Also called: Salon Proprietor, Salon Entrepreneur
Owns and runs a hair salon, hiring stylists, managing money and building a loyal client base.
The morning starts with checking the booking system and the product order that arrived overnight. Between cutting a few of her own regulars, she handles a stylist who called out sick, approves a social media post, and reviews the week's sales. After closing she plans a training night for her junior stylists.
Highly variable: a one-chair studio may net $40k, while a busy multi-location salon owner can clear $250k+.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Certificate, about 6 years after high school. Cosmetology license (about 1,500 hours), then years behind the chair; business classes help.
Ways in: Trade school, Certification, On-the-job training, Self-taught. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Cosmetology (trade school), Business Administration, Entrepreneurship.
Growing faster than average. Grows with demand for hair services; many owners start by renting a suite.
Low risk for 10 years. Booking apps and AI marketing cut the admin load; the stylists, service and loyal clients that keep a salon full stay human.
Classes: Cosmetology CTE program, Business or Entrepreneurship, Accounting.
Official data: O*NET occupation 11-1021.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.