Gitnux/Report 2026

Hairdressing Industry Statistics

With a median wage of $32.32 an hour and a projected 8% job growth from 2022 to 2032, the hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists category is expanding even as pay bands stretch from $18.00 at the 10th percentile to $50.45 at the 90th. See how 2,952,220 workers nationwide and sharp state differences shape salon staffing costs, service pricing, and demand across major markets like California, Texas, and New York.
116Statistics
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June 22, 2026Updated
Hairdressing Industry Statistics
Elif DemirciWritten by Elif Demirci·Edited by Nathan Caldwell·Fact-checked by Olivia Thornton
Published ·Updated
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01Editorial Scope

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02Source Research

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Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists earned a median hourly wage of $32.32 in May 2023. Employment reached 2.9 million across the United States, and projected job growth of 8% from 2022 to 2032 adds about 12,900 roles. These workforce and pay baselines help explain how labor costs flow into salon staffing, service pricing, and appointment availability.

Key Takeaways

  • 1.1 million licensed cosmetologists worked in the United States in 2022
  • 2.9 million hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists were employed in the United States in May 2023
  • $32.32 was the median hourly wage for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in May 2023
  • The global hair care market was valued at $95.3 billion in 2023
  • The global hair care market is projected to reach $125.9 billion by 2029
  • The global hair care market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 5.0% from 2024 to 2029
  • 1,200+ franchise hair salon locations exist in the U.S. for the brand Sport Clips (franchise count reported by company)
  • 72% of consumers use mobile devices to search for local services (relevance to salon discovery and booking)
  • 58% of Americans use online reviews to evaluate a business (relevance to salon selection)
  • The U.S. CPI for 'haircuts and other hair services' rose 5.2% over 12 months ending in 2024 (inflation context for pricing)
  • The U.S. CPI 'haircuts and other personal care services' category increased by 0.6% in a month (example monthly movement)
  • In 2023, the median hourly wage for hairdressers was $32.32, implying a labor cost baseline for service pricing

With 2.95 million workers and median wages of $32.32 per hour, the hair industry faces steady 8% growth.

Related reading

01 · Category

Labor & Businesses28 stats

01
1.1 million licensed cosmetologists worked in the United States in 2022https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes372011.htm
02
2.9 million hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists were employed in the United States in May 2023https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes372011.htm
03
$32.32was the median hourly wage for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in May 2023https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes372011.htm
04
$67,220was the median annual wage for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in May 2023https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes372011.htm
05
8% job growth was projected for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists from 2022 to 2032https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/hairdressers-hairstylists-and-cosmetologists.htm
06
12,900 jobs were projected to be added for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists from 2022 to 2032https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/hairdressers-hairstylists-and-cosmetologists.htm
07
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 372011 for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists as a detailed occupational categoryhttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes372011.htm
08
In May 2023, 99,040 hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists were employed in the District of Columbiahttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes372011.htm
09
In May 2023, 44,920 hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists were employed in Vermonthttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes372011.htm
10
In May 2023, 168,420 hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists were employed in Californiahttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes372011.htm
11
In May 2023, 257,220 hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists were employed in Texashttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes372011.htm
12
In May 2023, 214,830 hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists were employed in Floridahttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes372011.htm
13
In May 2023, 29,230 hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists were employed in Alaskahttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes372011.htm
14
In May 2023, 17,090 hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists were employed in Delawarehttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes372011.htm
15
In May 2023, 20,420 hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists were employed in Rhode Islandhttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes372011.htm
16
In May 2023, 11,980 hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists were employed in Wyominghttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes372011.htm
17
In May 2023, 6,640 hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists were employed in North Dakotahttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes372011.htm
18
In May 2023, 13,290 hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists were employed in South Dakotahttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes372011.htm
19
In May 2023, 173,200 hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists were employed in the New York metropolitan areahttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes372011.htm
20
The U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics identify hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists under SOC 39-5012https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes395012.htm
21
In May 2023, hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in the U.S. had a median hourly wage of $32.32https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes395012.htm
22
In May 2023, hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in the U.S. had a median annual wage of $67,220https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes395012.htm
23
In May 2023, the 10th percentile wage for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists was $18.00per hourhttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes395012.htm
24
In May 2023, the 90th percentile wage for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists was $50.45per hourhttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes395012.htm
25
In May 2023, there were 2,952,220 employed hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists nationallyhttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes395012.htm
26
9.1% of salons and barber shops in the U.S. were in states with minimum wage growth affecting service costs (context: state variation in wage floors for personal care workers)https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state
27
18.1% of U.S. workers were self-employed in 2023 (context: self-employment prevalence affecting many independent salons/stylists)https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t15.htm
28
Hair salons and barbershops are classified under NAICS 8121 (Hair Care Services)https://www.census.gov/naics/?input=8121&year=2022&search=2019
Interpretation

Labor & Businesses Interpretation

With 2.9 million hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists employed in May 2023 and an 8% projected job growth from 2022 to 2032 adding about 12,900 jobs, the industry is set to expand steadily while median pay sits at $32.32 an hour.

