Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Salary in San Francisco, CA
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area earn a median $42,400 a year — 18% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $35,012 take-home, or $2,918 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists salary in San Francisco, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,908
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,629
- Medicare (1.45%)$615
- California income tax$685
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$551
- Take-home pay$35,012
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 Francisco, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,540 | $17.09 | $29,863 | $2,489 |
| 25th percentile | $35,770 | $17.20 | $30,036 | $2,503 |
| Median (50th) | $42,400 | $20.38 | $35,012 | $2,918 |
| 75th percentile | $46,630 | $22.42 | $38,186 | $3,182 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $54,940 | $26.41 | $44,264 | $3,689 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $42,400 buys in San Francisco, CA
Prices in San Francisco, CA are 15.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.95× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists's $35,012 take-home pay has the buying power of $30,284 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 less concentrated in San Francisco, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.72), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists, adjusted for cost of living
San Francisco, CA ranks #11 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 |
| 11 | San Francisco, CA | $42,400 | $35,012 | $30,284 |
*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 Diego, CA — $37,290
Frequently asked questions
How much does a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists make in San Francisco, CA?
The median hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists salary in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area is $42,400 a year, or about $20.38 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $35,770 and $46,630.
What is a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists’s take-home pay in San Francisco, CA?
On the median $42,400 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $35,012 a year ($2,918 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,237 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Francisco, CA a good place to work as a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists?
Pay here is 18% above the national median of $35,790. Local prices are 15.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $30,284 would in a typical U.S. city. San Francisco, CA ranks #11 of 28 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists afford rent in San Francisco, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Francisco, CA is $2,620 a month ($3,187 for two bedrooms) — 90% of a median hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Francisco, CA
- Exercise Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor — $61,000
- Recreation Worker — $46,290
- Childcare Worker — $44,540
- Animal Caretaker — $43,640
- Manicurist and Pedicurist — $41,600
- Amusement and Recreation Attendant — $40,140