Hair colorist demographics and statistics in the US
On this page
Hair colorist demographics by:
Hair colorist gender statistics
81.6% of hair colorists are women and 18.4% of hair colorists are men.
- Female, 81.6%
- Male, 18.4%
Hair colorist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 81.6% |
| Male | 18.4% |
Hair colorist gender pay gap
Women earn 90¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$40,260
Female income
$36,109
Hair colorist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in hair colorist positions over time. Currently, 81.6% of hair colorists are female.
Hair colorist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 17.51% | 82.49% |
| 2011 | 19.01% | 80.99% |
| 2012 | 18.66% | 81.34% |
| 2013 | 19.32% | 80.68% |
| 2014 | 19.03% | 80.97% |
| 2015 | 19.06% | 80.94% |
| 2016 | 20.17% | 79.83% |
| 2017 | 18.91% | 81.09% |
| 2018 | 20.90% | 79.10% |
| 2019 | 21.85% | 78.15% |
| 2020 | 19.55% | 80.45% |
| 2021 | 18.45% | 81.55% |
Hair colorist related jobs gender ratio
We compared hair colorists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, barber apprentice and master barber have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Electrologist | 1% | 99% |
| Medical Esthetician | 4% | 96% |
| Licensed Esthetician | 5% | 95% |
| Hair Colorist | 18% | 82% |
| Barber | 75% | 25% |
| Master Barber | 78% | 22% |
| Barber Apprentice | 79% | 21% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Hair colorist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among hair colorists is White, which makes up 56.5% of all hair colorists. Comparatively, 20.7% of hair colorists are Hispanic or Latino and 10.6% of hair colorists are Black or African American.
- White, 56.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 20.7%
- Black or African American, 10.6%
- Asian, 7.5%
- Unknown, 4.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
Hair colorist race
| Hair colorist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 56.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20.7% |
| Black or African American | 10.6% |
| Asian | 7.5% |
| Unknown | 4.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
Hair colorist race and ethnicity over time
See how hair colorist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Hair colorist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 63.00% | 11.05% | 5.92% | 18.12% |
| 2011 | 62.70% | 11.20% | 5.69% | 18.45% |
| 2012 | 61.66% | 11.50% | 5.77% | 19.27% |
| 2013 | 61.96% | 11.44% | 5.81% | 19.06% |
| 2014 | 61.89% | 11.29% | 5.55% | 19.05% |
| 2015 | 61.76% | 10.53% | 6.15% | 19.51% |
| 2016 | 60.63% | 10.64% | 6.51% | 19.97% |
| 2017 | 60.09% | 10.22% | 7.42% | 19.90% |
| 2018 | 61.31% | 10.31% | 6.71% | 19.54% |
| 2019 | 60.95% | 10.09% | 7.19% | 19.60% |
| 2020 | 58.31% | 9.83% | 7.11% | 20.49% |
| 2021 | 56.55% | 10.56% | 7.52% | 20.70% |
Hair colorist wage gap by race
According to our data, white hair colorists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino hair colorists have the lowest average salary at $38,389.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $41,055 |
| White | $42,396 |
| Black or African American | $39,366 |
| Asian | $40,212 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $38,389 |
Average hair colorist age
See how the average age of hair colorists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Hair colorist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 42 | 40 |
| Unknown | 39 | |
| Asian | 44 | 46.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 43 | 37 |
| White | 41 | 38 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 42 |
Hair colorist age breakdown
The average age of hair colorists is 40+ years years old, representing 49% of the hair colorist population.
Hair colorist age breakdown
| Hair Colorist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 49% |
| 30-40 years | 29% |
| 20-30 years | 22% |
Hair colorist educational attainment
The most common degree for hair colorists is bachelor's degree, with 32% of hair colorists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 29% and associate degree degree at 23%.
- Bachelor's, 32%
- Associate, 29%
- High School Diploma, 23%
- Master's, 10%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Hair colorists by degree level
| Hair colorist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 32% |
| Associate | 29% |
| High School Diploma | 23% |
| Master's | 10% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Hair colorist jobs you might like
Hair colorist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, hair colorists with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $44,265 annually. With a Associate degree, hair colorists earn a median annual income of $40,916 compared to $38,020 for hair colorists with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $38,020 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $44,265 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $40,916 |
Hair colorist employment statistics
Most hair colorists work for a private in the retail industry.
Company size where hair colorists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where hair colorists work.
Hair colorist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 13% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 20% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 37% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 13% |
| > 10,000 employees | 7% |
Hair colorist jobs by company type
Employees with the hair colorist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most hair colorists prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Hair colorist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 7% |
| Public | 11% |
| Private | 82% |
Hair colorist jobs by industry
The most common industries for hair colorists are retail, health care and professional.
Hair colorist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Retail | 21% |
| Health Care | 14% |
| Professional | 11% |
| Hospitality | 11% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Media | 7% |
| Education | 7% |
| Pharmaceutical | 4% |
| Start-up | 4% |
| Utilities | 4% |
| Construction | 4% |
| Internet | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
Hair colorist turnover and employment statistics
Hair colorist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for hair colorists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Hair colorist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Hair colorist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.68% |
| 2011 | 3.78% |
| 2012 | 4.14% |
| 2013 | 3.57% |
| 2014 | 3.48% |
| 2015 | 2.63% |
| 2016 | 2.46% |
| 2017 | 2.31% |
| 2018 | 2.10% |
| 2019 | 1.86% |
| 2020 | 5.43% |
| 2021 | 6.02% |
Average hair colorist tenure
The average hair colorist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 150 hair colorists resumes in Zippia's database.
Hair colorist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 13% |
| 1-2 years | 26% |
| 3-4 years | 20% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 19% |
Hair colorist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of hair colorists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Manicurist | 5.12% | 1,746 |
| Barber Shop Operator | 8.10% | 38,845 |
| Master Esthetician | 8.70% | 10,613 |
| Hair Colorist | 11.87% | - |
| Shampooer | 12.20% | 495 |
Similar hair colorist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Manicurist | 5.12% | 1,746 |
| Barber Shop Operator | 8.10% | 38,845 |
| Master Esthetician | 8.70% | 10,613 |
| Shampooer | 12.20% | 495 |
Foreign languages spoken by hair colorists
The most common foreign language among hair colorists is Swedish at 33.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Italian at 33.3% and Spanish is the third-most popular at 33.3%.
- Swedish, 33.3%
- Italian, 33.3%
- Spanish, 33.3%
Hair colorist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Swedish | 33.3% |
| Italian | 33.3% |
| Spanish | 33.3% |