Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Salary in San Diego, CA
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a median $37,290 a year — 4% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $31,177 take-home, or $2,598 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists salary in San Diego, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,295
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,312
- Medicare (1.45%)$541
- California income tax$481
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$485
- Take-home pay$31,177
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists pay by experience in San Diego, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,500 | $17.07 | $29,833 | $2,486 |
| 25th percentile | $36,130 | $17.37 | $30,306 | $2,526 |
| Median (50th) | $37,290 | $17.93 | $31,177 | $2,598 |
| 75th percentile | $46,600 | $22.40 | $38,164 | $3,180 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $62,130 | $29.87 | $49,516 | $4,126 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $37,290 buys in San Diego, CA
Prices in San Diego, CA are 11.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.79× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists's $31,177 take-home pay has the buying power of $27,865 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists jobs are about as common in San Diego, CA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.95).
Best-paying cities for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists, adjusted for cost of living
San Diego, CA ranks #22 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 |
| 22 | San Diego, CA | $37,290 | $31,177 | $27,865 |
*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.
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists salaries elsewhere in California
- Los Angeles, CA — $43,500
- San Francisco, CA — $42,400
Frequently asked questions
How much does a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists make in San Diego, CA?
The median hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists salary in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $37,290 a year, or about $17.93 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,130 and $46,600.
What is a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists’s take-home pay in San Diego, CA?
On the median $37,290 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $31,177 a year ($2,598 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $966 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Diego, CA a good place to work as a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists?
Pay here is 4% above the national median of $35,790. Local prices are 11.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $27,865 would in a typical U.S. city. San Diego, CA ranks #22 of 28 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists afford rent in San Diego, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Diego, CA is $2,459 a month ($3,001 for two bedrooms) — 95% 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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