Licensed cosmetologist demographics and statistics in the US
Licensed cosmetologist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates licensed cosmetologist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our licensed cosmetologist estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about licensed cosmetologists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 145,779 licensed cosmetologists currently employed in the United States.
- 92.1% of all licensed cosmetologists are women, while 7.9% are men.
- The average licensed cosmetologist age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of licensed cosmetologists is White (59.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (14.8%), Black or African American (12.6%) and Asian (7.9%).
- Licensed cosmetologists are most in-demand in Boca Raton, FL.
- The education industry is the highest-paying for licensed cosmetologists.
- Montclair, NJ pays an annual average wage of $41,801, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women licensed cosmetologists earned 91% of what men earned.
- 12% of all licensed cosmetologists are LGBT.
- Washington is the best state for licensed cosmetologists to live.
- Licensed cosmetologists are 78% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Licensed cosmetologist demographics by:
Licensed cosmetologist gender statistics
92.1% of licensed cosmetologists are women and 7.9% of licensed cosmetologists are men.
- Female, 92.1%
- Male, 7.9%
Licensed cosmetologist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 92.1% |
| Male | 7.9% |
Licensed cosmetologist gender pay gap
Women earn 91¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$40,289
Female income
$36,786
Licensed cosmetologist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in licensed cosmetologist positions over time. Currently, 92.1% of licensed cosmetologists are female.
Licensed cosmetologist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.47% | 92.53% |
| 2011 | 8.19% | 91.81% |
| 2012 | 8.02% | 91.98% |
| 2013 | 8.35% | 91.65% |
| 2014 | 8.20% | 91.80% |
| 2015 | 8.22% | 91.78% |
| 2016 | 8.77% | 91.23% |
| 2017 | 8.14% | 91.86% |
| 2018 | 9.13% | 90.87% |
| 2019 | 9.61% | 90.39% |
| 2020 | 8.46% | 91.54% |
| 2021 | 7.92% | 92.08% |
Licensed cosmetologist related jobs gender ratio
We compared licensed cosmetologists 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% |
| Licensed Cosmetologist | 8% | 92% |
| Barber | 75% | 25% |
| Master Barber | 78% | 22% |
| Barber Apprentice | 79% | 21% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Licensed cosmetologist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among licensed cosmetologists is White, which makes up 59.8% of all licensed cosmetologists. Comparatively, 14.8% of licensed cosmetologists are Hispanic or Latino and 12.6% of licensed cosmetologists are Black or African American.
- White, 59.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 14.8%
- Black or African American, 12.6%
- Asian, 7.9%
- Unknown, 4.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
Licensed cosmetologist race
| Licensed cosmetologist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 59.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.8% |
| Black or African American | 12.6% |
| Asian | 7.9% |
| Unknown | 4.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.6% |
Licensed cosmetologist race and ethnicity over time
See how licensed cosmetologist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Licensed cosmetologist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.26% | 13.10% | 6.33% | 12.18% |
| 2011 | 65.96% | 13.25% | 6.10% | 12.51% |
| 2012 | 64.93% | 13.55% | 6.18% | 13.32% |
| 2013 | 65.22% | 13.49% | 6.23% | 13.11% |
| 2014 | 65.15% | 13.34% | 5.96% | 13.10% |
| 2015 | 65.03% | 12.58% | 6.57% | 13.56% |
| 2016 | 63.89% | 12.69% | 6.92% | 14.02% |
| 2017 | 63.35% | 12.27% | 7.83% | 13.95% |
| 2018 | 64.57% | 12.35% | 7.13% | 13.59% |
| 2019 | 64.21% | 12.14% | 7.60% | 13.65% |
| 2020 | 61.57% | 11.88% | 7.53% | 14.55% |
| 2021 | 59.81% | 12.60% | 7.93% | 14.76% |
Licensed cosmetologist wage gap by race
According to our data, white licensed cosmetologists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino licensed cosmetologists have the lowest average salary at $38,718.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $40,953 |
| White | $42,069 |
| Black or African American | $39,540 |
| Asian | $40,249 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $38,718 |
Average licensed cosmetologist age
See how the average age of licensed cosmetologists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Licensed cosmetologist 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 |
Licensed cosmetologist age breakdown
The average age of licensed cosmetologists is 40+ years years old, representing 49% of the licensed cosmetologist population.
Licensed cosmetologist age breakdown
| Licensed Cosmetologist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 49% |
| 30-40 years | 29% |
| 20-30 years | 22% |
Licensed cosmetologist educational attainment
The most common degree for licensed cosmetologists is associate degree, with 29% of licensed cosmetologists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 23% and bachelor's degree degree at 18%.
- Associate, 29%
- Bachelor's, 23%
- High School Diploma, 18%
- Diploma, 13%
- Other Degrees, 17%
Licensed cosmetologists by degree level
| Licensed cosmetologist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Associate | 29% |
| Bachelor's | 23% |
| High School Diploma | 18% |
| Diploma | 13% |
| Other Degrees | 17% |
Licensed cosmetologist jobs you might like
Licensed cosmetologist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, licensed cosmetologists with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $43,613 annually. With a Associate degree, licensed cosmetologists earn a median annual income of $40,837 compared to $38,407 for licensed cosmetologists with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $38,407 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $43,613 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $40,837 |
Licensed cosmetologist employment statistics
Most licensed cosmetologists work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where licensed cosmetologists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where licensed cosmetologists work.
Licensed cosmetologist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 10% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 21% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 30% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 17% |
| > 10,000 employees | 13% |
Licensed cosmetologist jobs by company type
Employees with the licensed cosmetologist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most licensed cosmetologists prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Licensed cosmetologist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 6% |
| Public | 14% |
| Private | 78% |
| Government | 2% |
Licensed cosmetologist jobs by industry
The most common industries for licensed cosmetologists are professional, retail and health care.
Licensed cosmetologist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 16% |
| Retail | 16% |
| Health Care | 12% |
| Hospitality | 6% |
| Technology | 6% |
| Education | 5% |
| Media | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 5% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Real Estate | 3% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Government | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
Licensed cosmetologist turnover and employment statistics
Licensed cosmetologist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for licensed cosmetologists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Licensed cosmetologist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Licensed cosmetologist 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 licensed cosmetologist tenure
The average licensed cosmetologist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,743 licensed cosmetologists resumes in Zippia's database.
Licensed cosmetologist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 14% |
| 1-2 years | 25% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 26% |
Licensed cosmetologist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of licensed cosmetologists 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Pedicurist | 5.12% | 8,505 |
| Master Barber | 8.10% | 10,378 |
| Clinical Esthetician | 8.70% | 55,121 |
| Licensed Cosmetologist | 11.87% | - |
| Scalp Treatment Specialist | 12.20% | 20,205 |
Similar licensed cosmetologist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Pedicurist | 5.12% | 8,505 |
| Master Barber | 8.10% | 10,378 |
| Clinical Esthetician | 8.70% | 55,121 |
| Scalp Treatment Specialist | 12.20% | 20,205 |
Foreign languages spoken by licensed cosmetologists
The most common foreign language among licensed cosmetologists is Spanish at 77.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Vietnamese at 7.4% and Japanese is the third-most popular at 3.7%.
- Spanish, 77.8%
- Vietnamese, 7.4%
- Japanese, 3.7%
- Carrier, 3.7%
- Dakota, 3.7%
- Other, 3.7%
Licensed cosmetologist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 77.8% |
| Vietnamese | 7.4% |
| Japanese | 3.7% |
| Carrier | 3.7% |
| Dakota | 3.7% |
| Other | 3.7% |
