Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
Personal Care and Service
Hair is shampooed, cut, and shaped to match the client's request, hair type, and face, then colored, bleached, or tinted with a brush or applicator. Stations stay clean and tools are sanitized. Appointments are booked, service notes are kept, and hair-care products or cosmetics are shown and sold. The same chair can also mean makeup, wig work, hair removal, or nail and skin care, depending on what the shop offers. Fits people who like judging how a style will sit on a face, picking up new techniques, and mixing chair work with booking and product talk.
Typical education: Post-Secondary Certificate (vocational/technical)
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$35'790
Median Wage Market Position
$35'790
What you might do
- Cut, trim, and shape hair or wigs
- Bleach, dye, or tint clients' hair
- Shampoo, condition, and dry hair or wigs
- Study hair and face to suggest styles
- Set and keep track of client appointments
- Show and sell hair care products
Skills that matter
- Pinning down the look a client wants
- Walking clients through color and cut
- Matching styles to hair type and face
- Deciding how to bleach, dye, or shape
- Learning new coloring and styling methods
- Recommending treatments and hair-care products
AI & the future of this role
Cutting, coloring, and styling depend on touch, visual judgment, and personal trust built in the salon chair. Software may help with appointments or inspiration, while the hands-on service itself is likely to hold up.
Does Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists fit your values?
Take the free LostInCareer assessment to see personalized matches based on your core values—not just a personality label.
Related careers
Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details