Last updated: October 2026
The US hair salon business is huge, local and almost entirely made up of one-person firms, and its numbers sit in a dozen different government files.
This page collects them in one place: how many salons there are, who works in them, what stylists earn, what clients pay, how the chains are doing and where the money is going.
Every figure links to its source and was checked at the time of writing. The one to start with: the US Census Bureau counted 838,264 beauty salon businesses with no paid employees in 2023, on top of 84,176 salons that employ staff.
Hair salon industry statistics (top picks)
- 838,264 US beauty salons had no paid employees in 2023, against 84,176 employer salons with 391,064 staff, according to the Census Bureau.
- About 670,800 barbers, hairstylists and cosmetologists held jobs in the US in 2025, and 48% of hairdressers were self-employed.
- $17.21 an hour was the median wage for hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists in May 2025, with the top 10 percent earning more than $34.23.
- 3.7% is how much the price of haircuts and other personal care services rose in the 12 months to September 2026, and the all-items index rose 3.7% as well.
- $63.4 billion is the IBISWorld forecast for US hair salon revenue in 2026, after growth of 1.7% a year over the past five years.
On this page
- How many hair salons are there in the US?
- Which states have the most hair salons?
- How big is the typical US hair salon?
- How much revenue do US hair salons make?
- How many people work in US hair salons?
- How many hairstylists, barbers and cosmetologists are there?
- Where do hairstylists work?
- How much do hairstylists make?
- How much do barbers make?
- Is hairstylist employment growing?
- Are salons busier than last year?
- How did salon revenue move month to month in 2026?
- How much are salon prices rising?
- How do salon owners and stylists rate business?
- How much do Americans spend on personal care?
- How big are the largest US salon chains?
- Are salon chains opening or closing locations?
- How much do hair tool makers sell?
- Where do stylists buy their supplies?
- How is the wider US beauty market performing?
- How many children are burned by hot hair tools?
- How many Americans tip their hairstylist?
- What hair tools and salons do Americans search for?
- What does a US hair tool brand's catalog look like?
- What the numbers say
- How to cite this page
- Sources
How many hair salons are there in the US?
84,176 beauty salons with paid employees were operating in the US in 2023, according to the Census Bureau's County Business Patterns.
That is the smaller half of the picture. The Nonemployer Statistics count a further 838,264 beauty salon businesses with no employees at all in 2023, 811,835 of them filing as sole proprietors.
The 2022 Economic Census found 73,148 beauty salon firms running 83,392 establishments.
| Count of US beauty salons (NAICS 812112) | Number | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Employer establishments, County Business Patterns | 84,176 | 2023 |
| Nonemployer businesses, Nonemployer Statistics | 838,264 | 2023 |
| Sole proprietorships among the nonemployers | 811,835 | 2023 |
| S corporations among the nonemployers | 15,235 | 2023 |
| Employer firms, Economic Census | 73,148 | 2022 |
| Employer establishments, Economic Census | 83,392 | 2022 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 (cbp23us), Nonemployer Statistics 2023 (nonemp23us) and 2022 Economic Census (EC2281BASIC), 2024 and 2025 releases
IBISWorld estimates 1,098,013 hair salon businesses in 2026, up 1.3% from 2025 and growing 2.1% a year between 2021 and 2026.
The neighboring trades are smaller. Barber shops, nail salons and beauty schools each have their own Census code, shown here for comparison.
| Related trades, employer businesses, 2023 | Establishments | Employees |
|---|---|---|
| Barber shops (812111) | 7,789 | 29,017 |
| Nail salons (812113) | 34,417 | 148,059 |
| Cosmetology and barber schools (611511) | 1,717 | 18,623 |
| Nonemployer barber shops | 141,769 | none |
| Nonemployer nail salons | 295,977 | none |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 and Nonemployer Statistics 2023, 2025 release
Nail salons without employees took $12,184,676 thousand in receipts in 2023, and nonemployer barber shops $4,532,466 thousand. The 2022 Economic Census put employer nail salon receipts at $11,366,371 thousand across 33,212 establishments, and barber shop receipts at $1,663,159 thousand across 7,025.
