Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists Salary in St. Louis, MO
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area earn a median $33,350 a year — 7% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $28,347 take-home, or $2,362 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists salary in St. Louis, MO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,822
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,068
- Medicare (1.45%)$484
- Missouri income tax$630
- Take-home pay$28,347
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.70% state
Living in St. Louis? City residents also pay St. Louis’s Earnings Tax — about $334 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $28,013 ($2,334 a month). Choose “St. Louis” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The St. Louis, MO-IL metro spans Missouri, Illinois. 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 St. Louis, MO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $28,950 | $13.92 | $25,018 | $2,085 |
| 25th percentile | $30,590 | $14.71 | $26,259 | $2,188 |
| Median (50th) | $33,350 | $16.03 | $28,347 | $2,362 |
| 75th percentile | $43,460 | $20.89 | $35,995 | $3,000 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $63,650 | $30.60 | $51,269 | $4,272 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Missouri resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $33,350 buys in St. Louis, MO
Prices in St. Louis, MO are 4.9% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 21% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists's $28,347 take-home pay has the buying power of $29,811 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 St. Louis, MO as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.07).
Best-paying cities for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists, adjusted for cost of living
St. Louis, MO ranks #14 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 |
| 14 | St. Louis, MO | $33,350 | $28,347 | $29,811 |
*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 St. Louis, MO?
The median hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists salary in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area is $33,350 a year, or about $16.03 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $30,590 and $43,460.
What is a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists’s take-home pay in St. Louis, MO?
On the median $33,350 salary, a single filer living in Missouri takes home about $28,347 a year ($2,362 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $630 in Missouri taxes in 2026.
Is St. Louis, MO a good place to work as a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists?
Pay here is 7% below the national median of $35,790. Local prices are 4.9% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $29,811 would in a typical U.S. city. St. Louis, MO ranks #14 of 28 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists afford rent in St. Louis, MO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in St. Louis, MO is $989 a month ($1,211 for two bedrooms) — 42% 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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