How To Become A Colorist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a colorist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted Expert

Lynsey Hemstreet

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a colorist. For example, did you know that they make an average of $16.73 an hour? That's $34,792 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 11% and produce 65,000 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a Colorist?

Lynsey Hemstreet

Associate Professor, Skyline College

Trends change quickly in the cosmetology industry, so follow some industry pros on social media for inspiration and education. Clients will ask about new services like brow lamination or micro-extensions, and you can add new services to your menu just as soon as you can get trained. In the cosmetology industry, soft skills like communication, professionalism and customer service are always in demand. If those are your weak spots, consider taking some classes on public speaking and business. Also, don't be afraid to embrace technology. Convenience is a major selling point in this industry, and learning how to use appointment management apps can help your clients book easily and quickly.

ScoreColoristUS Average

Salary

2.7

Avg. Salary $34,792

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

5.6

Growth Rate 11%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

8.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.59%

Asian 8.22%

Black or African American 10.03%

Hispanic or Latino 19.90%

Unknown 4.55%

White 56.71%

Gender

female 56.28%

male 43.72%

Age - 39

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39

Stress Level

5.6

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

6.5

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

10.0

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a colorist

Explore colorist education requirements

Most common colorist degrees

Bachelor's

58.8 %

Associate

20.5 %

High School Diploma

9.4 %

Start to develop specific colorist skills

Skills	Percentages
Color Correction	12.80%
Davinci Resolve	11.43%
Color Theory	9.09%
Front Desk	9.08%
Color Standards	6.60%

Complete relevant colorist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New colorists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a colorist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real colorist resumes.

Research colorist duties and responsibilities

Manage cleaning up activities after hair care appointments by ensuring appropriate cleanliness and sterilization of cutting and trimming equipment.
Screened/Evaluat and HD DI color correct feature films, utilizing Autodesk Lustre for restoration.
Remastered archival feature footage to HD.
Perform DI on major feature films, commercial and special projects.

Prepare your colorist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your colorist resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a colorist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Colorist Resume templates

Build a professional Colorist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Colorist resume.