Which states have the most hair salons?
8,733 employer beauty salons were in California in 2023, more than any other state. Florida had 7,534 and New York 7,124.
Texas ranks fourth for employer salons at 5,740, but its salons employ more people than Florida's or New York's.
| State, 2023 | Employer salons | Salon employees |
|---|---|---|
| California | 8,733 | 33,898 |
| Florida | 7,534 | 28,246 |
| New York | 7,124 | 28,001 |
| Texas | 5,740 | 29,688 |
| Pennsylvania | 4,846 | 25,539 |
| New Jersey | 3,727 | 21,226 |
| Illinois | 3,346 | 16,713 |
| Ohio | 2,718 | 16,854 |
| Virginia | 2,602 | 12,211 |
| Massachusetts | 2,569 | 13,453 |
| Georgia | 2,563 | 10,692 |
| North Carolina | 2,226 | 9,747 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023, state file (cbp23st), 2025 release
The nonemployer map looks different. Texas had 84,397 nonemployer salon businesses in 2023, behind California's 91,170, and Georgia had 48,205, more than New York.
| State, 2023 | Nonemployer beauty salons |
|---|---|
| California | 91,170 |
| Texas | 84,397 |
| Florida | 73,746 |
| Georgia | 48,205 |
| New York | 39,620 |
| Illinois | 36,168 |
| Michigan | 34,695 |
| North Carolina | 30,670 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics 2023, state file (nonemp23st), 2025 release
How big is the typical US hair salon?
57,809 of the 84,176 employer salons in 2023 had fewer than five employees. Only 240 had 50 to 99 staff, and 36 had 100 to 249.
IBISWorld's estimate is that the average hair salon business has 1.3 employees.
| Employees at the salon, 2023 | Employer salons |
|---|---|
| Fewer than 5 | 57,809 |
| 5 to 9 | 15,499 |
| 10 to 19 | 7,969 |
| 20 to 49 | 2,621 |
| 50 to 99 | 240 |
| 100 to 249 | 36 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 (cbp23us data file), 2025 release
Most employer salons are S corporations: 49,688 of them in 2023, against 14,365 sole proprietorships, 10,911 C corporations and 9,155 partnerships.
How much revenue do US hair salons make?
$63.4 billion is IBISWorld's forecast for US hair salon industry revenue in 2026, after a compound annual growth rate of 1.7% over the past five years. The firm expects revenue to dip by 0.1% in 2026.
The official figures are older but harder. The Economic Census is conducted every 5 years, for years ending in 2 or 7, so the 2022 edition is the latest available. It recorded $25,664,020 thousand in receipts for employer beauty salons, and the nonemployer salons added $25,461,586 thousand in 2023.
| Revenue measure | Amount | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Employer beauty salon receipts, Economic Census | $25,664,020 thousand | 2022 |
| Nonemployer beauty salon receipts | $25,461,586 thousand | 2023 |
| Employer beauty salon payroll, Economic Census | $11,364,957 thousand | 2022 |
| All personal care services receipts (NAICS 8121) | $54,756,173 thousand | 2022 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Economic Census sector 81 basic file (EC2281BASIC) and Nonemployer Statistics 2023 (nonemp23us), 2024 and 2025 releases
The whole personal care services sector, which also covers nail salons, barbers, spas and tattoo studios, had 155,827 employer establishments and 762,512 employees in 2022.
No single company dominates. IBISWorld describes the industry as highly fragmented, with no company holding more than 5% of the market.
How many people work in US hair salons?
391,064 people worked at employer beauty salons in the US in 2023, with an annual payroll of $12,403,477 thousand.
The 2022 Economic Census put the employer salon workforce at 389,199. IBISWorld's estimate for all hair salon businesses is 1,404,538 people employed in 2026.
| Measure of salon employment | People | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Employees at employer beauty salons, County Business Patterns | 391,064 | 2023 |
| Employees at employer beauty salons, Economic Census | 389,199 | 2022 |
| Employees at employer nail salons | 148,059 | 2023 |
| Employees at employer barber shops | 29,017 | 2023 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023 (cbp23us) and 2022 Economic Census (EC2281BASIC), 2024 and 2025 releases
IBISWorld says the number of people employed in hair salons grew 1.4% on average over the five years between 2021 and 2026.
