720 | $34,040 | $19 | -9.6% | 13,190 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $39,550 | $37,750 | $19 | -10% | 1,230 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | $39,190 | $36,230 | $19 | -10.9% | 6,260 |
| 37 | New Hampshire | $39,180 | $34,650 | $19 | -10.9% | 1,950 |
| 38 | Nevada | $38,830 | $33,840 | $19 | -11.7% | 1,940 |
| 39 | Texas | $38,820 | $30,680 | $19 | -11.7% | 22,440 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $38,100 | $31,310 | $18 | -13.3% | 6,080 |
| 41 | Indiana | $36,720 | $32,830 | $18 | -16.5% | 5,920 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $36,290 | $29,650 | $17 | -17.4% | 1,920 |
| 43 | Florida | $36,210 | $29,530 | $17 | -17.6% | 23,530 |
| 44 | Idaho | $35,740 | $35,480 | $17 | -18.7% | 2,250 |
| 45 | Rhode Island | $35,620 | $31,200 | $17 | -19% | 1,470 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $34,370 | $29,170 | $17 | -21.8% | 360 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $33,830 | $27,560 | $16 | -23% | 1,040 |
| 48 | Alabama | $33,700 | $29,150 | $16 | -23.3% | 3,300 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $33,100 | $28,830 | $16 | -24.7% | 1,410 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $27,600 | $26,030 | $13 | -37.2% | 2,720 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 453 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Corvallis, OR | $61,880 | $62,120 | 120 |
| 2 | Bellingham, WA | $61,820 | $64,360 | 160 |
| 3 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $61,440 | $65,150 | 570 |
| 4 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $60,710 | $58,960 | 80 |
| 5 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $59,810 | $65,920 | 4,510 |
| 6 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $59,610 | $60,670 | 1,500 |
| 7 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $58,740 | $58,350 | 220 |
| 8 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $58,150 | $60,560 | 200 |
| 9 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $55,630 | $59,120 | 140 |
| 10 | East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $53,940 | $58,760 | 50 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologistss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters | $139,030 | $119,800 | 170 |
| 2 | Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries | $135,020 | $121,670 | 1,560 |
| 3 | Motion Picture and Video Industries | $135,020 | $121,670 | 1,560 |
| 4 | Sector 51 - Information | $118,930 | $118,930 | 1,790 |
| 5 | Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, & Other Media Networks & Content Providers | $118,850 | $111,040 | 140 |
| 6 | Performing Arts Companies | $110,580 | $115,560 | 190 |
| 7 | Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries | $107,730 | $115,380 | 210 |
| 8 | Broadcasting and Content Providers | $90,190 | $99,750 | 220 |
| 9 | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $73,560 | $59,520 | 80 |
| 10 | Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $73,560 | $59,520 | 80 |
| 11 | Sectors 31, 32, and 33 - Manufacturing | $73,560 | $59,520 | 80 |
| 12 | Sector 71 - Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | $65,600 | $76,690 | 740 |
Workforce Deep-Dive
Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.
Annual wage distribution
Pay by age band
Education level
Full-time vs part-time
Race / ethnicity
Top fields of study
Top Skills
Most important skills for this role (O*NET importance, 1–5 scale).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists make in the U.S.?
The median hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists salary in the United States is $35,790 per year (mean $43,960), and about 80% earn between $27,040 and $71,190.
How much do hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists make per hour?
Roughly $21 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $43,960 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists at $70,320 per year (median $54,570).
What is the job outlook for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists?
Employment is projected to change +5.6% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 75,800 openings per year.