Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Salary
In Bellingham, WA, hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists earn $61,820 at the median, or about $29.72 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $109K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.33), that's roughly $59,828 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,794/month, about 41.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $62K get you in Bellingham?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bellingham’s Regional Price Parity (103.33). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
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What this looks like in Bellingham
Bellingham sits well above the national pay line for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists, local pay runs about 73% higher than the U.S. median of $36K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,794/month, which is 41.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.33) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in metros near Bellingham, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $60K | $54K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $61K | $61K |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $50K | $48K |
| Kennewick-Richland | $50K | $50K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bellingham, WA
Entry-level hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $109K or more, a $74K spread from bottom to top.
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $60K | +66% | 6,930 |
| Oregon | $58K | +61% | 1,860 |
| District of Columbia | $55K | +52% | 870 |
| South Dakota | $50K | +39% | 690 |
| Vermont | $49K | +36% | 440 |
| Connecticut | $45K | +25% | 4,090 |
| Maine | $44K | +23% | 970 |
| Minnesota | $39K | +9% | 5,320 |
| California | $39K | +8% | 27,080 |
| North Carolina | $38K | +7% | 8,490 |
| Montana | $38K | +6% | 690 |
| New Mexico | $38K | +5% | 1,230 |
| Colorado | $38K | +5% | 6,820 |
| Massachusetts | $37K | +4% | 9,600 |
| Arizona | $37K | +3% | 7,840 |
| Pennsylvania | $37K | +3% | 19,350 |
| Maryland | $36K | +2% | 5,860 |
| Ohio | $36K | +1% | 12,890 |
| Wisconsin | $36K | +1% | 6,260 |
| New Jersey | $36K | +1% | 15,500 |
| New York | $36K | -0% | 20,740 |
| Iowa | $36K | -0% | 2,930 |
| Idaho | $35K | -1% | 2,250 |
| Utah | $35K | -2% | 2,810 |
| Hawaii | $35K | -2% | 930 |
| North Dakota | $35K | -3% | 870 |
| Michigan | $35K | -3% | 8,970 |
| New Hampshire | $35K | -3% | 1,950 |
| Georgia | $35K | -3% | 7,910 |
| West Virginia | $34K | -4% | 1,020 |
| Delaware | $34K | -4% | 1,270 |
| Nebraska | $34K | -4% | 1,890 |
| Illinois | $34K | -5% | 13,190 |
| Nevada | $34K | -5% | 1,940 |
| South Carolina | $34K | -6% | 3,570 |
| Indiana | $33K | -8% | 5,920 |
| Alaska | $32K | -10% | 330 |
| Tennessee | $31K | -13% | 6,080 |
| Rhode Island | $31K | -13% | 1,470 |
| Missouri | $31K | -14% | 5,430 |
| Texas | $31K | -14% | 22,440 |
| Kentucky | $30K | -17% | 2,350 |
| Kansas | $30K | -17% | 2,190 |
| Oklahoma | $30K | -17% | 1,920 |
| Florida | $30K | -17% | 23,530 |
| Wyoming | $29K | -18% | 360 |
| Alabama | $29K | -19% | 3,300 |
| Arkansas | $29K | -19% | 1,410 |
| Mississippi | $28K | -23% | 1,040 |
| Louisiana | $26K | -27% | 2,720 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Bellingham numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bellingham?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 41.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,794/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in Bellingham?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,128/month. At HUD’s $1,794/month FMR, rent would take 84% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologist a high-paying job in Bellingham?
Local pay is 73% above the national median — $62K here vs. $36K nationally.
How does Bellingham compare to the national average for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists?
Bellingham pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s +73%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists make in Bellingham, WA?
The median is $61,820 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,470, and experienced hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists can clear $109,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Bellingham?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,309/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,794/month, which eats 41.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists salary go in Bellingham?
Bellingham has a Regional Price Parity of 103.33 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists salary is worth about $59,828 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.