How many hairstylists, barbers and cosmetologists are there?
About 670,800 jobs were held by barbers, hairstylists and cosmetologists in 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. About 595,000 of those were hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists and about 75,800 were barbers.
The separate BLS wage survey found 305,710 hairdresser jobs and 15,000 barber jobs in May 2025. That survey counts employees paid a wage or salary and does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms.
| Occupation | Jobs, 2025 (all workers) | Wage and salary jobs, May 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Barbers, hairstylists and cosmetologists | 670,800 | none stated |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists | 595,000 | 305,710 |
| Barbers | 75,800 | 15,000 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook (all workers) and OEWS May 2025 via the BLS public data API (wage and salary jobs), 2025 data
Every one of them needs a license. The BLS notes that all states require barbers, hairstylists and cosmetologists to be licensed.
Where do hairstylists work?
48% of hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists were self-employed in 2025. Another 45% worked in personal care services and 5% worked in retail trade.
Barbers are even more independent: 80% were self-employed and 20% worked in personal care services.
| Largest employers, 2025 | Hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists, % | Barbers, % |
|---|---|---|
| Self-employed workers | 48 | 80 |
| Personal care services | 45 | 20 |
| Retail trade | 5 | none stated |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025 data
Separately, Ulta Beauty reports that nearly every one of its stores features a full-service salon.
How much do hairstylists make?
$17.21 an hour was the median wage for hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists in May 2025. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $13.00 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $34.23.
The mean is higher than the median, at $21.13 an hour or $43,960 a year.
| Hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists, May 2025 | Hourly, $ | Annual, $ |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 13.00 | 27,040 |
| 25th percentile | 14.48 | 30,120 |
| Median | 17.21 | 35,790 |
| 75th percentile | 23.48 | 48,830 |
| 90th percentile | 34.23 | 71,190 |
| Mean | 21.13 | 43,960 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, series 39-5012 via the BLS public API, 2025
For the whole group of barbers, hairstylists and cosmetologists, the BLS quotes a 2025 median of $35,880 a year. The median for all workers in May 2025 was $50,980.
Tips count. The BLS states that these tips are included in the wage data shown.
How much do barbers make?
$18.37 an hour was the median wage for barbers in May 2025. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $13.75 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $36.76.
On an annual basis the barber median was $38,210 and the mean $47,070, with the top 10 percent above $76,460.
| Barbers, May 2025 | Hourly, $ | Annual, $ |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 13.75 | 28,600 |
| 25th percentile | 15.18 | 31,570 |
| Median | 18.37 | 38,210 |
| 75th percentile | 28.35 | 58,960 |
| 90th percentile | 36.76 | 76,460 |
| Mean | 22.63 | 47,070 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook and OEWS May 2025, 2025
In May 2025 barbers in personal care services had a median of $18.26 an hour, hairdressers in personal care services $17.39, and hairdressers in retail trade $14.84.
Is hairstylist employment growing?
7 percent growth is projected for employment of barbers, hairstylists and cosmetologists from 2025 to 2035, which the BLS calls much faster than the average for all occupations.
That adds 48,400 jobs, taking the group from about 670,800 to 719,200. Hairdressers are projected to grow faster, at 8 percent, than barbers at 3 percent.
| Occupation | Jobs, 2025 | Projected jobs, 2035 | Change | Change, % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbers, hairstylists and cosmetologists | 670,800 | 719,200 | 48,400 | 7 |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists | 595,000 | 640,900 | 45,900 | 8 |
| Barbers | 75,800 | 78,300 | 2,500 | 3 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Job Outlook, 2025 to 2035 projections
About 80,300 openings a year are projected over the decade, on average.
