Introduction
Cosmetologists earned an average annual salary of $35,990 ($17.30 per hour) as of 2021. The lower-paid cosmetologists (in the 10th percentile) earned an average annual salary of $20,860, while higher-paid cosmetologists (in the 90th percentile) made an average annual salary of $59,070. In this article we have mentioned about Cosmetologist Salary in US, their average salary, entry level salary, top paying cities and many more.
Cosmetologist Salary in US on an average is estimated around $59,070
Cosmetologist salary varies by state, city, and employer. Work environments, full- versus part-time jobs, and the days and times worked can also affect pay.
The field is expected to grow by 19% nationwide between 2020 and 2030, which is much faster than average for all occupations.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that advanced hair treatments, like chemical treatments, have risen in demand over the last several years. This increase is expected to continue.
If you want to increase your employment chances, make sure to get training in those types of skills.
Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists most commonly work in personal care services (salons, spas, etc.), though nearly three quarters of them are self-employed. Only 10% work in retail locations, like makeup shops.
While many cosmetologists work full-time, some opt to work part-time. Evening and weekend work is common, as those are often the busiest times.
How much does a Cosmetologist make in the United States?
The average Cosmetologist salary in the United States is $28,101 as of August 29, 2022, but the range typically falls between $23,301 and $34,501.
Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession.
How Much Does a Cosmetologist Make an Hour?
Cosmetologist salaries can vary significantly from one state to the next, and many cosmetology students are curious about how much they will be earning once they graduate from beauty school.
The BLS reports that the national mean hourly wage for cosmetologists lands at $14.23, as of May 2016 (latest available data). However, to give you an idea of how wages can fluctuate, the mean hourly wage for a cosmetologist in Tallahassee, FL is $20.66, while the mean hourly wage in Akron, OH is $11.76.
This goes to show that it’s a good idea to thoroughly research average salaries in your state and region to get a true picture of what a fair cosmetology wage is for you.
What Is A Cosmetologist’s Salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $53,000 | $4,417 | $25 |
| 75th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
| Average | $37,122 | $3,094 | $18 |
| 25th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
Average base salary of Cosmetologist
$25.19
The average salary for a cosmetologist is $25.19 per hour in the United States. 7.5k salaries reported, updated at September 12, 2022.
Cosmetologist Average Hourly Wage in United States
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in United States is 31 USD. This means that the average Cosmetologist in United States earns approximately 31 USD for every worked hour.
Hourly Wage = Annual Salary ÷ ( 52 x 5 x 8 )
How are Cosmetologist paid?
Cosmetologists are paid differently based on whether they’re employed by an outside company or self-employed.
If you work for an employer, there are four common ways you could be paid:
- Hourly
- Salaried
- Commission
- Performance
For hourly or salaried work, you’ll generally be paid regardless of the number of clients you see, as the salon is responsible for bringing in customers.
The upside to both of these is that your paychecks should be predictable, and you don’t need to do a ton of self-promotion.
Cosmetologist Salary in US on an average is estimated around $59,070
On the flip side, since you have little control over your clients, you may find yourself working outside your comfort zone and, with hourly pay, your hours can always be cut if the company wants to do so.
Salary Range for a Cosmetologist
Cosmetologist salaries in United States range from 29,500 USD per year (minimum salary) to 102,000 USD per year (maximum salary).
Median Salary for a Cosmetologist
The median salary is 69,300 USD per year, which means that half (50%) of people working as Cosmetologist(s) are earning less than 69,300 USD while the other half are earning more than 69,300 USD.
The median represents the middle salary value. Generally speaking, you would want to be on the right side of the graph with the group earning more than the median salary.
Percentiles for a Cosmetologist
Closely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of Cosmetologist(s) are earning less than 44,500 USD while 75% of them are earning more than 44,500 USD.
Cosmetologist Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
A Cosmetologist with less than two years of experience makes approximately 33,500 USD per year.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 44,700 USD per year, 34% more than someone with less than two year’s experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 66,100 USD per year, 48% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, Cosmetologist(s) whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 80,600 USD per year, 22% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.
If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 87,900 USD per year, 9% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 95,100 USD per year, 8% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Cosmetologist Salary Comparison By Gender
Male Cosmetologist employees in United States earn 6% less than their female counterparts on average.
Top companies for Cosmetologists in United States
Cosmetologist salaries per region
Cosmetologist Salaries by Industry
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported salary and job statistics for cosmetologists, as of May 2013. There were nearly 352,000 individuals employed as cosmetologists, hairdressers, and hairstylists during this time, earning a mean, annual salary of $27,530 or an hourly wage of $13.24.
The BLS reported the top 10 percent of professionals in this industry earned a mean, annual salary of $44,220, or an hourly wage of $21.26.
