Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Salary
In Gainesville, FL, hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists earn $27,930 at the median, or about $13.43 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $49K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.73), that's roughly $28,874 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,493/month, about 71.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $28K get you in Gainesville?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Gainesville’s Regional Price Parity (96.73). 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 Gainesville
Pay for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in Gainesville runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $36K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,493/month, which is 73.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.73) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologistss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in metros near Gainesville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $30K | $26K |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $30K | $29K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $29K | $29K |
| Jacksonville | $29K | $29K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Gainesville, FL
Entry-level hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $28K. Top earners bring in $49K or more, a $22K 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 Gainesville numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Gainesville?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $28K, rent takes 73.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,493/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/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 Gainesville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,622/month. At HUD’s $1,493/month FMR, rent would take 92% 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 Gainesville?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $28K here vs. $36K nationally.
How does Gainesville compare to the national average for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists?
Gainesville pays $28K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.73), the purchasing-power equivalent is $29K — below the national median.
How much do hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists make in Gainesville, FL?
The median is $27,930 a year, that works out to about $13 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,040, and experienced hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists can clear $48,580. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $28K enough to live in Gainesville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,040/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,493/month, which eats 73.2% 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 Gainesville?
Gainesville has a Regional Price Parity of 96.73 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists salary is worth about $28,874 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.