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Cosmetology instructor salary
Average cosmetology instructor salary
$45,344
Average Cosmetology Instructor Salary
The average salary for a Cosmetology Instructor in the United States is approximately $45,344 per year, or $22 per hour. Salaries vary based on factors such as location, years of experience, and the type of institution. For instance, instructors at private cosmetology schools may earn more compared to those at public institutions.
Highest Paying States
In terms of geographical opportunities, states such as California, New York, and Texas offer some of the highest salaries for cosmetology instructors. These regions often have a higher demand for skilled educators and competitive job markets.
Salary Trends Over Time
Over the years, the demand for cosmetology instructors has grown, leading to increased salary potentials. As the beauty industry continues to expand, instructors with advanced certifications or specialized skills may see even higher earnings. Keeping up with industry trends and ongoing education can significantly enhance earning potential in this field.
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Where can a Cosmetology Instructor earn more?
Cosmetology instructor salary estimates from across the web
Average cosmetology instructor salary by state
The average cosmetology instructor salary in New York, Massachusetts, and Hawaii are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average cosmetology instructor salary states are Kansas, Arizona, and Illinois.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for cosmetology instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $56,179 | $27.01 |
| 2 | Michigan | $48,046 | $23.10 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $48,097 | $23.12 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $45,179 | $21.72 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $53,380 | $25.66 |
| 6 | North Carolina | $42,521 | $20.44 |
| 7 | California | $46,730 | $22.47 |
| 8 | Iowa | $42,741 | $20.55 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $47,810 | $22.99 |
| 10 | Delaware | $42,829 | $20.59 |
| 11 | Hawaii | $50,416 | $24.24 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $44,265 | $21.28 |
| 13 | Texas | $42,750 | $20.55 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $41,860 | $20.13 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $43,869 | $21.09 |
| 16 | Florida | $41,200 | $19.81 |
| 17 | Alabama | $41,578 | $19.99 |
| 18 | Oregon | $39,920 | $19.19 |
| 19 | Virginia | $40,252 | $19.35 |
| 20 | Vermont | $40,153 | $19.30 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $40,006 | $19.23 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $38,704 | $18.61 |
| 23 | West Virginia | $37,848 | $18.20 |
| 24 | Tennessee | $39,736 | $19.10 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $35,823 | $17.22 |
| 26 | Kentucky | $38,242 | $18.39 |
| 27 | District of Columbia | $46,224 | $22.22 |
| 28 | Georgia | $36,959 | $17.77 |
| 29 | Louisiana | $37,202 | $17.89 |
| 30 | Nebraska | $38,910 | $18.71 |
| 31 | Indiana | $39,193 | $18.84 |
| 32 | New Hampshire | $39,492 | $18.99 |
| 33 | Colorado | $35,660 | $17.14 |
| 34 | Missouri | $39,048 | $18.77 |
| 35 | Nevada | $35,628 | $17.13 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $38,256 | $18.39 |
| 37 | Maryland | $37,018 | $17.80 |
| 38 | Alaska | $34,174 | $16.43 |
| 39 | Connecticut | $39,026 | $18.76 |
| 40 | Maine | $37,208 | $17.89 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $32,483 | $15.62 |
| 42 | Ohio | $34,692 | $16.68 |
| 43 | Utah | $34,840 | $16.75 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $35,731 | $17.18 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $33,863 | $16.28 |
| 46 | Arizona | $33,546 | $16.13 |
| 47 | Montana | $29,857 | $14.35 |
| 48 | Illinois | $33,213 | $15.97 |
| 49 | Kansas | $33,815 | $16.26 |
| 50 | Washington | $34,652 | $16.66 |
| 51 | Idaho | $27,356 | $13.15 |
Highest paying cities for cosmetology instructors
The highest-paying cities for cosmetology instructors are Roseville, MI, Shakopee, MN, and Oakland, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roseville, MI | $48,419 | $23.28 |
| 2 | Shakopee, MN | $47,564 | $22.87 |
| 3 | Oakland, CA | $47,027 | $22.61 |
| 4 | Gulfport, MS | $46,438 | $22.33 |
| 5 | Brownsville, TX | $44,149 | $21.23 |
| 6 | Madison, WI | $43,754 | $21.04 |
| 7 | Asheville, NC | $41,926 | $20.16 |
| 8 | Kissimmee, FL | $41,130 | $19.77 |
| 9 | Madison, AL | $40,776 | $19.60 |
| 10 | Indianapolis, IN | $39,032 | $18.77 |
| 11 | Lake Charles, LA | $37,785 | $18.17 |
| 12 | Annapolis, MD | $37,089 | $17.83 |
| 13 | Atlanta, GA | $36,798 | $17.69 |
| 14 | Denver, CO | $35,569 | $17.10 |
| 15 | Tulsa, OK | $35,521 | $17.08 |
| 16 | Spanish Fork, UT | $35,169 | $16.91 |
| 17 | Columbus, OH | $34,421 | $16.55 |
| 18 | Chicago, IL | $33,315 | $16.02 |
| 19 | Greenville, SC | $32,183 | $15.47 |
Cosmetology instructor salary details
A cosmetology instructor's salary ranges from $31,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $64,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a cosmetology instructor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
| 75th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
| Average | $45,344 | $3,779 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
Highest paying cosmetology instructor jobs
The highest paying types of cosmetology instructors are adjunct faculty, instructional supervisor, and technical instructor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjunct Faculty | $83,069 | $6,922 | $39.94 | 26,791 |
| Teacher-In-Training | $37,214 | $3,101 | $17.89 | 132,725 |
| Instructor, Adjunct Faculty | $52,225 | $4,352 | $25.11 | 37,739 |
| Instructor, Faculty | $57,553 | $4,796 | $27.67 | 38,774 |
| Culinary Arts Instructor | $45,296 | $3,775 | $21.78 | 27,283 |
| Continuing Education Instructor | $56,156 | $4,680 | $27.00 | 45,955 |
Top companies hiring cosmetology instructors now:
Which companies pay cosmetology instructors the most?