The BLS expects the need for barbers and hairdressers to stem primarily from demand for basic hair care services, with increased demand for hair coloring, hair straightening and other advanced treatments expected to continue over the decade.
Are salons busier than last year?
1.28% below August 2025 is where salon revenue landed in August 2026, the first month since May to finish below the prior year, according to the KIM Report data published by the Professional Beauty Association.
Before that the year-over-year line had been positive: 4.97% growth in June and 1.90% in July. The KIM Report aggregates data from more than 10,000 salons and solopreneurs, each with 24 consecutive months on the same software platform.
| Month, year over year | Solopreneurs, % | Commission salons, % | All salons, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 2025 | up 2.1 | up 6.3 | not stated |
| January 2026 | down 4.8 | up 0.3 | not stated |
| February 2026 | down 0.5 | up 3.3 | not stated |
| March 2026 | down 1.87 | up 3.65 | not stated |
| April 2026 (average revenue per salon) | not stated | not stated | up 2.02 |
| June 2026 (salon revenue) | not stated | not stated | up 4.97 |
| July 2026 (salon revenue) | not stated | not stated | up 1.90 |
| August 2026 (salon revenue) | not stated | not stated | down 1.28 |
Source: Professional Beauty Association, Pro Beauty Pulse, January to September 2026 editions (KIM Report data), 2026
April 2026 was the third consecutive month of revenue growth above 2%. The PBA called the all-salon revenue average the highest monthly reading of 2026 so far and the strongest April since at least 2024.
The PBA said the August decline was largely due to the calendar: August 2026 had five Mondays and four Fridays, compared with four Mondays and five Fridays in 2025.
How did salon revenue move month to month in 2026?
11.2% was the month-over-month revenue jump for commission salons in December 2025, the holiday peak, and solopreneurs rose 9.4%. January 2026 then fell 11.9% and 8.3%.
May 2026 brought salon revenue up 2.41%, services up 1.64%, unique clients up 2.09% and retail units up 3.74% on April.
| Month over month, December 2025 to July 2026 | Salon revenue, % | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| December 2025 | up 11.2 (commission salons) | solopreneurs up 9.4 |
| January | down 11.9 (commission salons) | solopreneurs down 8.3 |
| February | down 4.3 (commission salons) | solopreneurs down 5.1 |
| March | down 12 (commission salons) | solopreneurs down 9.8 |
| April | up 3.11 | average revenue per salon |
| May | up 2.41 | services up 1.64, clients up 2.09, retail units up 3.74 |
| June | down 4.41 | services down 3.43, clients down 2.73, retail sales down 4.64 |
| July | down 0.35 | services up 0.62, visits up 0.94, ticket down 1.35 |
Source: Professional Beauty Association, Pro Beauty Pulse, January to August 2026 editions (KIM Report data), 2026
Retail is the weak spot. In August 2026 retail units sold fell 12.22%, the steepest decline of the year, while retail revenue fell only 6.12%, cushioned by a 6.95% rise in the average product price.
July retail revenue had risen 1.27% on June, and color revenue 0.24%.
How much are salon prices rising?
3.7% is the rise in the consumer price index for haircuts and other personal care services in the 12 months to September 2026. The all-items index also rose 3.7% over the same period.
Personal care products rose a slower 2.1%, and services less energy services rose 3.1%.
| Consumer price index, 12 months to September 2026 | Change, % |
|---|---|
| Haircuts and other personal care services | 3.7 |
| All items | 3.7 |
| Services less energy services | 3.1 |
| Personal care products | 2.1 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index, detailed expenditure categories, September 2026, 2026
Salon software data tells the same story from the other side of the counter. Service pricing had grown 3.02% year to date by May 2026, the average service ticket was up 3.05% year over year in July and 3.32% in August.
| Salon pricing measure, 2026 (KIM Report) | Change, % |
|---|---|
| Service pricing, year to date to May | up 3.02 |
| Average service ticket, July vs July 2025 | up 3.05 |
| Average service ticket, August vs August 2025 | up 3.32 |
| Average product price, August 2026 | up 6.95 |
Source: Professional Beauty Association, Pro Beauty Pulse, June to September 2026 editions, 2026
In its July 2026 edition the PBA wrote that, year to date versus 2025, revenue growth continued to be driven almost entirely by higher pricing.
