Careers / Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists — Career Decision Dashboard

United States

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Median annual wage

$35,790

United States, 2025

Employment

305,710

United States, 2025

Typical education

Not recorded

Job Zone 3

Skills identified

35

10 related careers

Career overview

Provide beauty services, such as cutting, coloring, and styling hair, and massaging and treating scalp. May shampoo hair, apply makeup, dress wigs, remove hair, and provide nail and skincare services.

O*NET code
39-5012.00
Job zone
3
Experience required
None

Typical tasks

  • Keep work stations clean and sanitize tools, such as scissors and combs.
  • Schedule client appointments.
  • Bleach, dye, or tint hair, using applicator or brush.
  • Cut, trim and shape hair or hairpieces, based on customers' instructions, hair type, and facial features, using clippers, scissors, trimmers and razors.
  • Shampoo, rinse, condition, and dry hair and scalp or hairpieces with water, liquid soap, or other solutions.
  • Update and maintain customer information records, such as beauty services provided.
  • Analyze patrons' hair and other physical features to determine and recommend beauty treatment or suggest hair styles.
  • Massage and treat scalp for hygienic and remedial purposes, using hands, fingers, or vibrating equipment.

Choose a location

Salary analysis — United States

$27,040
10th
$30,120
25th
$35,790
Median
$48,830
75th
$71,190
90th

10th percentile

$27,040

25th percentile

$30,120

75th percentile

$48,830

90th percentile

$71,190

Most important skills

  • Active Listening3.9
  • Speaking3.8
  • Service Orientation3.6
  • Critical Thinking3.4
  • Active Learning3.3
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.3
  • Social Perceptiveness3.1
  • Complex Problem Solving3.0
  • Reading Comprehension3.0
  • Time Management3.0
  • Monitoring3.0
  • Coordination2.9

What skills do you need?

Select the skills you already have

Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.

Skill coverage

0%

0 of 11 identified skills

Matched

0

Missing

11

Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.

Skills to develop

SkillImportanceRequired levelYour levelGap
Critical Thinking3.43.5Not selected3.5
Service Orientation3.63.3Not selected3.3
Active Listening3.93.0Not selected3.0
Speaking3.83.0Not selected3.0
Active Learning3.33.0Not selected3.0
Social Perceptiveness3.13.1Not selected3.1
Reading Comprehension3.03.0Not selected3.0
Monitoring3.03.0Not selected3.0
Complex Problem Solving3.02.9Not selected2.9
Judgment and Decision Making3.32.5Not selected2.5
Time Management3.02.6Not selected2.6

Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.

Related careers

How salary varies by location

LocationMedianEmploymentYear
Corvallis, OR$61,8801202025
Bellingham, WA$61,8201602025
Spokane, WA$61,4405702025
Kahului, HI$60,710802025
Seattle, WA$59,8104,5102025
Portland, OR$59,6101,5002025
WA$59,5106,9302025
Burlington, VT$58,7402202025
Bremerton, WA$58,1502002025
OR$57,5801,8602025
DC$54,5708702025
Bend, OR$51,640802025
Salem, OR$50,9601302025
Sioux Falls, SD$50,5003202025
Olympia, WA$49,8402902025
SD$49,8006902025
Kennewick, WA$49,6402502025
Eugene, OR$49,5701802025
Medford, OR$49,4801202025
VT$48,6504402025
All locations with published data

Career transition paths

Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.

Build a transition comparison

Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0.

Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).

Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.