Cosmetology instructor salaries at Porter and Chester Institute and Community Care College are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average cosmetology instructor salary at companies like Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College and Dorsey Schools are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Porter and Chester Institute | $56,027 | $26.94 |
| 2 | Community Care College | $54,014 | $25.97 |
| 3 | Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | $50,584 | $24.32 |
| 4 | Dorsey Schools | $47,980 | $23.07 |
| 5 | Paul Mitchell Schools | $46,158 | $22.19 |
| 6 | Clarendon College | $46,070 | $22.15 |
| 7 | Sussex County Community College | $45,103 | $21.68 |
| 8 | Minnesota State Fair | $44,880 | $21.58 |
| 9 | Pike Township Fire Dept | $44,243 | $21.27 |
| 10 | Denver Public Schools | $43,854 | $21.08 |
| 11 | Clovis Community College | $43,807 | $21.06 |
| 12 | Southern Careers Institute | $43,248 | $20.79 |
| 13 | Waukesha County Technical College | $42,964 | $20.66 |
| 14 | Wisconsin Youth | $41,842 | $20.12 |
| 15 | North Central Texas College | $41,587 | $19.99 |
| 16 | Florida Technical College | $40,824 | $19.63 |
| 17 | Lee College | $40,788 | $19.61 |
| 18 | Carteret Schools | $40,460 | $19.45 |
| 19 | Commonwealth | $40,093 | $19.28 |
| 20 | Los Angeles Trade-Technical College | $39,120 | $18.81 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Cosmetology instructor salary trends
The average cosmetology instructor salary has risen by $5,568 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average cosmetology instructor earned $39,776 annually, but today, they earn $45,344 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for cosmetology instructors over the last decade.
Compare cosmetology instructor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average cosmetology instructor salary over time
Compare cosmetology instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Cosmetology instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $45,300 | $21.80 | +1.8% |
| 2025 | $44,500 | $21.41 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $43,300 | $20.82 | +2.9% |
| 2023 | $42,100 | $20.22 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $41,300 | $19.86 | +2.3% |
Recently added cosmetology instructor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas | Cosmetology Instructor | North Little Rock, AR | 06/30/2025 | $52,175 |
| Get It Recruit-Educational Services | Cosmetology Instructor-Remote | WFH | Clovis, CA | 06/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| Paul Mitchell Schools | Learning Leader-Cosmetology Instructor | Sylvania, OH | 06/28/2025 | $37,566 |
| Mountainland Technical College | Cosmetology Instructor | Lehi, UT | 06/23/2025 | $50,276 |
| State of Georgia | Lanier Technical College; Cosmetology Instructor-Hall County Campus; Gainesville, GA 30507 | Gainesville, GA | 06/21/2025 | $57,000 |
| J. The Jewish News of Northern California | Cosmetology Apprenticeship | Lutz, FL | 06/20/2025 | $25,044 |
| ACCS | Cosmetology Instructor | Wadley, AL | 06/19/2025 | $46,590 |
| Paul Mitchell Schools | Cosmetology Instructor | Sarasota, FL | 06/14/2025 | $37,566 |
| Paul Mitchell Schools | Cosmetology Instructor-Beauty Learning Leader | Hoover, AL | 06/14/2025 | $39,653 |
| Paul Mitchell Schools | Licensed Cosmetology Instructor | Newark, DE | 06/14/2025 | $39,653 |
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