How do salon owners and stylists rate business?
57% of salon owners rated December 2025 as good or excellent when surveyed in January 2026, along with 52% of independents.
The mood turned in the spring. By April 2026 only 58% rated their business health as good or excellent, down from 71% in March, and those very or extremely confident about the future dropped from 63% to 38%.
| Pro Beauty Pulse survey, 2026 | Good or excellent, % |
|---|---|
| Salon owners on December 2025 | 57 |
| Independents on December 2025 | 52 |
| Salon owners on January 2026 | 57 |
| Independents on January 2026 | 51 |
| Commission stylists on January 2026 | 46 |
| Rating business health good or excellent, March 2026 | 71 |
| Rating business health good or excellent, April 2026 | 58 |
Source: Professional Beauty Association, Pro Beauty Pulse, January, February and April 2026 editions, 2026
The PBA suggested the April shift might reflect increased awareness of pending Department of Education regulations.
The commission salons in the KIM Report sample averaged 6.08 service providers in February 2026, a useful marker for what a typical multi-chair salon looks like.
How much do Americans spend on personal care?
$978 was the average annual spend on personal care products and services per consumer unit in 2024, up 2.9% from $950 in 2023, according to the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.
Spending on this category has risen every year since 2020, when it was $646.
| Year | Personal care products and services, $ per consumer unit |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 646 |
| 2021 | 771 |
| 2022 | 866 |
| 2023 | 950 |
| 2024 | 978 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure Surveys, via FRED series CXUPERSCARELB0101M, 2025 update
For context, total average annual expenditures were $78,535 in 2024, and average income before taxes was $104,207, up from $101,805 in 2023. Apparel and services spending was $2,001, down 2.0%.
How big are the largest US salon chains?
3,712 salons were franchised or owned by Regis Corporation at June 30, 2026, primarily in North America. 3,448 were franchised and 264 company-owned, so approximately 92.9% of the system is in franchisee hands.
Supercuts is the biggest brand with 1,634 franchise salons, followed by SmartStyle and Cost Cutters in Walmart stores with 984, Portfolio Brands with 763 and 67 international salons.
| Regis Corporation salons, fiscal 2026 | Salons |
|---|---|
| Supercuts | 1,634 |
| SmartStyle and Cost Cutters in Walmart stores | 984 |
| Portfolio Brands | 763 |
| International | 67 |
| Total franchised | 3,448 |
| Company-owned | 264 |
| Total | 3,712 |
Source: Regis Corporation, Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2026, 2026
Ulta Beauty is the other big chain salon operator. It ran 1,591 stores worldwide at January 31, 2026, including 1,505 Ulta Beauty stores across 50 states, and nearly every store features a full-service salon.
| Ulta Beauty, fiscal 2025 | Figure |
|---|---|
| Stores worldwide | 1,591 |
| Ulta Beauty stores in the US | 1,505 |
| Typical store size, square feet, approximately | 10,000 |
| Space dedicated to the salon, square feet, approximately | 950 |
| Services share of net sales, % | 4 |
| Haircare share of net sales, % | 19 |
Source: Ulta Beauty, Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2026, 2026
Services were 4% of Ulta's net sales in each of the last three fiscal years, and haircare products 19% in fiscal 2025 and 2024, after 20% in fiscal 2023.
Are salon chains opening or closing locations?
4,408 salons were in the Regis system at the end of fiscal 2024. A year later there were 3,941, and at June 30, 2026 there were 3,712.