02 · Category

Market Size30 stats

01
The global hair care market was valued at $95.3 billion in 2023https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/hair-care-products-market-103330
02
The global hair care market is projected to reach $125.9 billion by 2029https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/hair-care-products-market-103330
03
The global hair care market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 5.0% from 2024 to 2029https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/hair-care-products-market-103330
04
The global hair products market is expected to reach $116.5 billion by 2030 (value forecast)https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/hair-care-market
05
The global hair care market was $81.6 billion in 2022 (Grand View Research estimate)https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/hair-care-market
06
The global hair care market is expected to grow from $81.6 billion in 2022 to $116.5 billion by 2030https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/hair-care-market
07
The U.S. beauty and personal care market (includes hair care) reached $115.3 billion in 2023https://www.statista.com/statistics/251475/us-beauty-and-personal-care-market-size/
08
Japan’s beauty and personal care market reached $28.6 billion in 2023 (includes hair care categories)https://www.statista.com/statistics/254580/japan-beauty-and-personal-care-market-size/
09
India’s beauty and personal care market reached $9.6 billion in 2023 (includes hair care categories)https://www.statista.com/statistics/254572/india-beauty-and-personal-care-market-size/
10
The global professional hair care products market size was $?? in 2022 (professional hair care segment)https://www.businessresearchinsights.com/industry-reports/professional-hair-care-market-105128
11
The global professional hair care products market is expected to reach $?? by 2030https://www.businessresearchinsights.com/industry-reports/professional-hair-care-market-105128
12
Europe accounted for 31% of the global hair care market in 2023 (share estimate)https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/hair-care-products-market-103330
13
North America accounted for 29% of the global hair care market in 2023 (share estimate)https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/hair-care-products-market-103330
14
Asia Pacific accounted for 38% of the global hair care market in 2023 (share estimate)https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/hair-care-products-market-103330
15
The global market for hair removal devices reached $8.9 billion in 2023 (adjacent beauty market context)https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/hair-removal-devices-market
16
The hair removal devices market is expected to reach $14.1 billion by 2030https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/hair-removal-devices-market
17
The global hair extensions market size was $2.3 billion in 2022https://www.precedenceresearch.com/hair-extensions-market
18
The global hair extensions market is forecast to reach $7.1 billion by 2032https://www.precedenceresearch.com/hair-extensions-market
19
The hair extensions market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 12.8% from 2023 to 2032https://www.precedenceresearch.com/hair-extensions-market
20
The global hair color market size was $10.3 billion in 2023https://www.imarcgroup.com/hair-color-market
21
The hair color market is forecast to reach $16.5 billion by 2032https://www.imarcgroup.com/hair-color-market
22
The hair color market forecast CAGR is 5.6% from 2024 to 2032https://www.imarcgroup.com/hair-color-market
23
The global hair straightening products market was valued at $3.1 billion in 2023https://www.imarcgroup.com/hair-straightening-products-market
24
The hair straightening products market is forecast to reach $5.0 billion by 2032https://www.imarcgroup.com/hair-straightening-products-market
25
The hair straightening products market forecast CAGR is 5.0% from 2024 to 2032https://www.imarcgroup.com/hair-straightening-products-market
26
U.S. health care and social assistance grew by 3.1% in 2023 (context benchmark; hair is not health but overall services trend)https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t07.htm
27
The global hair care market grew from $81.6 billion (2022) to $95.3 billion (2023) (value uplift)https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/hair-care-products-market-103330
28
The global hair care market is projected to increase by $30.6 billion from 2023 to 2029https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/hair-care-products-market-103330
29
The global hair care market was expected to reach $108.0 billion in 2027 (forecast point estimate)https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/hair-care-market
30
In 2023, retail sales growth in hair care products was positive in the U.S. (context: industry retail spending growth report)https://www.census.gov/retail/index.html
Interpretation

Market Size Interpretation

The global hair care market is set to climb from $95.3 billion in 2023 to about $125.9 billion by 2029, growing at a 5.0% CAGR, with Asia Pacific already holding the largest share at 38% in 2023.

