How Much Does A Cosmetologist Earn?

If you’re planning on going into the world of cosmetology, it may be a good idea to think about how much you might eventually earn as a cosmetologist. While your annual salary may not be the most important concern you have as someone with a lot of passion for the industry, it can be an extremely important part of the process of deciding whether you want to pursue a full-time career in cosmetology.

There are, however, many elements that will influence how much you earn as a cosmetologist. If you’re looking for more information about the average salary and what to expect as a beauty professional, here’s what you need to know about the impacts on the average cosmetology salary.

Industry

One big element of your hourly wages is the part of the industry you end up choosing. A cosmetologist’s salary will be different for someone who works in a salon versus someone who works in the professional video industry. Makeup artists who work in the entertainment industry, for example, are likely to have jobs with salaries higher than makeup artists who work in a department store.

It can be helpful to have an idea of what industry you’re hoping to be part of in the wider beauty industry before you go through your cosmetology program. This way, you’ll be able to scope out the average cosmetologist salary for that specific industry.

Experience

It’s no secret that experience plays a huge role in your yearly salary. A licensed cosmetologist who just graduated from beauty school will necessarily have a lower salary than one who’s already had a very successful career with decades of experience. Additionally, if you have a lot of previous experience, you may also have more regular clients, resulting in a steadier client flow and a higher median salary.

When you’re just starting out in the cosmetology industry, you’re probably going to be seeing job openings with lower salaries than you’d like. More experienced workers, however, can command higher hourly salaries.

Location

As you might expect, location has a significant impact on a cosmetologist’s take-home pay. Cosmetologists in North Carolina will not be making the same as cosmetologists in Rhode Island or West Virginia. Different areas have different cost of living needs, as well as minimum wages, and people may spend different amounts of their budget on nail care and skin care. If you live and work in a more wealthy area like San Francisco, your annual wages are likely to be higher than someone living somewhere like North Dakota, although the “actual salaries” when accounting for the cost of living may be similar.

Overall, looking at the national average may not be especially helpful when preparing for a future career in the field of cosmetology. Look at the cosmetology field in your specific area to get a better idea of the salaries of cosmetologists in your area.

Specialization

After you complete your cosmetology training program, you may have the ability to specialize in additional personal care services. This could include special training in coloring, styling, and usage of specific products. While some of these areas include concepts you’ll learn in cosmetology school, specializing in these areas can help you gain a client base that knows your expertise and trusts you with especially high-difficulty cosmetology services.

While getting your cosmetology license is obviously important, potential clients may want services that are more advanced than just the basics. Cosmetology students should consider taking advanced knowledge classes to bolster their beauty certifications, which can open up new job titles.

Working for yourself or working for a salon

As a talented hair stylist, you have many different options when it comes to pursuing your passion for beauty. One big choice you’ll likely make is the choice between working for a beauty salon and working entirely for yourself. When you work completely for yourself, you have more control over clients, including when you want to take clients, and you’ll make all the money you receive from the services. However, working for a salon can reduce the weight of having to market yourself and having to invest in your own supplies, and you can also be more sure that you’ll have a consistent base of clients.

There’s no “right choice” when it comes to working for yourself versus working for a salon. Many people, however, will start out working for a salon and then transition into working for themselves in the future.

Become a cosmetologist to take your first steps

Before you can start making any calculations regarding your potential future cosmetology salary, you’ll need to become a cosmetologist. There are a variety of factors that will influence your eventual compensation, and understanding all of these factors is very important. However, to become a hair stylist, nail technician, or esthetician, you’ll need to get your license first.

Evergreen Beauty College is a great place to start taking steps toward your future cosmetology life. Regardless of what industry you’re hoping to eventually work in or whether you want to work for yourself, Evergreen Beauty College will help you take those first few steps. Schedule a tour today to learn more about how to jump-start your process and become a cosmetologist in no time.

FAQs: How Much Does a Cosmetologist Earn?

Where are the highest-paying cosmetology jobs?

Generally, salaries will be higher in areas that have a higher cost of living; if you’re living in a rural area in Alabama, your salary will be much lower than if you live in New York City, for example. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the states with the highest median pay for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists are Washington, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Maine, and Colorado. Getting even more granular, the highest-paid metropolitan areas are the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area, Spokane-Spokane Valley area, Fort Collins area, Louisville/Jefferson County area, and Bremerton-Silverdale area. Washington dominates these top areas, with three out of the top five metropolitan areas, meaning that hairdressers looking for a great wage may want to consider Washington for employment.

Are there ways to increase my pay as a cosmetologist?

There are lots of ways that you may be able to earn more as a cosmetologist. Entry-level wages for cosmetology can be fairly low, but as you build a portfolio and experience, you can end up charging more for your work, as people will believe that you have the skills necessary to command higher prices. Plus, you can engage with continuing education courses to increase your pay even further, as these courses can teach you how to do specialty services like waxing and hair coloring.

Is cosmetology really a viable career choice?

A significant number of people choose cosmetology as their career—according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2023, there were about 300,000 people employed as cosmetologists and hairstylists, and another 65,000 employed as skincare specialists. Plus, that doesn’t include manicurists and pedicurists, makeup artists, and some other skincare and haircare specialties that might fall under other categories. Cosmetology can be a great career choice for anyone who enjoys being a personal care specialist, whether you’re hoping to specialize in haircare, skincare, or something else entirely.