Houston beauty industry reference
Houston Hair Stylist Statistics
Employment, pay and industry outlook figures for the people shaping Houston’s salon scene, with each number linked to its original source.
Last updated October 20, 2026. Local figures reflect the most recent source year available for each measure.
At a glance
A large local craft, built on individual hands.
Hair braiding sits within a broader beauty economy that is local, skill-led and often independent. These figures provide a useful benchmark for writers, students, beauty professionals and anyone following Houston’s personal-care landscape.
5,470
hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists in Houston
The Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metro area was among the U.S. metros with the highest employment in this occupation in May 2024.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024770
barbers in the Houston metro area
This May 2024 count is reported separately from hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024$18.75
mean hourly wage for Houston hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists
The BLS also reported mean annual pay of $39,000 for this occupation in the Houston metro area in May 2023. Mean pay is not a salon price guide or a measure of take-home pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2023595,000
U.S. hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists
National employment in this occupation in 2025. The BLS estimates that 48% were self-employed and 45% worked in personal care services.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025$17.21
national median hourly wage for hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists
The national median for May 2025 includes tips, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 20258%
projected U.S. employment growth for hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists
The BLS projects growth from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3% for all occupations. It projects about 73,400 openings per year for this occupation over the decade.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025-35 projectionMethodology and sources
How to read these numbers.
This page uses public U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. “Houston” refers to the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metropolitan area where a source uses that geography. Hair braiding is not reported as its own occupation in these datasets, so the closest relevant occupational categories are shown exactly as named by the source.
Employment and wage figures come from the Bureau’s Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics releases. National workforce and outlook figures come from its Occupational Outlook Handbook. Source years are stated beside each statistic because the datasets update on different schedules.
For the underlying tables, visit the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program and the BLS hairstylist outlook.
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Sharing a statistic?
Suggested citation: “Houston Hair Stylist Statistics,” Designz by Destinii, updated October 20, 2026, https://designzbydestinii.com/houston-hair-stylist-statistics. Please also link to the original source named with the statistic.
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