Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Salary in Alabama
Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in Alabama earned a median of $29,150 a year ($14.02 an hour) and a mean of $33,700 in May 2025. The median is 18.6% below the U.S. median of $35,790, ranking 48th of 52 states and territories, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Median annual
- $29,150
- Median hourly
- $14.02
- Mean annual
- $33,700
- Jobs on record
- 3,300
Grey needle: U.S. median, $35,790 a year.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Confirm any figure on bls.gov/oes. Latest BLS release: May 2025, published May 15, 2026; checked November 10, 2026.
How does Alabama compare on pay for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists?
Alabama ranks 48th of 52 states and territories. Washington is highest at $59,510, $30,360 more than the Alabama median.
| State | Rank | Median | Against U.S. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guam | 46 | $29,500 | -18% | 170 |
| Wyoming | 47 | $29,170 | -18% | 360 |
| Alabama | 48 | $29,150 | -19% | 3,300 |
| Arkansas | 49 | $28,830 | -19% | 1,410 |
| Mississippi | 50 | $27,560 | -23% | 1,040 |
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025. Rank 1 is the highest median among 52 states and territories with a published figure. See every state.
Does Alabama pay go further after prices?
Prices in Alabama run 11.2% below the U.S. average, so the $29,150 median buys about what $32,818 buys at average U.S. prices, below the $35,790 U.S. median. On this measure Alabama ranks 42nd of 50, up from 47th before the adjustment.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025; BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. The adjustment divides pay by the state's price level.
Which areas in Alabama pay hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists the most?
Montgomery, AL is highest at $30,530, 4.7% above the Alabama median.
| Area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Montgomery, AL | $30,530 | 260 |
| Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $30,530 | 90 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | $30,250 | 160 |
| Mobile, AL | $29,700 | 350 |
| Huntsville, AL | $29,150 | 550 |
| Birmingham, AL | $29,000 | 1,050 |
| Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $28,740 | 60 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $28,550 | 50 |
| Decatur, AL | $28,430 | 90 |
| Dothan, AL | $28,150 | 90 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | $27,980 | 120 |
| Northwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $27,550 | 50 |
| Gadsden, AL | $27,070 | 40 |
Source: BLS OEWS metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area file, May 2025. Every area BLS lists for this job in Alabama is shown; an area that crosses state lines is listed under the first state in its BLS title.
How many hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists work in Alabama?
BLS counts 3,300 jobs in Alabama, 1.1% of the 305,710 in the U.S. That is the 24th largest count among the 52 states and territories with a published figure. That is 1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in Alabama, a location quotient of 0.79: the occupation's share of local jobs is 0.79 times its national share, so it is less concentrated here than in the U.S. as a whole.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025 and national file.
How does the Alabama minimum wage compare with pay for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists?
The 10th-percentile hourly pay for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in Alabama was $10.24 in May 2025, $2.99 above the $7.25 minimum wage that applies there now. The pay figure dates from May 2025 and the minimum wage is the current rate, so the two are not from the same date. No state minimum wage law; the federal $7.25 applies to covered employers.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, State Minimum Wage Laws, updated 2026-11-05; BLS OEWS state file, May 2025, 10th-percentile hourly wage.
Related jobs in Alabama
Related occupations from O*NET; pay from BLS OEWS state file, May 2025.