Where is it easiest to open: Nail Salons
51 states, side by side. Operator counts and wages from Census and BLS; licence records matched on “SOC 39-5012” (soc) for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists. A blank gate means NO RECORD MATCHED, which is not the same as no licence.
| State | Operators | Avg staff | Pay / employee | Gate | Licence titles matched |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA | 6,748 | 5.3 | $21,493 | licence | Apprentice; Barber |
| NY | 4,317 | 4.7 | $19,679 | licence | Barber; Cosmetologist, Natural Hairstylist, Es |
| NJ | 2,126 | 4.5 | $20,717 | exam | COSMETOLOGIST-HAIRSTYLIST; ELECTROLOGIST |
| TX | 1,823 | 3.4 | $32,854 | exam | BARBER; COSMETOLOGIST |
| PA | 1,820 | 4.3 | $23,913 | exam | Barber; Barber Manager |
| FL | 1,728 | 2.5 | $29,398 | exam | Barber Assistant; Barbers |
| WA | 1,227 | 4.5 | $34,629 | exam | Cosmetologist; Instructor (Cosmetology) |
| MA | 1,094 | 4.8 | $29,823 | exam | BARBER; COSMETOLOGIST (HAIRDRESSER) LICENSE |
| IL | 943 | 3.0 | $30,785 | exam | BARBER; COSMETOLOGIST |
| VA | 882 | 4.2 | $31,742 | exam | Barber Individual; Barber School License |
| GA | 795 | 1.9 | $29,109 | exam | Barber Apprentice; Barber Instructor |
| CT | 781 | 4.8 | $21,239 | exam | Barber; Electrologist |
| CO | 731 | 5.5 | $37,630 | exam | Barber; Cosmetologist |
| OH | 730 | 5.0 | $30,117 | exam | Advanced Cosmetologist; Barber |
| AZ | 658 | 4.5 | $31,830 | licence | Cosmetologist; Cosmetology Instructor |
| MN | 650 | 5.2 | $30,169 | licence | Barbers / Barbershops / Barber Schools; Cosmetology -Individual Licenses |
| MD | 587 | 4.9 | $33,054 | licence | APPRENTICE COSMETOLOGIST; APPRENTICE LIMITED STYLIST |
| NC | 526 | 3.7 | $30,664 | exam | Apprentice Barber; Apprentice (Cosmetology) |
| LA | 509 | 4.2 | $30,409 | exam | Barber; Cosmetologist or Beauctician or Beauty |
| WI | 434 | 4.4 | $31,016 | exam | BARBERING & COSMETOLOGY APPRENTICE; BARBERING & COSMETOLOGY PRACTITIONER |
| OR | 414 | 4.3 | $30,551 | licence | Cosmetology: Barbering; Cosmetology (Barbering, Esthetics, Hai |
| MO | 379 | 3.7 | $34,675 | exam | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| SC | 302 | 3.0 | $36,178 | licence | Barber Assitant Manicurists; Barber Colleges |
| TN | 296 | 4.0 | $35,235 | exam | BARBER TECHNICIAN; COSMETOLOGIST |
| AL | 270 | 2.6 | $32,350 | exam | Certified Cosmetologist Apprentice; Certified Hairstylist Apprentice |
| UT | 258 | 3.8 | $35,309 | licence | COSMETOLOGIST HAIR STYLIST; ELECTROLOGIST |
| KS | 239 | 5.6 | $30,210 | exam | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| NV | 228 | 4.6 | $29,820 | exam | Cosmetic Demonstrator; Cosmetologist |
| MI | 220 | 3.2 | $33,367 | exam | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| NH | 172 | 4.8 | $32,525 | exam | Barber; Barber, Master |
| IN | 169 | 3.0 | $34,133 | exam | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| OK | 158 | 3.8 | $30,319 | exam | Barber / Barber Instructor; Cosmetician |
| DE | 145 | 5.0 | $25,393 | exam | Apprentice Cosmetologist/Barber/Master; Barber |
| MS | 138 | 2.7 | $36,940 | exam | Barber; Cosmetologist |
| IA | 128 | 2.8 | $26,966 | exam | Cosmetologist License |
| AR | 117 | 2.5 | $31,129 | exam | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| RI | 112 | 4.8 | $28,026 | exam | Electrologist; Hairdresser, Cosmetologist, Estheticia |
| ID | 88 | 2.8 | $32,680 | exam | Barber; Barber - Instructor |
| HI | 86 | 2.7 | $31,757 | exam | Barber; Beauty Apprentice |
| KY | 79 | 2.1 | $31,126 | exam | Apprentice Barber; Apprentice Cosmetologist |
| NM | 67 | 4.7 | $32,830 | exam | Barber/Cosmetologist Instructor; Barber Instructor |
| ME | 65 | 4.0 | $33,217 | exam | Barber; Barber, Apprentice |
| DC | 63 | 5.5 | $40,867 | exam | BARBER; COSMETOLOGY |
| ND | 59 | 4.4 | $41,977 | exam | Barber Instructor; Cosmetologists |
| AK | 58 | 4.7 | $47,133 | licence | Barber; Body Piercing, Tattooing and Permanent |
| WV | 47 | 2.0 | $34,232 | not matched | — |
| NE | 43 | 4.2 | $31,429 | licence | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| SD | 37 | 4.9 | $43,193 | licence | Barber; Cosmetologist |
| MT | 31 | 4.4 | $52,445 | exam | Barbers and Cosmetologists - Barber; Barbers and Cosmetologists - Barber No |
| VT | 31 | 2.9 | $36,714 | exam | Cosmetologist; Electrologist |
| WY | 19 | 2.5 | $39,617 | exam | BARBER; COSMETOLOGIST |
Axes are shown side by side and deliberately NOT collapsed into a ranking. A composite would be a score with no measured interval, and an unmeasured score is the thing this product exists to argue against. A high licence gate is a cost to enter and a moat once cleared — which of those matters more is the operator's call, not ours.
Licence data courtesy of CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. Free to read, no account, always — a condition of the data licence as well as our own position.