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The differences between hair stylists and licensed cosmetologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a hair stylist and a licensed cosmetologist. Additionally, a hair stylist has an average salary of $38,221, which is higher than the $36,637 average annual salary of a licensed cosmetologist.
The top three skills for a hair stylist include cosmetology, clips and kids. The most important skills for a licensed cosmetologist are retail sales, customer service, and product sales.
| Hair Stylist | Licensed Cosmetologist | |
| Yearly salary | $38,221 | $36,637 |
| Hourly rate | $18.38 | $17.61 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 49,578 | 52,740 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 31% | Associate Degree, 29% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A Hair Stylist's role is to provide services such as haircuts, treatments, coloring, styling, and even maintenance. Most of the time, the clients choose which style or treatment they would prefer, which is why a Hair Stylist must have extensive knowledge and keep up the current trends in Hair Styling. Moreover, a Hair Stylist can also recommend styling and treatments that would suit the client, even sell Hair Care products. Aside from providing quality service, it is also essential for a Hair Stylist to build rapport with clients to ensure customer satisfaction and have a robust client base.
A Licensed Cosmetologist provides various services, such as hairstyling, skincare, nail treatments, and makeup. They are responsible for complying with health and safety standards.
Hair stylists and licensed cosmetologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hair Stylist | Licensed Cosmetologist | |
| Average salary | $38,221 | $36,637 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $53,000 | Between $24,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Scottsdale, AZ | Montclair, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | The Lash Lounge |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Education |
There are a few differences between a hair stylist and a licensed cosmetologist in terms of educational background:
| Hair Stylist | Licensed Cosmetologist | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 31% | Associate Degree, 29% |
| Most common major | Cosmetology | Cosmetology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between hair stylists' and licensed cosmetologists' demographics:
| Hair Stylist | Licensed Cosmetologist | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 9.2% Female, 90.8% | Male, 7.9% Female, 92.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 7.6% White, 59.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 12.6% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 7.9% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |