Beauty Salons — Average Employee Salary

The average employee in the beauty salons industry earns $34,430 per year ($16.55/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.

$34,430
Avg Annual Pay
366,345
Total Employees
77,602
Total Establishments
5
Avg Employees/Business

What Do Beauty Salons Workers Earn?

At $34,430/year (equivalent to $16.55/hour for a full-time worker), beauty salons wages are below the national average of ~$65,000.

Lower wages in this industry are common in service-oriented or retail-adjacent sectors where entry barriers are lower. This can be an advantage for business owners managing payroll costs, but may contribute to higher turnover.

The typical beauty salons business employs 5 people. Most operations are small — often owner-operated with a handful of staff. Labor costs are manageable relative to revenue.

Wages as a Percentage of Revenue

43.1%

For the average beauty salons business generating $399K/year with 5 employees at $34,430 each, total payroll represents roughly 43.1% of revenue. Labor is a significant cost but leaves room for other expenses and profit.

What This Means for Business Owners

If you're starting or running a beauty salonsbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:

  • Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $44,759/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
  • Typical team size: 5 employees = ~$172,150/year in base payroll.
  • Hourly equivalent: $16.55/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
  • Revenue needed: With average revenue of $399K/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.

See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.

View full Beauty Salons revenue benchmarks →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do beauty salons employees make?
The average beauty salons employee earns $34,430 per year, which is equivalent to $16.55/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is below the national average of approximately $65,000.
How many people work in the beauty salons industry?
The beauty salons industry employs 366,345 workers across 77,602 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 5 employees.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).