Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Salary in Kentucky
Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in Kentucky earned a median of $29,840 a year ($14.35 an hour) and a mean of $41,390 in May 2025. The median is 16.6% below the U.S. median of $35,790, ranking 42nd of 52 states and territories, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Median annual
- $29,840
- Median hourly
- $14.35
- Mean annual
- $41,390
- Jobs on record
- 2,350
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 Kentucky compare on pay for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists?
Kentucky ranks 42nd of 52 states and territories. Washington is highest at $59,510, $29,670 more than the Kentucky median.
| State | Rank | Median | Against U.S. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri | 40 | $30,750 | -14% | 5,430 |
| Texas | 41 | $30,680 | -14% | 22,440 |
| Kentucky | 42 | $29,840 | -17% | 2,350 |
| Kansas | 43 | $29,710 | -17% | 2,190 |
| Oklahoma | 44 | $29,650 | -17% | 1,920 |
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 Kentucky pay go further after prices?
Prices in Kentucky run 9.8% below the U.S. average, so the $29,840 median buys about what $33,097 buys at average U.S. prices, below the $35,790 U.S. median. On this measure Kentucky ranks 40th of 50, up from 42nd 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 Kentucky pay hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists the most?
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN is highest at $33,620, 12.7% above the Kentucky median.
| Area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $33,620 | 930 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $29,230 | 530 |
| West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $28,870 | 40 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $28,580 | 100 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $28,390 | 70 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $28,350 | 40 |
| Owensboro, KY | $27,890 | 40 |
| Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $27,310 | 190 |
Source: BLS OEWS metropolitan and nonmetropolitan area file, May 2025. Every area BLS lists for this job in Kentucky 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 Kentucky?
BLS counts 2,350 jobs in Kentucky, 0.77% of the 305,710 in the U.S. That is the 28th largest count among the 52 states and territories with a published figure. That is 1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in Kentucky, a location quotient of 0.60: the occupation's share of local jobs is 0.60 times its national share, so it is less concentrated here than in the U.S. as a whole.
Precision: BLS's relative standard error for the mean wage in Kentucky is 10.2%, so read this figure as an estimate; sampling error alone can move a mean by about that share.
Source: BLS OEWS state file, May 2025 and national file.
How does the Kentucky minimum wage compare with pay for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists?
The 10th-percentile hourly pay for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in Kentucky was $10.85 in May 2025, $3.60 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.
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 Kentucky
Related occupations from O*NET; pay from BLS OEWS state file, May 2025.