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Cosmetologist salary
Average cosmetologist salary
$37,122
Understanding Cosmetologist Salaries
As of October 2025, the average cosmetologist salary in the United States is $37,122 per year. This figure translates to about $18 per hour. However, salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as location, experience, and the specific services offered.
Factors Influencing Salary
Cosmetologists in metropolitan areas typically earn more due to higher demand and cost of living. For example, in states like California and New York, salaries can exceed $50,000 annually, especially for those working in upscale salons or as specialists in areas like color techniques or esthetics.
Opportunities for Advancement
Additionally, cosmetologists who pursue continued education and specialize in high-demand services—such as skincare treatments or nail artistry—can enhance their earning potential. Networking within the industry and gaining experience in high-end salons can also lead to better job prospects and salary increases.
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Where can a Cosmetologist earn more?
Cosmetologist salary estimates from across the web
Average cosmetologist salary by state
The highest-paying states for cosmetologists are Washington, Montana, and North Dakota. The lowest average cosmetologist salary states are Kentucky, Delaware, and Oklahoma.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for cosmetologists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | $46,021 | $22.13 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | $41,838 | $20.11 |
| 3 | Washington | $51,978 | $24.99 |
| 4 | Montana | $47,783 | $22.97 |
| 5 | South Dakota | $42,131 | $20.26 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $47,552 | $22.86 |
| 7 | Wyoming | $41,068 | $19.74 |
| 8 | Nebraska | $40,131 | $19.29 |
| 9 | Indiana | $38,348 | $18.44 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $44,809 | $21.54 |
| 11 | Michigan | $38,360 | $18.44 |
| 12 | Iowa | $39,313 | $18.90 |
| 13 | Vermont | $42,365 | $20.37 |
| 14 | Illinois | $39,861 | $19.16 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $42,205 | $20.29 |
| 16 | Ohio | $37,242 | $17.90 |
| 17 | South Carolina | $37,986 | $18.26 |
| 18 | Missouri | $38,171 | $18.35 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $36,770 | $17.68 |
| 20 | Arizona | $37,052 | $17.81 |
| 21 | Utah | $37,429 | $17.99 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $37,981 | $18.26 |
| 23 | Colorado | $39,831 | $19.15 |
| 24 | New York | $41,721 | $20.06 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $39,568 | $19.02 |
| 26 | Rhode Island | $37,483 | $18.02 |
| 27 | Maryland | $41,339 | $19.87 |
| 28 | Oregon | $39,433 | $18.96 |
| 29 | California | $40,351 | $19.40 |
| 30 | Alaska | $41,557 | $19.98 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $34,384 | $16.53 |
| 32 | Idaho | $37,579 | $18.07 |
| 33 | Alabama | $34,843 | $16.75 |
| 34 | Florida | $35,699 | $17.16 |
| 35 | Connecticut | $37,208 | $17.89 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $36,155 | $17.38 |
| 37 | Virginia | $37,604 | $18.08 |
| 38 | District of Columbia | $39,595 | $19.04 |
| 39 | New Hampshire | $33,719 | $16.21 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $34,503 | $16.59 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $31,487 | $15.14 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $30,824 | $14.82 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $32,540 | $15.64 |
| 44 | Nevada | $31,761 | $15.27 |
| 45 | Kansas | $32,249 | $15.50 |
| 46 | Texas | $31,670 | $15.23 |
| 47 | Maine | $33,518 | $16.11 |
| 48 | Delaware | $31,331 | $15.06 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $28,251 | $13.58 |
| 50 | Georgia | $30,331 | $14.58 |
| 51 | New Mexico | $24,715 | $11.88 |
Highest paying cities for cosmetologists
The highest-paying cities for cosmetologists are Duluth, MN, Rochester, NY, and Madison, WI.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duluth, MN | $45,439 | $21.85 |
| 2 | Rochester, NY | $42,524 | $20.44 |
| 3 | Madison, WI | $41,831 | $20.11 |
| 4 | Catonsville, MD | $41,383 | $19.90 |
| 5 | Fairfield, CA | $40,967 | $19.70 |
| 6 | Schaumburg, IL | $39,968 | $19.22 |
| 7 | Lakewood, CO | $39,846 | $19.16 |
| 8 | Kentwood, MI | $38,631 | $18.57 |
| 9 | Greenville, SC | $38,216 | $18.37 |
| 10 | Arlington, VA | $37,841 | $18.19 |
| 11 | Lakewood, OH | $37,381 | $17.97 |
| 12 | Pittsburgh, PA | $37,379 | $17.97 |
| 13 | Peoria, AZ | $37,042 | $17.81 |
| 14 | Palm Coast, FL | $36,009 | $17.31 |
| 15 | Salem, NH | $33,844 | $16.27 |
| 16 | Reno, NV | $32,266 | $15.51 |
| 17 | Odessa, TX | $31,865 | $15.32 |
| 18 | Edmond, OK | $30,843 | $14.83 |
Cosmetologist salary details
A cosmetologist's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $53,000 at the 90th percentile.
