Licensed cosmetologist vs hair colorist

The differences between licensed cosmetologists and hair colorists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a licensed cosmetologist and a hair colorist. Additionally, a licensed cosmetologist has an average salary of $36,637, which is higher than the $35,934 average annual salary of a hair colorist.

The top three skills for a licensed cosmetologist include retail sales, customer service and product sales. The most important skills for a hair colorist are front desk, client appointments, and product knowledge.

Licensed cosmetologist vs hair colorist overview

	Licensed Cosmetologist	Hair Colorist
Yearly salary	$36,637	$35,934
Hourly rate	$17.61	$17.28
Growth rate	11%	11%
Number of jobs	52,740	34,025
Job satisfaction	3	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 29%	Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	2	2

Licensed cosmetologist vs hair colorist salary

Licensed cosmetologists and hair colorists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Licensed Cosmetologist	Hair Colorist
Average salary	$36,637	$35,934
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $53,000	Between $22,000 And $57,000
Highest paying City	Montclair, NJ	-
Highest paying state	Washington	-
Best paying company	The Lash Lounge	-
Best paying industry	Education	-

Differences between licensed cosmetologist and hair colorist education

There are a few differences between a licensed cosmetologist and a hair colorist in terms of educational background:

	Licensed Cosmetologist	Hair Colorist
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 29%	Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Most common major	Cosmetology	Cosmetology
Most common college	-	-

Licensed cosmetologist vs hair colorist demographics

Here are the differences between licensed cosmetologists' and hair colorists' demographics:

	Licensed Cosmetologist	Hair Colorist
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 7.9% Female, 92.1%	Male, 18.4% Female, 81.6%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.7% Asian, 7.5% White, 56.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between licensed cosmetologist and hair colorist duties and responsibilities

Licensed cosmetologist example responsibilities.

Manage beautiful hairstyles with the use of flat irons, curling irons, blow dryers, and other hair products.
Provide pedicure/manicure, skin care services, and dress wigs.
Provide all services - hair stylist, nails, make-up, coloring services, blow-outs, and up-do's.
Conduct DYI seminars on make-up application.
Maintain hair tools and salon instruments for salon cleanliness and compliance with cosmetology regulations.
Assist others hairstylist team members.

Hair colorist example responsibilities.

Manage product inventory for cosmetology products, place product orders, maintain the inventory.
Provide hairstylist services/professional makeup/manicures/pedicures and modeling.
Perform cosmetology services on clients-scheduling appointments-Inventory

Licensed cosmetologist vs hair colorist skills

Common licensed cosmetologist skills

Retail Sales, 32%
Customer Service, 15%
Product Sales, 11%
Appointment Scheduling, 5%
Make-Up, 4%
Cosmetic Services, 3%

Common hair colorist skills

Front Desk, 82%
Client Appointments, 13%
Product Knowledge, 5%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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