Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Salary in Detroit, MI
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area earn a median $34,960 a year — 2% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $29,035 take-home, or $2,420 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists salary in Detroit, MI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,015
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,168
- Medicare (1.45%)$507
- Michigan income tax$1,235
- Take-home pay$29,035
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.25% state
Living in Detroit? City residents also pay Detroit’s city income tax — about $839 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $28,196 ($2,350 a month). Choose “Detroit” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists pay by experience in Detroit, MI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,210 | $13.08 | $23,112 | $1,926 |
| 25th percentile | $29,490 | $14.18 | $24,873 | $2,073 |
| Median (50th) | $34,960 | $16.81 | $29,035 | $2,420 |
| 75th percentile | $61,180 | $29.41 | $48,989 | $4,082 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $96,770 | $46.52 | $73,046 | $6,087 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Michigan resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $34,960 buys in Detroit, MI
Prices in Detroit, MI are 0.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 5% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists's $29,035 take-home pay has the buying power of $28,949 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Detroit, MI has 1.3× the national concentration of hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists, adjusted for cost of living
Detroit, MI ranks #16 of 28 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $59,810 | $50,237 | $45,205 |
| 2 | Minneapolis, MN | $46,310 | $37,731 | $35,995 |
| 3 | Pittsburgh, PA | $38,100 | $31,624 | $33,404 |
| 4 | Cincinnati, OH | $36,790 | $31,511 | $33,041 |
| 5 | Charlotte, NC | $38,530 | $32,110 | $32,985 |
| 6 | Cleveland, OH | $35,640 | $30,619 | $32,600 |
| 7 | Columbus, OH | $36,260 | $31,100 | $32,576 |
| 8 | Los Angeles, CA | $43,500 | $35,837 | $31,556 |
| 16 | Detroit, MI | $34,960 | $29,035 | $28,949 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 28 metros →
About the job: hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
Provide beauty services, such as cutting, coloring, and styling hair, and massaging and treating scalp. May shampoo hair, apply makeup, dress wigs, remove hair, and provide nail and skincare services.
- Typical education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +7.7% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists make in Detroit, MI?
The median hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists salary in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area is $34,960 a year, or about $16.81 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $29,490 and $61,180.
What is a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists’s take-home pay in Detroit, MI?
On the median $34,960 salary, a single filer living in Michigan takes home about $29,035 a year ($2,420 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,235 in Michigan taxes in 2026.
Is Detroit, MI a good place to work as a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists?
Pay here is 2% below the national median of $35,790. Local prices are 0.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $28,949 would in a typical U.S. city. Detroit, MI ranks #16 of 28 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists afford rent in Detroit, MI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Detroit, MI is $1,128 a month ($1,413 for two bedrooms) — 47% of a median hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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