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 |
Highest paying cosmetologist jobs
The highest paying types of cosmetologists are cosmetician, hair stylist, and stylist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nail Technician | $30,503 | $2,542 | $14.66 | 9,115 |
| Hair Dresser | $36,852 | $3,071 | $17.72 | 42,777 |
| Beautician | $36,831 | $3,069 | $17.71 | 42,691 |
| Hair Stylist | $38,221 | $3,185 | $18.38 | 49,578 |
| Stylist | $37,985 | $3,165 | $18.26 | 49,296 |
| Licensed Cosmetologist | $36,637 | $3,053 | $17.61 | 52,740 |
Top companies hiring cosmetologists now:
Which companies pay cosmetologists the most?
Cosmetologist salaries at Anthony and Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average cosmetologist salary at companies like Treasure Island Resort & Casino and Bluegreen Vacations Unlimited are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anthony | $43,398 | $20.86 |
| 2 | Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino | $41,669 | $20.03 |
| 3 | Treasure Island Resort & Casino | $41,319 | $19.86 |
| 4 | Bluegreen Vacations Unlimited | $40,986 | $19.70 |
| 5 | WTS International | $39,752 | $19.11 |
| 6 | Breckenridge Grand Vacations | $38,061 | $18.30 |
| 7 | Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest | $37,294 | $17.93 |
| 8 | Sanford Health | $36,557 | $17.58 |
| 9 | Benchmark Group | $36,305 | $17.45 |
| 10 | Sea Island | $36,282 | $17.44 |
| 11 | The Good Samaritan Society | $35,995 | $17.31 |
| 12 | State Of Montana | $35,947 | $17.28 |
| 13 | Remote | $35,906 | $17.26 |
| 14 | The Gents Place | $35,892 | $17.26 |
| 15 | Salon & Spa | $35,884 | $17.25 |
| 16 | Sanford-Good Samaritan Community Health | $35,852 | $17.24 |
| 17 | OneSpaWorld | $35,852 | $17.24 |
| 18 | XpresSpa | $35,803 | $17.21 |
| 19 | SPORTCLIPS | $35,707 | $17.17 |
| 20 | Aimbridge Hospitality | $35,483 | $17.06 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Cosmetologist salary by industry
The average cosmetologist salary varies across industries:
- The average cosmetologist salary in the health care industry is $36,317, the highest of any industry.
- The average cosmetologist salary in the finance industry is $35,983.
- Cosmetologists in the retail industry earn an average salary of $34,387, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for cosmetologists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $36,317 | $17.46 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $35,983 | $17.30 |
| 3 | Media | $35,654 | $17.14 |
| 4 | Professional | $35,174 | $16.91 |
| 5 | Hospitality | $35,059 | $16.86 |
| 6 | Retail | $34,387 | $16.53 |
High paying cosmetologist jobs
Cosmetologist salary trends
The average cosmetologist salary has risen by $6,521 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average cosmetologist earned $30,601 annually, but today, they earn $37,122 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for cosmetologists over the last decade.
Compare cosmetologist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average cosmetologist salary over time
Compare cosmetologist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Cosmetologist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $37,100 | $17.85 | +4.7% |
| 2024 | $35,400 | $17.01 | +5.2% |
| 2023 | $33,500 | $16.12 | -0.5% |
| 2022 | $33,700 | $16.20 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | $32,900 | $15.81 | +2.5% |
Recently added cosmetologist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good Samaritan Home of Quincy | Cosmetologist | Quincy, IL | 06/29/2025 | $31,827 |
| Penn Entertainment | Cosmetologist | Black Hawk, CO | 06/28/2025 | $24,606 |
| Somerby's Hair Salon | Cosmetologist | Wayland, MA | 06/25/2025 | $45,000 |
| Fantastic Sams Cut & Color SW Florida | Cosmetologist Fort Myers-LEE County Area | Fort Myers, FL | 06/24/2025 | $75,000 |
| The Walt Disney Company | Cosmetologist | Anaheim, CA | 06/12/2025 | $51,132 |
| Georgetown West Salon | Cosmetologist | University of Virginia, VA | 06/10/2025 | $62,610 |
| Sport Clips Haircuts | Cosmetologist | Fayetteville, NC | 05/29/2025 | $52,175 |
| Z Salon & Spa | Cosmetologist | Louisville, KY | 05/26/2025 | $31,305 |
| State of Kansas | Cosmetologist (Temp) | Pawnee Rock, KS | 05/23/2025 | $42,011 |
| Crown & Raine | Cosmetologist | Pittsburgh, PA | 05/20/2025 | $41,740 |
Cosmetologist salary FAQs
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