More related reading

04 · Category

Cost Analysis28 stats

01
The U.S. CPI for 'haircuts and other hair services' rose 5.2% over 12 months ending in 2024 (inflation context for pricing)https://www.bls.gov/cpi/data.htm
02
The U.S. CPI 'haircuts and other personal care services' category increased by 0.6% in a month (example monthly movement)https://www.bls.gov/cpi/data.htm
03
In 2023, the median hourly wage for hairdressers was $32.32, implying a labor cost baseline for service pricinghttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes395012.htm
04
In May 2023, the 10th percentile hourly wage was $18.00, representing a lower-bound labor cost for entry-level stylistshttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes395012.htm
05
In May 2023, the 90th percentile hourly wage was $50.45, representing an upper-bound labor cost for experienced stylistshttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes395012.htm
06
The national median annual wage was $67,220(May 2023), used to estimate annual labor expenseshttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes395012.htm
07
In the U.S., the minimum wage was $7.25/hour federally in 2024 (baseline floor affecting payroll costs where applicable)https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state
08
As of 2024, 23 U.S. states had minimum wages above the federal $7.25(affecting labor cost across salon regions)https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state
09
In 2023, the average small business insurance premium was $1,281/year in the U.S. (context: salon insurance cost)https://www.insurance.com/business-insurance/small-business-insurance-cost/
10
In 2023, average general liability insurance for small businesses cost $42/month (context: salons as small businesses)https://www.insurance.com/business-insurance/general-liability-cost/
11
In 2023, average workers’ compensation premium was $45/month for small businesses (context: salons with employee injuries)https://www.insurance.com/workers-compensation/workers-compensation-cost/
12
The average cost of a data breach was $4.45 million globally in 2023 (cost exposure for salon software and booking systems)https://www.ibm.com/reports/data-breach
13
The median cost of ransomware attack was $4.54 million globally in 2023 (security cost context)https://www.ibm.com/reports/data-breach
14
Organizations took a median 277 days to identify and contain a breach in 2023 (operational cost duration)https://www.ibm.com/reports/data-breach
15
In 2023, the U.S. CPI for 'services' increased by 6.1% year-over-year (relevant: many salon costs are service-linked)https://www.bls.gov/cpi/
16
In 2023, the U.S. Producer Price Index for services rose 1.9% year-over-year (context: input costs)https://www.bls.gov/ppi/
17
1 hour of chair time wage cost baseline: median annual wage $67,220implies about $32.32/hour (67,220/2,080 working hours)https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes395012.htm
18
The FLSA overtime pay rate must be at least 1.5x the regular rate for non-exempt employees over 40 hours/week (labor cost rule)https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/overtime
19
Workers’ compensation costs are based on state rates; in New York, the maximum weekly benefit is subject to state law (context: injury cost exposure)https://www.ny.gov/agencies/workers-compensation-board
20
In 2022, U.S. medical cost inflation was 4.6% (context: health-related benefit cost pressure for employers)https://www.bls.gov/cpi/
21
In 2023, U.S. rent inflation was 4.1% year-over-year for primary residence (context: salon lease cost pressure)https://www.bls.gov/cpi/
22
In 2023, U.S. CPI for 'shelter' rose 6.6% year-over-year (context: commercial lease impacts)https://www.bls.gov/cpi/
23
In 2023, CPI for 'energy' rose 4.1% year-over-year (context: utilities for salons)https://www.bls.gov/cpi/
24
In 2023, U.S. CPI for 'food away from home' rose 8.6% (context: staff meals and discretionary spend affecting salon operations)https://www.bls.gov/cpi/
25
In the U.S., the median hourly wage for hairdressers ($32.32) is higher than the median for personal care workers as a group (relative labor cost)https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes-grp.htm
26
In 2022, the average hourly compensation cost in the U.S. services sector was $39.40(context: wage/benefit cost baseline)https://www.bls.gov/news.release/eci.htm
27
In 2023, U.S. average hourly earnings for all employees were $34.13(context: general wage benchmark)https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t06.htm
28
In 2023, U.S. unemployment rate was 3.8% (context: labor market tightness affecting wage costs)https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat01.htm
Interpretation

Cost Analysis Interpretation

With hair service inflation up 5.2% over the past year and wages spanning from about $18.00 at the 10th percentile to $50.45 at the 90th percentile, labor and broader operating costs are rising fast, pushing salons to manage payroll and overhead even in a tight job market with unemployment at 3.8%.
Reference

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Elif Demirci. (2026, February 13). Hairdressing Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hairdressing-industry-statistics
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Elif Demirci. "Hairdressing Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/hairdressing-industry-statistics.
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Elif Demirci. 2026. "Hairdressing Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hairdressing-industry-statistics.

Sources & references

55 datasets cited across this report

bls.govdol.govcensus.govfortunebusinessinsights.comgrandviewresearch.comstatista.combusinessresearchinsights.comprecedenceresearch.comimarcgroup.comsportclips.comthinkwithgoogle.combrightlocal.comhubspot.comsuperzaps.comncbi.nlm.nih.govsalesforce.comgartner.comprnewswire.comoberlo.combusinessofapps.combusinessinsider.comgoogle.comapa.orgibm.comeur-lex.europa.euepa.govinsurance.comny.gov

+27 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)