Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Salary
In Fort Collins-Loveland, CO, hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists earn $41,230 at the median, or about $19.82 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.13), that's roughly $40,769 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,759/month, about 61.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $41K actually covers in Fort Collins-Loveland, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Collins-Loveland’s Regional Price Parity (101.13). 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.
About hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
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What this looks like in Fort Collins-Loveland
Fort Collins-Loveland sits well above the national pay line for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists, local pay runs about 15% 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 $1,759/month, which is 63.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.13) 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 Fort Collins-Loveland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $37K | $35K |
| Colorado Springs | $37K | $36K |
| Boulder | $48K | $46K |
| Greeley | $44K | $44K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO
Entry-level hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $41K. Top earners bring in $81K or more, a $49K 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 annually. We'll email you when Fort Collins-Loveland numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fort Collins-Loveland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $41K, rent takes 63.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,759/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Fort Collins-Loveland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,176/month. At HUD’s $1,759/month FMR, rent would take 81% 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 Fort Collins-Loveland?
Local pay is 15% above the national median — $41K here vs. $36K nationally.
How does Fort Collins-Loveland compare to the national average for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists?
Fort Collins-Loveland pays $41K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s +15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.13), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists make in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO?
The median is $41,230 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,700, and experienced hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists can clear $81,180. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $41K enough to live in Fort Collins-Loveland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,779/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,759/month, which eats 63.3% 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 Fort Collins-Loveland?
Fort Collins-Loveland has a Regional Price Parity of 101.13 (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 $40,769 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.