What is a Hairdresser?
Hairdressers are licenced cosmetologists who have been trained in a variety of beauty styling techniques such as manicures, pedicures, and skin treatments, but they specialise in hair services, counselling clients on proper hair and skin care, and learning to tiptoe around our Achilles’ heel – vanity.
The best stylists masterfully balance these responsibilities, earning both our tips and our trust. Hairdressers are masters of styling, whether they’re creating beehives or braids, dreadlocks or ducktails, ponytails or pompadours.
“There’s so much more to what we do than cutting hair,” says Scott J. Buchanan, president of Scott J. Aveda Salons New York City and former chairman of the Professional Beauty Association. “We also get to make people feel good about themselves and change their lives.”
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 10.9% increase in employment for hairdressers between 2021 and 2031. An estimated 60,800 jobs should become available during that time period.
How Much Does a Hairdresser Make?
In 2021, the median salary for hairdressers was $29,670. That year, the highest-paid 25% earned $38,790, while the lowest-paid 25% earned $23,960.
How to Become a Hairdresser?
To earn a cosmetology licence, hairdressers are often required to have at least a high school diploma or its equivalent. Before taking the licencing test, a hairdresser must complete coursework at a state-approved cosmetology or barber school. According to reciprocity agreements, licenced stylists who relocate won’t need to take further training in order to practise in other states. A lot of cosmetologists enrol in advanced courses to stay current on fashion.