Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Salary
In Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN, hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists earn $33,620 at the median, or about $16.16 an hour. The range runs from $24K at the entry level to $90K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.07), which stretches that salary to about $36,123 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,272/month, about 55.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $34K get you in Louisville/Jefferson County?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Louisville/Jefferson County’s Regional Price Parity (93.07). 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 Louisville/Jefferson County
Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists pay in Louisville/Jefferson County tracks closely to the national median, $34K locally vs. $36K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,272/month, which is 55.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.07 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in metros near Louisville/Jefferson County, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Lexington-Fayette | $29K | $31K |
| Bowling Green | $29K | $32K |
| Elizabethtown | $28K | $31K |
| Owensboro | $28K | $31K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN
Entry-level hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists (10th percentile) start around $24K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $90K or more, a $66K 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 Louisville/Jefferson County numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisville/Jefferson County?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $34K, rent takes 55.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/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 Louisville/Jefferson County?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists typically earn — is $24K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,415/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 90% 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 Louisville/Jefferson County?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $34K locally vs. $36K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Louisville/Jefferson County compare to the national average for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists?
Louisville/Jefferson County pays $34K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.07), the purchasing-power equivalent is $36K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists make in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN?
The median is $33,620 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,580, and experienced hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists can clear $89,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in Louisville/Jefferson County?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,309/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 55.1% 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 Louisville/Jefferson County?
Louisville/Jefferson County has a Regional Price Parity of 93.07 (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 $36,123 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.