# Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists

> 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/hairdressers-hairstylists-and-cosmetologists
- SOC code: 39-5012.00
- Career family: Personal care and service
- Median annual pay: $35,790 (10th percentile $27,040, 90th percentile $71,190)
- Projected growth: Faster than average, +7.7%
- Openings a year: 73,400
- Typical entry education: Postsecondary certificate
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code RCS)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 73 |
| Investigative (I) | 9 |
| Artistic (A) | 37 |
| Social (S) | 45 |
| Enterprising (E) | 38 |
| Conventional (C) | 49 |

## What you'd do

- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public (importance 82/100)
- Selling or Influencing Others (importance 75/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 75/100)
- Assisting and Caring for Others (importance 73/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 73/100)
- Thinking Creatively (importance 71/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 70/100)
- Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others (importance 66/100)
- Getting Information (importance 65/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 64/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Speaking, Service Orientation, Critical Thinking, Active Learning, Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness, Complex Problem Solving, Monitoring, Reading Comprehension

## Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service, Sales and Marketing, English Language, Administration and Management, Education and Training, Public Safety and Security, Sociology and Anthropology, Administrative, Chemistry, Personnel and Human Resources

## Also called

Beautician, Beauty Advisor, Beauty Operator, Beauty Specialist, Beauty Therapist, Colorist, Cosmetic Consultant, Cosmetician, Cosmetologist, Event Stylist

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1204) (CIP 1204, 326 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Clover Park Technical College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/clover-park-technical-college-582) | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | $31,122 | $33,290 | not reported |
| [Douglas Education Center](https://www.collegesref.com/college/douglas-education-center-831) | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | $24,344 | $32,245 | $12,000 |
| [Central New Mexico Community College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/central-new-mexico-community-college-469) | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | $22,359 | $27,398 | not reported |
| [Central Piedmont Community College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/central-piedmont-community-college-473) | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | $24,015 | $26,550 | not reported |
| [Bevill State Community College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/bevill-state-community-college-246) | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | not reported | $23,086 | not reported |
| [Coahoma Community College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/coahoma-community-college-585) | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | not reported | $22,918 | not reported |
| [Houston Community College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/houston-community-college-1235) | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | $24,421 | $22,631 | $18,626 |
| [Gadsden State Community College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/gadsden-state-community-college-1041) | Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | $15,398 | $18,504 | not reported |

## Related careers

- [Barbers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/barbers): $38,210 median pay
- [Skincare Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/skincare-specialists): $45,330 median pay
- [Shampooers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/shampooers): $32,600 median pay
- [Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/makeup-artists-theatrical-and-performance): $97,150 median pay
- [Manicurists and Pedicurists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/manicurists-and-pedicurists): $35,760 median pay
- [Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/tailors-dressmakers-and-custom-sewers): $41,640 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.