Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Salary in California
Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in California earned a median of $38,660 a year ($18.59 an hour) and a mean of $48,290 in May 2025. The median is 8.0% above the U.S. median of $35,790, ranking 9th of 52 states and territories, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Median annual
- $38,660
- Median hourly
- $18.59
- Mean annual
- $48,290
- Jobs on record
- 27,080
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 California compare on pay for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists?
California ranks 9th of 52 states and territories. Washington is highest at $59,510, $20,850 more than the California median.
| State | Rank | Median | Against U.S. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | 7 | $44,000 | +23% | 970 |
| Minnesota | 8 | $39,170 | +9% | 5,320 |
| California | 9 | $38,660 | +8% | 27,080 |
| North Carolina | 10 | $38,410 | +7% | 8,490 |
| Montana | 11 | $38,000 | +6% | 690 |
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 California pay go further after prices?
Prices in California run 10.7% above the U.S. average, so the $38,660 median buys about what $34,917 buys at average U.S. prices, below the $35,790 U.S. median. On this measure California ranks 28th of 50, down from 9th 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 California pay hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists the most?
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA is highest at $43,500, 12.5% above the California median.
| Area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $43,500 | 10,910 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $43,410 | 2,030 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $42,400 | 3,370 |
| Napa, CA | $39,610 | 40 |
| North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $38,810 | 70 |
| Vallejo, CA | $38,640 | 170 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $38,480 | 40 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $38,280 | 370 |
| Salinas, CA | $37,970 | 170 |
| Chico, CA | $37,880 | 60 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $37,690 | 380 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $37,440 | 500 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $37,380 | 180 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $37,350 | 50 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $37,290 | 2,870 |
| Yuba City, CA | $37,180 | 60 |
| Modesto, CA | $36,960 | 320 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $36,900 | 120 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $36,780 | 1,800 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $36,760 | 240 |
| Visalia, CA | $36,570 | 120 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $36,410 | 2,080 |
| Fresno, CA | $35,880 | 430 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $35,330 | 250 |
| Redding, CA | $34,930 | 70 |
Source: BLS OEWS metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area file, May 2025. Every area BLS lists for this job in California 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 California?
BLS counts 27,080 jobs in California, 8.9% of the 305,710 in the U.S. That is the largest count among the 52 states and territories with a published figure. That is 1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in California, a location quotient of 0.76: the occupation's share of local jobs is 0.76 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 California minimum wage compare with pay for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists?
The 10th-percentile hourly pay for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in California was $17.00 in May 2025, $0.10 above the $16.90 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.
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 California
Related occupations from O*NET; pay from BLS OEWS state file, May 2025.