How long does it take to become a Hair Stylist?

It takes 3 years of professional experience to become a hair stylist. That is the time it takes to learn specific hair stylist skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education.

What is a hair stylist and how to become one

Q: What are the pros and cons of being a hairstylist?

The pros and cons of being a hairstylist relate to education requirements, work environment, and pay. Here are the top pros and cons of being a hairstylist: Pros: Education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Charley Sain

A hair stylist specializes in cutting, coloring, and styling hair. They use their skills and creativity to help clients achieve their desired look. Hair stylists also provide advice on hair care and recommend products that help maintain healthy hair. They work in salons, spas, and other beauty establishments, often using specialized tools and equipment like scissors, blow dryers, and curling irons. Hair stylists must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills to build relationships with clients.

What general advice would you give to a hair stylist?

Charley Sain

Cosmetology Instructor, Program Coordinator for Cosmetology, Esthetics, and Manicuring, Cleveland Community College

My advice to a new professional would be to work hard, continue your education, and never give up. The beauty industry rapidly changes, due to modern technology, so it is imperative to continue your education and continue your professional growth. It is essential to work hard because building a clientele can be challenging, especially during these times. Do not let those challenges get you down; stay focused, and keep your eye on your goals.

ScoreHair StylistUS Average

Salary

3.0

Avg. Salary $38,221

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.6

Growth rate 11%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

8.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.55%

Asian 7.59%

Black or African American 11.63%

Hispanic or Latino 16.22%

Unknown 4.30%

White 59.70%

Gender

female 90.76%

male 9.24%

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

What are the pros and cons of being a hair stylist?

Pros

Flexible working hours
Potential for self-employment and entrepreneurship
Potential for high earning if established in the industry
Opportunity to work in different settings (salon, spa, freelance)
Potential for career growth and development

Cons

Exposure to chemicals and fumes
Inconsistent income, especially for new stylists
High competition within the industry
Difficulty maintaining work-life balance during peak seasons
Potential for burnout due to long hours and high stress levels.

Key steps to become a hair stylist

Explore hair stylist education requirements

Most common hair stylist degrees

High School Diploma

30.7 %

Associate

23.0 %

Diploma

15.6 %

Start to develop specific hair stylist skills

Skills	Percentages
Cosmetology	31.24%
Clips	20.24%
Kids	7.44%
Makeup	6.11%
Retail Sales	5.46%

Complete relevant hair stylist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New hair stylists 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 hair stylist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real hair stylist resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming a licensed hair stylist usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed hair stylist in most of states. 43 states require hair stylists to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

State	Education	Exam	License url
Alabama	Specific course required	State exam required	Licensed Cosmetologist
Arkansas	Specific course required	Both state and third-party exams required	Cosmetologist
California	Specific course required	State exam required	Cosmetologist
Colorado	Specific course required	State exam required	Cosmetologist
Connecticut	Specific course required	State exam required	Hairdresser/Cosmetician

Gain additional hair stylist certifications

Hair stylist certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific hair stylist certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for hair stylists include Certified Sales Professional (CSP) and International Accredited Business Accountant (IABA).

More About Certifications

Research hair stylist duties and responsibilities

Manage beautiful hairstyles with the use of flat irons, curling irons, blow dryers, and other hair products.
Manage product inventory for cosmetology products, place product orders, maintain the inventory.
Commission stylist, assist other stylists as well as cleaning and greeting guests.
Work extremely quickly and efficiently as a hairstylist to reach sales and productivity goals while maintaining exceptional customer service

Prepare your hair stylist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your hair stylist 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 hair stylist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable hair stylist resume templates

Build a professional hair stylist 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 hair stylist resume.

Apply for hair stylist jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a hair stylist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do hair stylists rate their job?

-/5

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Hair stylist reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020

Pros

I like the satisfaction of doing someone’s hair and they love it.

Cons

Working all weekends, being in tons of social interactions a day, high stress situations, work comes home with you, getting criticism online, lots of disinfection and cleaning, lots of interaction with coworkers. Some days at work I want To go hide in the bathroom to avoid anymore social interaction and stress from dealing with the public all day.

A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019

Pros

•talking n building relationships w awesome people • doing art everyday and learning mastering my craft •not sitting all day with tons of freedom to express myself through unconventional fashion and hairstyles •feeling like i have something to offer that makes people feel happy about themselves •having having clientele that is loyal