Sort by any column. Employment is the number of hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
Hairstylist Salary by State (2026)
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists earn the most in Washington at $59,510 a year and the least in Puerto Rico at $22,090 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $35,790. All 52 states and territories with reported data are ranked below, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $59,510
- National median
- $35,790
- Lowest median
- $22,090
- States reporting
- 52
Washington
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Puerto Rico
of 54 OEWS areas
Top 5 states for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
- 1. Washington$59,510 median · $55,610 adjusted · 6,930 employed
- 2. Oregon$57,580 median · $55,708 adjusted · 1,860 employed
- 3. District of Columbia$54,570 median · $49,654 adjusted · 870 employed
- 4. South Dakota$49,800 median · $56,217 adjusted · 690 employed
- 5. Vermont$48,650 median · $49,664 adjusted · 440 employed
Lowest-paying states for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
- 52. Puerto Rico$22,090 median · no price parity · 960 employed
- 51. Louisiana$26,030 median · $29,510 adjusted · 2,720 employed
- 50. Mississippi$27,560 median · $31,695 adjusted · 1,040 employed
- 49. Arkansas$28,830 median · $33,162 adjusted · 1,410 employed
- 48. Alabama$29,150 median · $32,818 adjusted · 3,300 employed
Hairstylist salary in every state
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $59,510 | $46,280 | $73,540 | 6,930 | $55,610 |
| 2 | Oregon | $57,580 | $38,640 | $64,740 | 1,860 | $55,708 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $54,570 | $45,250 | $77,620 | 870 | $49,654 |
| 4 | South Dakota | $49,800 | $42,870 | $56,200 | 690 | $56,217 |
| 5 | Vermont | $48,650 | $35,870 | $60,860 | 440 | $49,664 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $44,620 | $34,310 | $59,790 | 4,090 | $43,065 |
| 7 | Maine | $44,000 | $37,000 | $61,860 | 970 | $45,337 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $39,170 | $34,620 | $59,300 | 5,320 | $39,718 |
| 9 | California | $38,660 | $36,600 | $49,030 | 27,080 | $34,917 |
| 10 | North Carolina | $38,410 | $29,270 | $48,300 | 8,490 | $40,720 |
| 11 | Montana | $38,000 | $24,270 | $59,900 | 690 | $40,150 |
| 12 | New Mexico | $37,750 | $28,810 | $46,240 | 1,230 | $40,938 |
| 13 | Colorado | $37,690 | $35,330 | $59,710 | 6,820 | $36,574 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $37,290 | $34,930 | $60,340 | 9,600 | $35,260 |
| 15 | Arizona | $36,810 | $34,250 | $45,520 | 7,840 | $36,562 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $36,790 | $29,050 | $55,360 | 19,350 | $37,705 |
| 17 | Maryland | $36,420 | $32,710 | $47,590 | 5,860 | $34,699 |
| 18 | Ohio | $36,260 | $28,030 | $57,840 | 12,890 | $39,084 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $36,230 | $29,470 | $47,060 | 6,260 | $38,504 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $36,150 | $33,630 | $53,580 | 15,500 | $33,225 |
| 21 | New York | $35,760 | $34,580 | $58,320 | 20,740 | $33,135 |
| 22 | Iowa | $35,700 | $29,670 | $48,580 | 2,930 | $40,678 |
| 23 | Idaho | $35,480 | $27,470 | $37,710 | 2,250 | $37,154 |
| 24 | Utah | $35,140 | $28,540 | $51,130 | 2,810 | $35,544 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $35,040 | $29,650 | $56,360 | 930 | $31,869 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $34,850 | $30,510 | $53,480 | 870 | $39,175 |
| 27 | Michigan | $34,820 | $28,870 | $60,590 | 8,970 | $36,189 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $34,650 | $28,490 | $46,450 | 1,950 | $33,265 |
| 29 | Georgia | $34,560 | $24,810 | $48,730 | 7,910 | $35,890 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $34,480 | $28,710 | $46,340 | 1,020 | $38,526 |
| 31 | Delaware | $34,350 | $31,200 | $46,970 | 1,270 | $34,416 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $34,320 | $30,360 | $49,870 | 1,890 | $38,090 |
| 33 | Illinois | $34,040 | $31,200 | $41,110 | 13,190 | $34,054 |
| 34 | Nevada | $33,840 | $29,400 | $37,560 | 1,940 | $33,847 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $33,700 | $27,410 | $56,770 | 3,570 | $35,947 |
| 36 | Indiana | $32,830 | $27,980 | $44,910 | 5,920 | $35,177 |
| 37 | Alaska | $32,150 | $31,990 | $54,850 | 330 | $31,409 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $31,310 | $28,820 | $39,990 | 6,080 | $34,081 |
| 39 | Rhode Island | $31,200 | $31,200 | $32,950 | 1,470 | $30,504 |
| 40 | Missouri | $30,750 | $29,350 | $38,130 | 5,430 | $33,859 |
| 41 | Texas | $30,680 | $28,270 | $47,180 | 22,440 | $31,610 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $29,840 | $26,730 | $42,220 | 2,350 | $33,097 |
| 43 | Kansas | $29,710 | $26,690 | $48,010 | 2,190 | $32,986 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $29,650 | $23,070 | $44,260 | 1,920 | $33,753 |
| 45 | Florida | $29,530 | $28,340 | $35,090 | 23,530 | $28,555 |
| 46 | Guam | $29,500 | $27,840 | $33,690 | 170 | N/A |
| 47 | Wyoming | $29,170 | $25,730 | $36,500 | 360 | $31,470 |
| 48 | Alabama | $29,150 | $23,610 | $37,230 | 3,300 | $32,818 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $28,830 | $24,410 | $33,730 | 1,410 | $33,162 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $27,560 | $23,990 | $39,810 | 1,040 | $31,695 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $26,030 | $23,060 | $29,530 | 2,720 | $29,510 |
| 52 | Puerto Rico | $22,090 | $21,840 | $22,910 | 960 | N/A |
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists, that changes the ranking: Washington leads on raw pay at $59,510, while South Dakota leads once prices are taken into account at $56,217.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Hairstylist pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists the most?
Washington reports the highest median wage for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists at $59,510 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by Oregon ($57,580) and District of Columbia ($54,570).
Which state pays Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists the least?
Puerto Rico reports the lowest median for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists at $22,090 a year, $37,420 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity puts South Dakota first at $56,217 in national-average dollars, from a raw median of $49,800. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
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