Specific professions in cosmetology earned the following mean annual salaries during the same period:
The top-paying states for cosmetologists, as of May 2013, were:
- District of Columbia: $43,830
- Hawaii: $36,080
- Delaware: $35,690
- Washington: $35,400
- Virginia: $33,930
The top-paying metropolitan areas for cosmetologists during the same period were:
- San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, California: $39,220
- Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Washington: $39,180
- Springfield, Illinois: $37,220
- Bremerton-Silverdale, Washington: $36,710
- Honolulu, Hawaii: $36,380
- Yakima, Washington: $36,240
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD: $36,200
- Tacoma, Washington: $36,020
- Salinas, California: $35,730
- Richmond, Virginia: $35,550
The top-paying nonmetropolitan areas for cosmetologists were:
- North Central Colorado: $38,760
- Southeast Alaska: $38,050
- West Central North Dakota: $35,440
- Southwestern Wyoming: $33,720
- Northwest Massachusetts: $33,300
Best-paying cities for Cosmetologists in US
- New York, NY
$29.20 per hour
24 salaries reported
- Chicago, IL
$27.36 per hour
91 salaries reported
- Charlotte, NC
$25.77 per hour
28 salaries reported
- Houston, TX
$25.76 per hour
83 salaries reported
- Columbus, OH
$25.22 per hour
29 salaries reported
- Colorado Springs, CO
$25.11 per hour
11 salaries reported
- Las Vegas, NV
$24.88 per hour
19 salaries reported
- San Antonio, TX
$24.51 per hour
62 salaries reported
- Jacksonville, FL
$24.22 per hour
7 salaries reported
Cosmetologist Bonus and Incentive Rates in US
A Cosmetologist is considered to be a moderate bonus-based job due to the generally limited involvement in direct revenue generation, with exceptions of course. The people who get the highest bonuses are usually somehow involved in the revenue generation cycle.
40% of surveyed staff reported that they haven’t received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 60% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 2% to 7% of their annual salary.
Job Growth Trend
As with many careers, statistics can provide valuable insight into who gravitates toward or gets hired for cosmetology or esthetician jobs. Almost 98 percent of workers in the field are female, compared with just 2 percent who are male.
Interestingly, 42 percent of cosmetologists have between one and four years of experience with their craft, while 19 percent have between five and nine years.
Only 20 percent have 10-to-19 years experience, and 15 percent of workers in the field have been there for 20 years or more. New cosmetologists who have worked for less than one year make up just 4 percent of the field.
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of May 2021, there were 622,700 cosmetologists, hairdressers and hair stylists in the United States. They reported the mean, or average salary for those three fields together to be $29,680.
Similar Occupations
Recent Salary Records for Cosmetologist
- A Cosmetologist reported making $51,000 per year in Binghamton
7 months ago · $51,000· Binghamton, NY
- A Cosmetologist reported making $45,000 per year
8 months ago · $45,000
- A Cosmetologist reported making $50,000 per year
a year ago · $50,000
- A Cosmetologist reported making $70,000 per year in Chicago
a year ago · $70,000· Chicago, IL
- A Cosmetologist reported making $40,000 per year in Los Angeles
a year ago · $40,000· Los Angeles, CA
- A Cosmetologist reported making $42,000 per year in Baltimore
a year ago · $42,000· Baltimore, MD
- A Cosmetologist reported making $41,000 per year
a year ago · $41,000
- A Cosmetologist reported making $37,000 per year
a year ago · $37,000
FAQ’s about Cosmetologist Salary
What is the highest salary for a cosmetologist?
Salary Ranges for Cosmetologists
The salaries of Cosmetologists in the US range from $10,040 to $254,111 , with a median salary of $45,640 . The middle 57% of Cosmetologists makes between $45,640 and $115,063, with the top 86% making $254,111.
Where do cosmetologists get paid the most?
Highest paying cities for Cosmetologists in United States
New York, NY. $29.20 per hour. 24 salaries reported.
Chicago, IL. $27.36 per hour. 91 salaries reported.
Charlotte, NC. $25.77 per hour. 28 salaries reported.
Houston, TX. $25.76 per hour. 83 salaries reported.
Columbus, OH. $25.22 per hour.
Is a cosmetologist a good career?
Being a cosmetologist opens the door to many career choices. You can train to work behind the chair, own your own salon, teach, or work in many different industries such as film, makeup artist, freelance, hair removal, editorial, TV, beauty blogger/vlogger and MORE!
What is the demand for cosmetologists?
Job Outlook
Overall employment of barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists is projected to grow 11 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations. About 93,800 openings for barbers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
What are the benefits of a cosmetologist?
Full-time Cosmetologists who are salaried often receive medical and dental benefits, sick leave, and vacation credits. Those who work part-time and Cosmetologists who own their own businesses generally must purchase their own health and dental insurance.
What state is best for Cosmetology?
Best States For a Cosmetologist
Although there are abundant cosmetologist jobs in America, a large number of them are in the South. West Virginia is the best state in the country for cosmetologist jobs, and Montana has the second-highest median salary in the country.
What are the pros and cons of being a cosmetologist?
Pros & Cons of Cosmetology
- Pro: Personal Interaction.
- Con: Physical Demands.
- Pro: Entrepreneurship Opportunities.
- Con: Wages.
- Pro: Job Satisfaction.
- Con: Licensing Requirements.
What is the starting salary for a Cosmetologist in Bengaluru/Bangalore?
Average starting Salary for Cosmetologist in India is around ₹1.8 Lakhs per year (₹15.0k per month). 1 year of minimum experience is required to be a Cosmetologist.
Conclusion
With the booming population, cosmetologists and other beauty professionals are in high demand.
One of the great things about cosmetology is the flexibility that comes along with it; because beauty services are requested in the evenings and weekends in addition to normal daytime hours, many cosmetologists are able to create a “non-traditional” work schedule that allows them to work during the days and times they prefer.
Cosmetologist Salary in US on an average is estimated around $59,070
This also typically means that earnings can be dependent on how much a cosmetologist works.
