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Hair Styling & Design

Types of Degrees Hair Styling & Design Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Hair Styling & Design may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	1,310
Master’s Degree	69

What Hair Styling & Design Majors Need to Know

Studies in Hair Styling & Design emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Hair Styling & Design graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Hair Styling & Design emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Sales and Marketing — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 2.8 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.0 / 5; level 2.4 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 2.8 / 5; level 2.8 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a Hair Styling & Design program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Listening — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 2.9 / 7.
• Service Orientation — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Judgment and Decision Making — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 2.4 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Hair Styling & Design careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Arm-Hand Steadiness — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Manual Dexterity — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Finger Dexterity — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Hair Styling & Design graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public	4.4 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	3.9 / 7
Thinking Creatively	3.8 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	3.7 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.7 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.6 / 7
Performing General Physical Activities	3.6 / 7
Getting Information	3.4 / 7
Communicating with People Outside the Organization	3.4 / 7
Selling or Influencing Others	3.3 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Hair Styling & Design professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Appointment scheduling software	Calendar and scheduling software	—
Customer information databases	Data base user interface and query software	—
YouTube	Video creation and editing software	—
Facebook	Web page creation and editing software	—
Intuit QuickBooks	Accounting software	—
Apple iOS	Operating system software	—
Sale processing software	Point of sale POS software	—
Point of sale POS payment software	Point of sale POS software	—
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Hair Styling & Design graduates include:

• Hairstylist
• Stylist
• Hair Cutter
• Image Consultant
• Hairdresser
• Salon Stylist
• Licensed Hair Stylist
• Hair Colorist
• Electrolysist
• Hairpiece Stylist
• Wax Specialist
• Electrolysis Needle Operator
• Hair Dresser
• Colorist
• Electrologist

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Hair Styling & Design graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Postsecondary certificate	59.2%
High school diploma or equivalent	22.4%
Less than a high school diploma	8.2%
Some college courses	4.7%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	4.4%
Bachelor’s degree	0.7%
Master’s degree	0.5%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Hair Styling & Design?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 73.6% of Hair Styling & Design degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	1,020	73.6%
Men	366	26.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Hair Styling & Design graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	539	38.9%
Asian	22	1.6%
Hispanic or Latino	589	42.5%
Black or African American	114	8.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native	11	0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	6	0.4%
Two or More Races	43	3.1%
Race Unknown	55	4.0%
International Students	7	0.5%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Hair Styling & Design Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Hair Styling & Design graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$17,533
4 years	$20,210
5 years	$22,425

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $22,425 — roughly 28% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Hair Styling & Design Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Hair Styling & Design graduates earn a median of $20,210 four years after completion — about 47% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services	12.04
Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist	12.0409
Barbering/Barber	12.0402
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Arts, Other	12.0499
Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor	12.0413
Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General	12.0401
Electrolysis/Electrology and Electrolysis Technician	12.0404
Facial Treatment Specialist/Facialist	12.0408
Make-Up Artist/Specialist	12.0406
Master Aesthetician/Esthetician	12.0414
Nail Technician/Specialist and Manicurist	12.0410
Permanent Cosmetics/Makeup and Tattooing	12.0411

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.