Closures slowed sharply in fiscal 2026. Franchisees closed 207 salons, against 448 the year before and 429 in fiscal 2024, and the company closed 30 of its own, down from 37 and 41.
| Regis Corporation | Fiscal 2024 | Fiscal 2025 | Fiscal 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total salons at year end | 4,408 | 3,941 | 3,712 |
| Franchise salons closed | 429 | 448 | 207 |
| Company-owned salons closed | 41 | 37 | 30 |
| Franchise salons newly constructed | 15 | 18 | 8 |
| System-wide revenue, $ million | 1,179.5 | 1,104.9 | 1,066.3 |
| System-wide same-store sales, % | up 0.7 | down 0.6 | up 0.9 |
| Supercuts same-store sales, % | up 1.6 | up 1.3 | up 3.0 |
| SmartStyle same-store sales, % | down 3.5 | down 6.1 | down 4.5 |
Source: Regis Corporation, Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2026, 2026
Only 8 new franchise salons were built in fiscal 2026. System-wide revenue across all Regis salons was $1,066.3 million, down from $1,179.5 million two years earlier, while same-store sales turned positive at 0.9%.
Regis itself booked $224,485 thousand of revenue in fiscal 2026: $146,163 thousand from franchising and $78,322 thousand from company-owned salons.
How much do hair tool makers sell?
$953.4 million was Helen of Troy's Beauty and Wellness net sales revenue in the fiscal year ended February 28, 2026, down $47.9 million or 4.8% from $1,001.3 million. The company's brand portfolio includes Hot Tools, Drybar, Curlsmith and Revlon.
The underlying decline was steeper. Organic business fell $156.0 million, or 15.6%, with the company citing softer consumer demand, increased competition and a net distribution loss for its Beauty lines.
| Helen of Troy, fiscal year to February 28, 2026 | $ million | Change, % |
|---|---|---|
| Beauty and Wellness net sales revenue, fiscal 2025 | 1,001.3 | none stated |
| Beauty and Wellness net sales revenue, fiscal 2026 | 953.4 | down 4.8 |
| Beauty and Wellness organic business change | 156.0 decline | down 15.6 |
| Consolidated net sales revenue, fiscal 2025 | 1,907.7 | none stated |
| Consolidated net sales revenue, fiscal 2026 | 1,786.3 | down 6.4 |
| Pre-tax asset impairment charges, Beauty and Wellness | 553.3 | none stated |
Source: Helen of Troy Limited, Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 28, 2026, 2026
Its hair tools category covers mass, professional and prestige hair appliances, brushes, grooming tools and accessories. Target alone took approximately 12% of its consolidated net sales revenue in fiscal 2026.
The Beauty and Wellness operating loss for the year included $553.3 million of pre-tax asset impairment charges.
Where do stylists buy their supplies?
1,326 Beauty Systems Group stores served salons and licensed beauty professionals at the end of Sally Beauty Holdings' fiscal 2025, alongside 3,096 Sally Beauty Supply stores.
In the United States, including Puerto Rico, the split at September 30, 2025 was 2,300 Sally stores, 1,076 company-operated BSG stores and 132 BSG franchise stores.
| Sally Beauty Holdings | Fiscal 2023 | Fiscal 2024 | Fiscal 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sally Beauty Supply stores at year end | 3,148 | 3,129 | 3,096 |
| Beauty Systems Group stores at year end | 1,338 | 1,331 | 1,326 |
| Sally stores opened in the year | 54 | 32 | 52 |
| Sally stores closed in the year | 345 | 51 | 85 |
Source: Sally Beauty Holdings, Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2025, 2025
The company had approximately 27,000 global associates, including approximately 11,000 full-time, at September 30, 2025. Global e-commerce was 10.7% of consolidated net sales and consolidated comparable sales rose 0.3%.
How is the wider US beauty market performing?
$36 billion is what US prestige beauty retail took in 2025, up 4% year over year, according to Circana. Mass retail beauty rose 5% to $72.7 billion with units up 2%.
