Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Salary
In Raleigh-Cary, NC, hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists earn $43,700 at the median, or about $21.01 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $71K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.16), that's roughly $44,519 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,750/month, about 57.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $44K get you in Raleigh-Cary?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Raleigh-Cary’s Regional Price Parity (98.16). 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 Raleigh-Cary
Raleigh-Cary sits well above the national pay line for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists, local pay runs about 22% 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 $1,750/month, which is 59.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.16) 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 Raleigh-Cary, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $39K | $40K |
| Winston-Salem | $39K | $42K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $48K | $49K |
| Wilmington | $37K | $39K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Raleigh-Cary, NC
Entry-level hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $71K or more, a $43K 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 Raleigh-Cary numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Raleigh-Cary?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 59.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,750/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Raleigh-Cary?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,638/month. At HUD’s $1,750/month FMR, rent would take 107% 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 Raleigh-Cary?
Local pay is 22% above the national median — $44K here vs. $36K nationally.
How does Raleigh-Cary compare to the national average for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists?
Raleigh-Cary pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s +22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists make in Raleigh-Cary, NC?
The median is $43,700 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,300, and experienced hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists can clear $70,550. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Raleigh-Cary?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,932/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,750/month, which eats 59.7% 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 Raleigh-Cary?
Raleigh-Cary has a Regional Price Parity of 98.16 (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 $44,519 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.