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Best states for a hairstylist/cosmetologist
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you thinking of becoming a hairstylist/cosmetologist and really want to work at Great Clips? Turns out, your chances to become a hairstylist/cosmetologist are better in some states than others.In fact, our research shows that West Virginia is the best state for hairstylist/cosmetologists in America. The best city in America for hairstylist/cosmetologists with the highest pay is San Francisco, CA.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for hairstylist/cosmetologists. West Virginia is the best state for hairstylist/cosmetologists, where the median salary is $45,681.West Virginia is the best state, and Bellingham is the city with the highest pay for hairstylist/cosmetologists.
10 best states for hairstylist/cosmetologists in 2025
1. West Virginia
Total hairstylist/cosmetologist jobs: 73 Average annual salary: $45,681 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 1.23
2. Wisconsin
Total hairstylist/cosmetologist jobs: 312 Average annual salary: $41,587 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Location Quotient: 1.45
3. Washington
Total hairstylist/cosmetologist jobs: 230 Average annual salary: $51,882 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location Quotient: 0.81
4. North Dakota
Total hairstylist/cosmetologist jobs: 20 Average annual salary: $47,466 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 0.55
5. Montana
Total hairstylist/cosmetologist jobs: 27 Average annual salary: $47,513 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 0.6
6. South Dakota
Total hairstylist/cosmetologist jobs: 37 Average annual salary: $41,836 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location Quotient: 0.89
7. Iowa
Total hairstylist/cosmetologist jobs: 154 Average annual salary: $39,156 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Location Quotient: 1.09
8. Michigan
Total hairstylist/cosmetologist jobs: 588 Average annual salary: $38,181 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 1.95
9. Minnesota
Total hairstylist/cosmetologist jobs: 172 Average annual salary: $44,668 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Location Quotient: 0.67
10. Nebraska
Total hairstylist/cosmetologist jobs: 87 Average annual salary: $39,946 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 1.01
Hairstylist/cosmetologist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a hairstylist/cosmetologist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a hairstylist/cosmetologist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | $45,681 | $32,000 | 1,815,857 | 73 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | $41,587 | $31,000 | 5,795,483 | 312 |
| 3 | Washington | $51,882 | $41,000 | 7,405,743 | 230 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $47,466 | $37,000 | 755,393 | 20 |
| 5 | Montana | $47,513 | $37,000 | 1,050,493 | 27 |
| 6 | South Dakota | $41,836 | $31,000 | 869,666 | 37 |
| 7 | Iowa | $39,156 | $29,000 | 3,145,711 | 154 |
| 8 | Michigan | $38,181 | $28,000 | 9,962,311 | 588 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $44,668 | $34,000 | 5,576,606 | 172 |
| 10 | Nebraska | $39,946 | $29,000 | 1,920,076 | 87 |
| 11 | Indiana | $38,108 | $27,000 | 6,666,818 | 349 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $40,604 | $30,000 | 579,315 | 21 |
| 13 | Vermont | $42,043 | $31,000 | 623,657 | 20 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $41,946 | $30,000 | 6,859,819 | 271 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $42,010 | $29,000 | 9,005,644 | 264 |
| 16 | Ohio | $36,964 | $26,000 | 11,658,609 | 565 |
| 17 | Missouri | $37,916 | $27,000 | 6,113,532 | 257 |
| 18 | South Carolina | $37,919 | $26,000 | 5,024,369 | 178 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $36,509 | $25,000 | 12,805,537 | 533 |
| 20 | Colorado | $39,547 | $29,000 | 5,607,154 | 211 |
| 21 | Utah | $37,061 | $27,000 | 3,101,833 | 138 |
| 22 | Arizona | $36,489 | $25,000 | 7,016,270 | 457 |
