Stylist demographics and statistics in the US
Stylist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates stylist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our stylist estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about stylists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 263,263 stylists currently employed in the United States.
- 86.4% of all stylists are women, while 13.6% are men.
- The average stylist age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of stylists is White (59.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (16.9%), Black or African American (10.9%) and Asian (8.1%).
- Stylists are most in-demand in Houston, TX.
- The hospitality industry is the highest-paying for stylists.
- Denver, CO pays an annual average wage of $46,195, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women stylists earned 92% of what men earned.
- 12% of all stylists are LGBT.
- West Virginia is the best state for stylists to live.
- Stylists are 76% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On This Page
Stylist demographics by:
Stylist gender statistics
86.4% of stylists are women and 13.6% of stylists are men.
- Female, 86.4%
- Male, 13.6%
Stylist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 86.4% |
| Male | 13.6% |
Stylist gender pay gap
Women earn 92¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male Income
$41,287
Female Income
$38,121
Stylist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in stylist positions over time. Currently, 86.4% of stylists are female.
Stylist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 12.88% | 87.12% |
| 2011 | 14.05% | 85.95% |
| 2012 | 13.78% | 86.22% |
| 2013 | 14.30% | 85.70% |
| 2014 | 14.07% | 85.93% |
| 2015 | 14.09% | 85.91% |
| 2016 | 14.97% | 85.03% |
| 2017 | 13.98% | 86.02% |
| 2018 | 15.54% | 84.46% |
| 2019 | 16.30% | 83.70% |
| 2020 | 14.48% | 85.52% |
| 2021 | 13.61% | 86.39% |
Stylist related jobs gender ratio
We compared stylists 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% |
| Stylist | 14% | 86% |
| Barber | 75% | 25% |
| Master Barber | 78% | 22% |
| Barber Apprentice | 79% | 21% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Stylist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among stylists is White, which makes up 59.2% of all stylists. Comparatively, 16.9% of stylists are Hispanic or Latino and 10.9% of stylists are Black or African American.
- White, 59.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 16.9%
- Black or African American, 10.9%
- Asian, 8.1%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
Stylist Race
| Stylist Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 59.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.9% |
| Black or African American | 10.9% |
| Asian | 8.1% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.5% |
Stylist race and ethnicity over time
See how stylist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Stylist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.61% | 11.40% | 6.47% | 14.37% |
| 2011 | 65.32% | 11.56% | 6.24% | 14.70% |
| 2012 | 64.28% | 11.85% | 6.31% | 15.52% |
| 2013 | 64.57% | 11.79% | 6.36% | 15.31% |
| 2014 | 64.50% | 11.64% | 6.09% | 15.29% |
| 2015 | 64.38% | 10.88% | 6.70% | 15.75% |
| 2016 | 63.25% | 10.99% | 7.06% | 16.21% |
| 2017 | 62.70% | 10.58% | 7.97% | 16.14% |
| 2018 | 63.92% | 10.66% | 7.26% | 15.78% |
| 2019 | 63.56% | 10.44% | 7.73% | 15.85% |
| 2020 | 60.92% | 10.18% | 7.66% | 16.74% |
| 2021 | 59.16% | 10.91% | 8.06% | 16.95% |
Stylist wage gap by race
According to our data, white stylists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino stylists have the lowest average salary at $39,871.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $41,884 |
| White | $42,883 |
| Black or African American | $40,613 |
| Asian | $41,251 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $39,871 |
Average stylist age
See how the average age of stylists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Stylist 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 |
Stylist age breakdown
The average age of stylists is 40+ years years old, representing 49% of the stylist population.
Stylist age breakdown
| Stylist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 49% |
| 30-40 years | 29% |
| 20-30 years | 22% |
Stylist educational attainment
The most common degree for stylists is bachelor's degree, with 40% of stylists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 22% and associate degree degree at 18%.
- Bachelor's, 40%
- Associate, 22%
- High School Diploma, 18%
- Diploma, 9%
- Other Degrees, 11%
Stylists by degree level
| Stylist Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 40% |
| Associate | 22% |
| High School Diploma | 18% |
| Diploma | 9% |
| Other Degrees | 11% |
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Stylist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, stylists with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $44,261 annually. With a Associate degree, stylists earn a median annual income of $41,780 compared to $39,590 for stylists with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $39,590 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $44,261 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $41,780 |
Stylist employment statistics
Most stylists work for a private in the retail industry.
Company size where stylists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where stylists work.
Stylist jobs by employer size
| Company Size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 13% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 15% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 28% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 16% |
| > 10,000 employees | 20% |
Stylist jobs by company type
Employees with the stylist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most stylists prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Stylist jobs by sector
| Company Type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 22% |
| Private | 76% |
Stylist jobs by industry
The most common industries for stylists are retail, professional and manufacturing.
Stylist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Retail | 46% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Media | 6% |
| Start-up | 6% |
| Fortune 500 | 6% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
Stylist turnover and employment statistics
Stylist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for stylists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Unemployment rate
Stylist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Stylist 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 stylist tenure
The average stylist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 46,931 stylists resumes in Zippia's database.
Stylist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 29% |
| 1-2 years | 30% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 8% |
Stylist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of stylists 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Manicurist | 5.12% | 1,746 |
| Barber | 8.10% | 2,823 |
| Lead Esthetician | 8.70% | 3,239 |
| Stylist | 11.87% | - |
| Shampoo Technician | 12.20% | 23,640 |
Similar stylist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Manicurist | 5.12% | 1,746 |
| Barber | 8.10% | 2,823 |
| Lead Esthetician | 8.70% | 3,239 |
| Shampoo Technician | 12.20% | 23,640 |
Foreign languages spoken by stylists
The most common foreign language among stylists is Spanish at 56.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 11.6% and Italian is the third-most popular at 4.3%.
- Spanish, 56.4%
- French, 11.6%
- Italian, 4.3%
- German, 3.1%
- Mandarin, 3.0%
- Other, 21.6%
Stylist languages spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 56.4% |
| French | 11.6% |
| Italian | 4.3% |
| German | 3.1% |
| Mandarin | 3.0% |
| Other | 21.6% |
