Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists vs Skincare Specialists: Salary, Job Outlook & Education | Career Matchup
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Career comparison

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists vs Skincare Specialists

Compare the evidence side by side. Career Matchup shows the source data without declaring an overall winner.

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01 · Compensation

Pay and employment

Median annual wage

2025

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$35,790
79% relative comparison

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 39-5012

Skincare Specialists$45,330
100% relative comparison

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 39-5094

Mean annual wage

2025

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$43,960
85% relative comparison

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 39-5012

Skincare Specialists$51,850
100% relative comparison

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 39-5094

Hourly median wage

2025

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$17.21
79% relative comparison

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 39-5012

Skincare Specialists$21.79
100% relative comparison

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 39-5094

Hourly mean wage

2025

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$21.13
85% relative comparison

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 39-5012

Skincare Specialists$24.93
100% relative comparison

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 39-5094

10th percentile annual wage

2025

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$27,040
91% relative comparison

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 39-5012

Skincare Specialists$29,580
100% relative comparison

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 39-5094

25th percentile annual wage

2025

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$30,120
84% relative comparison

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 39-5012

Skincare Specialists$36,040
100% relative comparison

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 39-5094

75th percentile annual wage

2025

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$48,830
82% relative comparison

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 39-5012

Skincare Specialists$59,700
100% relative comparison

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 39-5094

90th percentile annual wage

2025

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$71,190
87% relative comparison

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 39-5012

Skincare Specialists$82,050
100% relative comparison

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 39-5094

National employment

2025

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists305,710
100% relative comparison

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 39-5012

Skincare Specialists72,890
24% relative comparison

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 39-5094

02 · Outlook

Employment outlook

Bars compare the same metric across the two careers. They are not an overall score.

Projected employment change

2025-2035

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists7.7%
88% relative comparison

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 39-5012

Skincare Specialists8.8%
100% relative comparison

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 39-5094

Average annual openings

2025-2035

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists73.4k
100% relative comparison

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 39-5012

Skincare Specialists14.2k
19% relative comparison

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 39-5094

03 · Preparation

Education and training

Typical entry-level education

2025-2035

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsPostsecondary nondegree award

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 39-5012

Skincare SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 39-5094

Related work experience

2025-2035

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsNot available

Value missing or suppressed in source.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 39-5012

Skincare SpecialistsNot available

Value missing or suppressed in source.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 39-5094

On-the-job training

2025-2035

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsNot available

Value missing or suppressed in source.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 39-5012

Skincare SpecialistsNot available

Value missing or suppressed in source.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 39-5094

04 · Context and fit

Work context

Only compatible O*NET scales are compared together. Relative bars preserve the source scale interpretation.

Contact with others

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists4.8 raw · CX scale
94% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5012.00

Skincare Specialists5 raw · CX scale
100% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5094.00

Time pressure

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists3.2 raw · CX scale
56% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5012.00

Skincare Specialists2.6 raw · CX scale
40% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5094.00

Spend time standing

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists4.4 raw · CX scale
86% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5012.00

Skincare Specialists3.2 raw · CX scale
55% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5094.00

Exposed to contaminants

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists3.6 raw · CX scale
66% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5012.00

Skincare Specialists2.5 raw · CX scale
37% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5094.00

Exposed to disease or infections

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists2 raw · CX scale
24% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5012.00

Skincare Specialists3.6 raw · CX scale
66% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5094.00

Exposed to hazardous equipment

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists1.1 raw · CX scale
3% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5012.00

Skincare Specialists1.4 raw · CX scale
11% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5094.00

04 · Context and fit

Skills

Only compatible O*NET scales are compared together. Relative bars preserve the source scale interpretation.

Critical thinking

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists3.5 raw · LV scale
50% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5012.00

Skincare Specialists3 raw · LV scale
43% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5094.00

Active learning

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists3 raw · LV scale
43% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5012.00

Skincare Specialists3.1 raw · LV scale
45% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5094.00

Active listening

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists3 raw · LV scale
43% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5012.00

Skincare Specialists3.3 raw · LV scale
46% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5094.00

Learning strategies

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists3 raw · LV scale
43% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5012.00

Skincare Specialists2.9 raw · LV scale
41% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5094.00

Monitoring

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists3 raw · LV scale
43% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5012.00

Skincare Specialists3.1 raw · LV scale
45% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5094.00

Reading comprehension

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists3 raw · LV scale
43% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5012.00

Skincare Specialists3.1 raw · LV scale
45% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5094.00

Speaking

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists3 raw · LV scale
43% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5012.00

Skincare Specialists3.1 raw · LV scale
45% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5094.00

Writing

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists2.9 raw · LV scale
41% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5012.00

Skincare Specialists2.6 raw · LV scale
37% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5094.00

04 · Context and fit

Work styles

Only compatible O*NET scales are compared together. Relative bars preserve the source scale interpretation.

Dependability

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists2.1 raw · WI scale
86% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5012.00

Skincare Specialists2.2 raw · WI scale
87% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5094.00

Attention to detail

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists2.1 raw · WI scale
84% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5012.00

Skincare Specialists2.2 raw · WI scale
87% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5094.00

Stress tolerance

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists1.1 raw · WI scale
68% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5012.00

Skincare Specialists1.1 raw · WI scale
69% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5094.00

Cooperation

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists2.1 raw · WI scale
85% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5012.00

Skincare Specialists2 raw · WI scale
83% relative

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 39-5094.00

Explore your next step

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists

Read the full profile, preparation, skills and source details.

Skincare Specialists

Read the full profile, preparation, skills and source details.

  • Use the career comparison checklist

Sources

Each side retains the source release, reference period, occupation code, and file hash used for the comparison.

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Source-backed

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Release May 2025 · Reference 2025

Occupation code 39-5012 · SHA-256 b5855a37f3e03e779f6fbf173d3bbc94aeeff33426aef32fa95ce6d025bab1af

Employment Projections

Source-backed

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Release 2025-2035 · Reference 2025-2035

Occupation code 39-5012 · SHA-256 a7d060f0576f7d4f5b829b9a0bb4a6c11a12766d159ebb0e07aab5bd2e7583c5

O*NET Database

Source-backed

O*NET Resource Center

Release 31.0 · Reference August 2026

Occupation code 39-5012.00 · SHA-256 c63ad00a8e45f3d3ef8e1529fcf8864d2279f2dfcb98737436818f5664781b04

Skincare Specialists

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Source-backed

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Release May 2025 · Reference 2025

Occupation code 39-5094 · SHA-256 b5855a37f3e03e779f6fbf173d3bbc94aeeff33426aef32fa95ce6d025bab1af

Employment Projections

Source-backed

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Release 2025-2035 · Reference 2025-2035

Occupation code 39-5094 · SHA-256 a7d060f0576f7d4f5b829b9a0bb4a6c11a12766d159ebb0e07aab5bd2e7583c5

O*NET Database

Source-backed

O*NET Resource Center

Release 31.0 · Reference August 2026

Occupation code 39-5094.00 · SHA-256 c63ad00a8e45f3d3ef8e1529fcf8864d2279f2dfcb98737436818f5664781b04

Read the data in context

Career Matchup does not declare an overall winner. National estimates can hide local variation, and O*NET relative values describe the named construct rather than whether a career is better.

Career Matchup is an independent comparison tool.

Data sourcesData availabilityAboutFree guideContactPrivacyTermsData: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET® Database.