Cosmetologist

What it pays in the U.S.

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.

Wage figures are 2025 survey data for United States, shown nationally because no state figure was reported. They describe what people in this job earn now, not what any one person will be offered.

What the work actually is

• Shampoo, rinse, condition, and dry hair and scalp or hairpieces with water, liquid soap, or other solutions.
• Schedule client appointments.
• Order, display, and maintain supplies.
• Operate cash registers to receive payments from patrons.
• Cut, trim and shape hair or hairpieces, based on customers' instructions, hair type, and facial features, using clippers, scissors, trimmers and razors.
• Comb, brush, and spray hair or wigs to set style.

Read the full Occupational Outlook Handbook entry from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Licensing, by state

Licensing is set by each state, so there is no national answer. Choose a state above to see which licenses it requires for this career, or look one up with the CareerOneStop License Finder.

Certifications employers recognize

These are national certifications, issued by industry bodies rather than a state. Most are optional, but they are how you prove skill to an employer.

• Certified Aesthetic Laser Operator

  National Council on Laser Certification · Core

• Cosmetology for Career-Technical Education

  Safety and Pollution Prevention · Core

• Certified Laser Hair Removal Supervisor

  National Council on Laser Certification · Advanced

Apprenticeships, by state

Registered apprenticeships pay you while you train. Each state runs its own registration office, which is where to start when you want to find an open program.

Choose a state above to see the offices that register apprenticeships there.

Search open programs directly at apprenticeship.gov.