Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Salary in New York, NY
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area earn a median $36,120 a year — 1% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $29,849 take-home, or $2,487 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists salary in New York, NY. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,154
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,239
- Medicare (1.45%)$524
- New York income tax$1,353
- Take-home pay$29,849
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.40% state
Living in New York City? City residents also pay New York City’s city income tax — about $978 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $28,871 ($2,406 a month). Choose “New York City” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro spans New York, New Jersey. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists pay by experience in New York, NY
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $33,480 | $16.10 | $27,870 | $2,323 |
| 25th percentile | $34,580 | $16.63 | $28,695 | $2,391 |
| Median (50th) | $36,120 | $17.37 | $29,849 | $2,487 |
| 75th percentile | $54,970 | $26.43 | $43,977 | $3,665 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $91,780 | $44.13 | $69,022 | $5,752 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, New York resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $36,120 buys in New York, NY
Prices in New York, NY are 12.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.49× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists's $29,849 take-home pay has the buying power of $26,518 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
New York, NY has 1.5× 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
New York, NY ranks #25 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 |
| 25 | New York, NY | $36,120 | $29,849 | $26,518 |
*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 New York, NY?
The median hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists salary in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area is $36,120 a year, or about $17.37 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $34,580 and $54,970.
What is a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists’s take-home pay in New York, NY?
On the median $36,120 salary, a single filer living in New York takes home about $29,849 a year ($2,487 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,353 in New York taxes in 2026.
Is New York, NY a good place to work as a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists?
Pay here is 1% above the national median of $35,790. Local prices are 12.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $26,518 would in a typical U.S. city. New York, NY ranks #25 of 28 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists afford rent in New York, NY?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in New York, NY is $2,378 a month ($2,697 for two bedrooms) — 96% 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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