Hair was the fastest growing category by dollar sales in the prestige market in 2025, and launches were up over 20%, led overwhelmingly by hair treatments.
| Circana, US beauty retail | Sales | Change, % |
|---|---|---|
| Prestige beauty, full year 2025 | $36 billion | up 4 |
| Mass retail beauty, full year 2025 | $72.7 billion | up 5 |
| Prestige beauty, first half 2025 | $16 billion | up 2 |
| Mass merchant beauty, first half 2025 | $34.6 billion | up 4 |
| Prestige hair, first half 2025 | $2.3 billion | up 6 |
| Mass channel hair, first half 2025 | not stated | up 4, units flat |
| Scalp care, first half 2025 | not stated | up 19 |
Source: Circana, US Prestige and Mass Beauty Retail Deliver a Positive Performance in 2025 (February 2026) and US Beauty Industry Grows in the First Half of 2025 (August 2025), 2025 and 2026
Scalp care marked its third consecutive year of double-digit growth in 2025. In the first half of the year the prestige hair category grew 6% to $2.3 billion while mass channel hair dollars rose 4% on flat units.
How many children are burned by hot hair tools?
An estimated 30,839 burn injuries from hair styling tools, and 1,050 emergency department visits, were recorded in the US between 2013 and 2022 in a study presented to the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2023. The researchers studied emergency department visits for patients ages 24 and younger.
Hair curlers and curling irons accounted for 97.4% of those burns. 68% of the injured were age 10 or younger, 65.1% were female, 72.3% of injuries happened at home, and 98.6% needed no hospital stay.
| Hair styling tool burns, US emergency departments, 2013 to 2022 | Figure |
|---|---|
| Estimated burn injuries, ages 24 and under | 30,839 |
| Emergency department visits | 1,050 |
| Share from hair curlers and curling irons, % | 97.4 |
| Share aged 10 or younger, % | 68 |
| Share female, % | 65.1 |
| Share injured at home, % | 72.3 |
| Share with no hospital stay, % | 98.6 |
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics, news release on burn injuries from hair styling tools (NEISS data, 2013 to 2022), 2023
The researchers note that electric hair styling tools can reach temperatures as high as 450°F in a matter of minutes. These figures describe 2013 to 2022.
How many Americans tip their hairstylist?
78% of US adults said they tip when getting a haircut, in a 2023 Pew Research Center survey of 11,945 adults.
The same 2023 survey found 72% saying tipping is expected in more places today than five years earlier.
| Pew Research Center tipping survey, 2023 | Share of US adults, % |
|---|---|
| Tip when getting a haircut | 78 |
| Say tipping is expected in more places than five years ago | 72 |
Source: Pew Research Center, Tipping Culture in America: Public Sees a Changed Landscape, November 2023
The BLS wage figures above include tips.
What hair tools and salons do Americans search for?
450,000 searches a month for hair salon near me is the biggest number among the terms pulled from Semrush for Google in the United States in October 2026.
Tool searches are led by brands and by the curling iron: dyson airwrap draws 301,000 searches a month, shark flexstyle 135,000, curling iron 90,500, flat iron 74,000 and hair dryer 49,500. Cosmetology school, at 74,000, out-searches cosmetologist at 22,200.
| Search term, Google US, October 2026 | Searches per month | Keyword difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| hair salon near me | 450,000 | 72 |
| dyson airwrap | 301,000 | 40 |
| barber shop near me | 135,000 | not pulled |
| shark flexstyle | 135,000 | 54 |
| curling iron | 90,500 | 50 |
| hair salon | 90,500 | not pulled |
| flat iron | 74,000 | 29 |
| cosmetology school | 74,000 | not pulled |
| hair dryer | 49,500 | 26 |
| blow dryer | 40,500 | not pulled |
| hair straightener | 40,500 | not pulled |
| cosmetologist | 22,200 | not pulled |
| hair curler | 22,200 | not pulled |
| best hair dryer | 18,100 | not pulled |
| curling wand | 14,800 | not pulled |
Source: Semrush, us database, keyword data pulled by QC Beauty on October 25, 2026 (brand data, raw export not published)
Pay questions draw smaller volumes: cosmetologist salary 3,600 a month, how much do hairstylists make 590, hairstylist salary 480 and how much do salon owners make 320. Tool types are led by ionic hair dryer, ceramic flat iron and best flat iron at 8,100 each, with titanium flat iron at 4,400.
What does a US hair tool brand's catalog look like?
