Shampooers Salary
The median pay for a shampooers in North Carolina is $26,030/year ($12.51/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $29K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $28,092 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 68.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of North Carolina. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $26K get you in North Carolina?
About shampooers
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Pay for shampooers in North Carolina runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $33K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,284/month, which is 70.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for shampooerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level shampooers (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $26K. Top earners bring in $29K or more, a $6K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track shampooers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a shampooer afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $26K, rent takes 70.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for shampooers in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new shampooers typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,373/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 94% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is shampooer a high-paying job in North Carolina?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $26K here vs. $33K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for shampooers?
North Carolina pays $26K median vs. the U.S. average of $33K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $28K — below the national median.
How much do shampooers make in North Carolina?
The median is $26,030 a year, that works out to about $13 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,880, and experienced shampooers can clear $29,250. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $26K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,814/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 70.8% 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 shampooers salary go in North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 shampooers salary is worth about $28,092 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do shampooers 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.