| 23 | Illinois | $38,566 | $28,000 | 12,802,023 | 450 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $37,734 | $26,000 | 10,273,419 | 326 |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $37,185 | $26,000 | 1,059,639 | 47 |
| 26 | Virginia | $40,148 | $28,000 | 8,470,020 | 238 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $34,050 | $24,000 | 6,715,984 | 298 |
| 28 | Oregon | $39,020 | $30,000 | 4,142,776 | 127 |
| 29 | Alaska | $41,885 | $38,000 | 739,795 | 8 |
| 30 | Maryland | $41,053 | $28,000 | 6,052,177 | 111 |
| 31 | Florida | $35,527 | $25,000 | 20,984,400 | 731 |
| 32 | Idaho | $37,165 | $28,000 | 1,716,943 | 55 |
| 33 | Connecticut | $36,946 | $26,000 | 3,588,184 | 131 |
| 34 | California | $39,795 | $28,000 | 39,536,653 | 865 |
| 35 | Alabama | $34,714 | $24,000 | 4,874,747 | 193 |
| 36 | New York | $38,963 | $27,000 | 19,849,399 | 331 |
| 37 | New Hampshire | $33,562 | $24,000 | 1,342,795 | 78 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $34,902 | $29,000 | 1,427,538 | 35 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $34,308 | $24,000 | 2,984,100 | 79 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $31,259 | $22,000 | 4,454,189 | 178 |
| 41 | District of Columbia | $38,972 | $27,000 | 693,972 | 7 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $30,695 | $21,000 | 3,930,864 | 199 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $32,353 | $23,000 | 4,684,333 | 129 |
| 44 | Kansas | $32,025 | $23,000 | 2,913,123 | 118 |
| 45 | Nevada | $31,507 | $22,000 | 2,998,039 | 85 |
| 46 | Maine | $33,330 | $25,000 | 1,335,907 | 38 |
| 47 | Texas | $31,422 | $22,000 | 28,304,596 | 777 |
| 48 | Delaware | $31,046 | $21,000 | 961,939 | 51 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $28,069 | $20,000 | 3,004,279 | 98 |
| 50 | Georgia | $30,207 | $21,000 | 10,429,379 | 297 |
| 51 | New Mexico | $24,550 | $17,000 | 2,088,070 | 51 |
Highest paying states for hairstylist/cosmetologists
| Rank | State | Avg. Hairstylist/Cosmetologist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | $45,681 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | $41,587 |
| 3 | Washington | $51,882 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $47,466 |
| 5 | Montana | $47,513 |
| 6 | South Dakota | $41,836 |
| 7 | Iowa | $39,156 |
| 8 | Michigan | $38,181 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $44,668 |
| 10 | Nebraska | $39,946 |
| 11 | Indiana | $38,108 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $40,604 |
| 13 | Vermont | $42,043 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $41,946 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $42,010 |
| 16 | Ohio | $36,964 |
| 17 | Missouri | $37,916 |
| 18 | South Carolina | $37,919 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $36,509 |
| 20 | Colorado | $39,547 |
| 21 | Utah | $37,061 |
| 22 | Arizona | $36,489 |
| 23 | Illinois | $38,566 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $37,734 |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $37,185 |
| 26 | Virginia | $40,148 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $34,050 |
| 28 | Oregon | $39,020 |
| 29 | Alaska | $41,885 |
| 30 | Maryland | $41,053 |
| 31 | Florida | $35,527 |
| 32 | Idaho | $37,165 |
| 33 | Connecticut | $36,946 |
| 34 | California | $39,795 |
| 35 | Alabama | $34,714 |
| 36 | New York | $38,963 |
| 37 | New Hampshire | $33,562 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $34,902 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $34,308 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $31,259 |
| 41 | District of Columbia | $38,972 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $30,695 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $32,353 |
| 44 | Kansas | $32,025 |
| 45 | Nevada | $31,507 |
| 46 | Maine | $33,330 |
| 47 | Texas | $31,422 |
| 48 | Delaware | $31,046 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $28,069 |
| 50 | Georgia | $30,207 |
| 51 | New Mexico | $24,550 |
Hairstylist/cosmetologist best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025