8 styling products make up the published QC Beauty range on October 25, 2026: 3 single tools, 4 multi-tool systems and 1 replacement cord, priced from $29.99 to $379.99.
The store lists 11 products in total, including 3 extended-warranty products, from 14 active products in admin, across 10 collections.
| QC Beauty catalog, Shopify Admin API, October 25, 2026 | Figure |
|---|---|
| Styling products published | 8 |
| Single tools | 3 |
| Multi-tool systems | 4 |
| Replacement cord | 1 |
| Lowest styling product price, $ | 29.99 |
| Highest styling product price, $ | 379.99 |
| Blow dryer price, $ | 169.99 |
| Curling iron and hair straightener price, each, $ | 119.99 |
| Extended-warranty products published | 3 |
| All products published to the online store | 11 |
Source: QC Beauty catalog, Shopify Admin API, October 25, 2026 (brand data); the listed products and prices are visible on the professional collection
For how the two irons compare, see the earlier post on which to buy first.
What the numbers say
IBISWorld forecasts the US hair salon industry at $63.4 billion for 2026, and it is built from one-person firms: 838,264 salons with no employees against 84,176 with staff, and 57,809 of those employers have fewer than five employees.
Stylists are plentiful and modestly paid. About 670,800 people hold the jobs, 48% of hairdressers work for themselves, and the median hairdresser earns $17.21 an hour with tips included.
In 2026 the PBA says revenue growth has been driven almost entirely by higher pricing. The index for haircuts and other personal care services rose 3.7% in the year to September, the average service ticket was up 3.05% in July and 3.32% in August, and retail units fell 12.22% in August.
The catalog figures on this page come from the professional collection and the rest of the QC Beauty range as listed on October 25, 2026.
How to cite this page
You are welcome to quote any figure on this page. Please credit QC Beauty and link to the page so readers can check the sources:
QC Beauty, "Hair Salon Industry Statistics US 2026," https://qc-beauty.com/blogs/news/hair-salon-industry-statistics-us
Writing about hair tools or the salon trade? Images, product facts and a press contact are on our press page.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023, national data file (cbp23us), 2025.
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- U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Economic Census, sector 81 basic data file (EC2281BASIC), 2024.
- U.S. Census Bureau, About the Economic Census, 2026.
- IBISWorld, Hair Salons in the US, number of businesses, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023, state data file (cbp23st), 2025.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics 2023, state data file (nonemp23st), 2025.
- IBISWorld, Hair Salons in the US, employment, 2026.
- IBISWorld, Hair Salons in the US, industry report public page, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Barbers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists, 2025 data, 2026 edition.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists, via the BLS public data API: employment, mean hourly, mean annual, 25th pct hourly, 75th pct hourly, 10th pct annual, 25th pct annual, median annual, 75th pct annual, 90th pct annual, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, barbers, via the BLS public data API: employment, mean hourly, mean annual, 25th pct hourly, 75th pct hourly, 10th pct annual, 25th pct annual, median annual, 75th pct annual, 90th pct annual, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS FAQ page, survey coverage, 2026.
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- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index, detailed expenditure categories, September 2026, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditures 2024, news release, 2025.
- Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED), Expenditures: Personal Care Products and Services: All Consumer Units, series CXUPERSCARELB0101M, 2025.
- Regis Corporation, Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2026, 2026.
- Ulta Beauty, Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2026, 2026.
- Helen of Troy Limited, Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 28, 2026, 2026.
- Sally Beauty Holdings, Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2025, 2025.
- Circana, US Prestige and Mass Beauty Retail Deliver a Positive Performance in 2025, 2026.
- Circana, US Beauty Industry Grows in the First Half of 2025, 2025.
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Electric hair styling products common cause of burn injuries in children, news release, 2023.
- Pew Research Center, Tipping Culture in America: Public Sees a Changed Landscape, 2023.
- Semrush, Keyword Overview, us database, pulled October 25, 2026 (brand keyword data, raw export not published), 2026.
- QC Beauty, catalog facts from the Shopify Admin API, October 25, 2026 (brand data; products and prices visible on the professional collection), 2026.