Abundant job opportunities and high earnings for cosmetologists in California has garnered national attention. In fact, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (USBLS), in May 2013:
- California held the third highest employment level for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in the nation
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale Division held the sixth highest employment level for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists among metropolitan areas in the nation
- San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City was the top paying metropolitan area for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists in the nation
Average Wages for Cosmetologists in California
To become a cosmetologist in California, personal care professionals must first obtain an occupational cosmetologist license from the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology.
In the 1st Quarter of 2014, the California Employment Development Department reported cosmetologists earned an average wage of $13.36/hr. Additional average wages include:
- Bottom 25% $9.17/hr.
- Median Percentile: $11.07/hr.
- Top 25% $15.07/hr.
*These wage statistics do not account for service tips by clients. Therefore, cosmetologists often earn much higher take-home pay then government figures suggest.
Average Wages for Manicurists in California
Cosmetologists that intend to perform manicurist services in California must obtain an additional occupational manicurist license from the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology.
During the 1st Quarter of 2014, the Employment Development Department reported manicurists earned an average wage of $9.92/hr. and an average median wage of $9.19/hr. Like cosmetologists, manicurists often receive tips along with base pay.
Salary Averages for Cosmetologists in California
In 2013, the USBLS found cosmetologists in California earning in the following salary percentiles:
- 10th Percentile: $17,700/yr.
- 25th Percentile: $18,900/yr.
- Median Percentile: $22,900/yr.
- 75th Percentile: $31,100/yr.
- 90th Percentile: $43,800/yr.
Area-Specific Pay Averages for Cosmetologists in California
In 2013, the USBLS released the following area-specific salary data for cosmetologists in California:
Area name
Employment
Hourly mean wage
Annual mean wage
Hourly median wage
Hourly 75th percentile wage
Hourly 90th percentile wage
Annual median wage
Annual 75th percentile wage
Annual 90th percentile wage
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
320
11.42
23740
10.25
13.25
15.61
21320
27570
32470
Chico CA
90
11.08
23060
9.59
12.85
14.64
19940
26730
30450
Fresno CA
200
12.02
25010
10.35
11.59
17.75
21520
24110
36920
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale CA Metropolitan Division
6690
13.44
27960
10.68
15.41
20.56
22210
32060
42770
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana CA
9080
13.43
27940
10.89
15.52
21.52
22660
32290
44760
Merced CA
80
15.40
32030
12.58
20.71
26.61
26170
43070
55360
Modesto CA
310
10.23
21290
9.10
10.98
14.97
18920
22840
31140
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward CA Metropolitan Division
1460
14.37
29890
12.97
16.76
22.79
26980
34870
47400
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura CA
350
13.05
27140
12.78
16.38
17.95
26570
34080
37340
Redding CA
110
12.28
25550
11.17
12.79
15.12
23230
26600
31440
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario CA
2770
10.26
21330
9.40
11.01
13.87
19540
22890
28860
Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville CA
1350
12.16
25290
11.29
13.86
17.11
23490
28820
35580
Salinas CA
Estimate not released
17.18
35730
14.33
19.17
33.57
29810
39870
69830
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos CA
2730
15.76
32770
12.38
19.80
26.05
25760
41180
54180
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont CA
2940
16.63
34600
14.16
19.01
28.37
29450
39550
59020
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City CA Metropolitan Division
1480
18.86
39220
15.85
24.41
32.51
32970
50760
67630
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara CA
2020
11.43
23760
10.36
11.90
16.88
21540
24740
35110
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles CA
130
13.15
27350
12.51
15.77
18.78
26010
32810
39060
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine CA Metropolitan Division
2380
13.41
27890
11.77
16.03
22.84
24490
33340
47500
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta CA
250
11.64
24220
10.61
13.37
16.34
22070
27810
33990
Santa Cruz-Watsonville CA
190
13.32
27700
10.56
16.77
22.14
21960
34870
46040
Santa Rosa-Petaluma CA
410
11.40
23710
10.99
12.99
14.29
22860
27010
29730
Stockton CA
280
10.99
22850
10.30
13.21
14.56
21420
27480
30290
Vallejo-Fairfield CA
270
10.63
22120
9.28
12.08
14.73
19290
25130
30650
Visalia-Porterville CA
60
10.77
22390
9.34
11.44
16.96
19430
23790
35280
Yuba City CA
80
11.76
24450
10.64
11.75
14.57
22140
24450
30310
Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area
50
10.60
22050
9.05
10.57
16.81
18830
21980
34960
Area-Specific Pay Averages for Manicurists in California
In 2013, the USBLS released the following area-specific salary data for manicurists in California:
Area name
Employment
Hourly mean wage
Annual mean wage
Hourly median wage
Hourly 75th percentile wage
Hourly 90th percentile wage
Annual median wage
Annual 75th percentile wage
Annual 90th percentile wage
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
Estimate not released
16.99
35340
19.79
21.68
22.81
41160
45090
47450
Fresno CA
150
10.17
21150
9.90
11.16
12.56
20580
23220
26120
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale CA Metropolitan Division
4170
9.72
20220
9.01
10.02
13.37
18740
20850
27820
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana CA
5550
9.57
19910
8.99
9.52
12.63
18700
19810
26260
Napa CA
50
10.56
21960
9.23
10.79
18.06
19200
22440
37550
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward CA Metropolitan Division
2090
9.81
20400
9.02
9.49
12.71
18750
19730
26430
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura CA
Estimate not released
9.47
19700
9.16
9.83
11.29
19050
20460
23470
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario CA
1440
9.17
19070
8.97
9.63
11.03
18650
20020
22940
Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville CA
1250
9.76
20310
9.08
10.65
13.14
18890
22160
27320
Salinas CA
140
12.55
26100
11.99
15.22
17.69
24930
31660
36800
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos CA
1870
10.23
21280
9.09
10.24
11.86
18900
21310
24680
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont CA
3960
10.36
21550
9.74
11.33
13.32
20260
23560
27700
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City CA Metropolitan Division
1870
10.98
22830
10.85
11.76
13.48
22570
24450
28040
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara CA
1580
9.22
19180
9.03
9.61
11.08
18780
19990
23040
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine CA Metropolitan Division
1380
9.12
18980
8.94
9.33
10.56
18590
19410
21970
Santa Rosa-Petaluma CA
Estimate not released
12.02
25010
10.90
11.61
13.62
22680
24160
28340
Stockton CA
Estimate not released
8.69
18080
8.79
9.14
9.34
18290
19000
19430
Vallejo-Fairfield CA
Estimate not released
8.51
17700
8.70
9.01
9.20
18090
18750
19140
Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area
50
10.69
22240
9.30
13.13
14.13
19350
27310
29390
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