Colorist vs hair assistant

The differences between colorists and hair assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a colorist and a hair assistant. Additionally, a hair assistant has an average salary of $36,693, which is higher than the $34,792 average annual salary of a colorist.

The top three skills for a colorist include color correction, davinci resolve and color theory. The most important skills for a hair assistant are schedule appointments, cleanliness, and customer service.

Colorist vs hair assistant overview

	Colorist	Hair Assistant
Yearly salary	$34,792	$36,693
Hourly rate	$16.73	$17.64
Growth rate	11%	11%
Number of jobs	42,160	34,394
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	High School Diploma, 33%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	2	2

Colorist vs hair assistant salary

Colorists and hair assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Colorist	Hair Assistant
Average salary	$34,792	$36,693
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $54,000	Between $24,000 And $55,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	-
Highest paying state	New Jersey	-
Best paying company	Adobe	-
Best paying industry	Media	-

Differences between colorist and hair assistant education

There are a few differences between a colorist and a hair assistant in terms of educational background:

	Colorist	Hair Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	High School Diploma, 33%
Most common major	Cosmetology	Cosmetology
Most common college	-	-

Colorist vs hair assistant demographics

Here are the differences between colorists' and hair assistants' demographics:

	Colorist	Hair Assistant
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 43.7% Female, 56.3%	Male, 9.7% Female, 90.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 8.2% White, 56.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 7.5% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between colorist and hair assistant duties and responsibilities

Colorist example 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.
Navigate project through continually changing workflows VFX revisions and delivery specs.
Provide hairstylist services/professional makeup/manicures/pedicures and modeling.

Hair assistant example responsibilities.

Manage product inventory for cosmetology products, place product orders, maintain the inventory.
Maintain cleanliness of professional manicuring area.
Follow established standards of safety and cleanliness.
Provide hairstylist services/professional makeup/manicures/pedicures and modeling.
Work part-time as a natural hair stylist offering braid styles and natural styles
Perform cosmetology services on clients-scheduling appointments-Inventory

Colorist vs hair assistant skills

Common colorist skills

Color Correction, 13%
Davinci Resolve, 11%
Color Theory, 9%
Front Desk, 9%
Color Standards, 7%
Adobe Photoshop, 5%

Common hair assistant skills

Schedule Appointments, 51%
Cleanliness, 12%
Customer Service, 11%
Front Desk, 7%
Make-Up, 5%
Departmental Policies, 3%