Where is it easiest to open: Diet and Weight Reducing Centers
45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FL | 253 | 4.4 | $43,249 | exam | Barber Assistant; Barbers |
| CA | 234 | 4.8 | $31,690 | licence | Apprentice; Barber |
| TX | 213 | 4.2 | $34,006 | exam | BARBER; COSMETOLOGIST |
| NY | 111 | 11.6 | $39,199 | licence | Barber; Cosmetologist, Natural Hairstylist, Es |
| PA | 91 | 4.4 | $18,621 | exam | Barber; Barber Manager |
| GA | 75 | 5.0 | $30,145 | exam | Barber Apprentice; Barber Instructor |
| IL | 71 | 5.6 | $28,815 | exam | BARBER; COSMETOLOGIST |
| NJ | 71 | 7.0 | $23,257 | exam | COSMETOLOGIST-HAIRSTYLIST; ELECTROLOGIST |
| MA | 58 | 7.2 | $23,767 | exam | BARBER; COSMETOLOGIST (HAIRDRESSER) LICENSE |
| WA | 56 | 4.1 | $35,229 | exam | Cosmetologist; Instructor (Cosmetology) |
| MI | 52 | 4.1 | $41,910 | exam | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| AZ | 49 | 4.0 | $31,217 | licence | Cosmetologist; Cosmetology Instructor |
| TN | 46 | 5.8 | $32,597 | exam | BARBER TECHNICIAN; COSMETOLOGIST |
| OH | 45 | 5.1 | $27,096 | exam | Advanced Cosmetologist; Barber |
| NC | 44 | 6.3 | $35,870 | exam | Apprentice Barber; Apprentice (Cosmetology) |
| CO | 44 | 5.5 | $30,454 | exam | Barber; Cosmetologist |
| UT | 44 | 2.8 | $25,448 | licence | COSMETOLOGIST HAIR STYLIST; ELECTROLOGIST |
| MD | 40 | 4.8 | $24,314 | licence | APPRENTICE COSMETOLOGIST; APPRENTICE LIMITED STYLIST |
| VA | 40 | 5.8 | $24,378 | exam | Barber Individual; Barber School License |
| SC | 32 | 7.2 | $30,835 | licence | Barber Assitant Manicurists; Barber Colleges |
| MN | 31 | 10.4 | $23,801 | licence | Barbers / Barbershops / Barber Schools; Cosmetology -Individual Licenses |
| MO | 30 | 5.2 | $25,723 | exam | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| NV | 27 | 4.0 | $43,694 | exam | Cosmetic Demonstrator; Cosmetologist |
| AL | 27 | 4.0 | $40,440 | exam | Certified Cosmetologist Apprentice; Certified Hairstylist Apprentice |
| IN | 26 | 3.7 | $37,474 | exam | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| CT | 24 | 7.1 | $19,265 | exam | Barber; Electrologist |
| WI | 23 | 7.3 | $35,702 | exam | BARBERING & COSMETOLOGY APPRENTICE; BARBERING & COSMETOLOGY PRACTITIONER |
| NE | 19 | 3.3 | $23,161 | licence | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| KS | 19 | 3.2 | $39,541 | exam | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| LA | 15 | 3.3 | $22,240 | exam | Barber; Cosmetologist or Beauctician or Beauty |
| IA | 14 | 5.4 | $22,750 | exam | Cosmetologist License |
| SD | 14 | 11.1 | $55,671 | licence | Barber; Cosmetologist |
| OK | 11 | 6.6 | $23,219 | exam | Barber / Barber Instructor; Cosmetician |
| AR | 10 | 8.3 | $18,542 | exam | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| KY | 9 | 4.8 | $36,000 | exam | Apprentice Barber; Apprentice Cosmetologist |
| OR | 9 | 6.1 | $34,655 | licence | Cosmetology: Barbering; Cosmetology (Barbering, Esthetics, Hai |
| NH | 9 | 3.7 | $35,212 | exam | Barber; Barber, Master |
| ID | 9 | 2.4 | $14,318 | exam | Barber; Barber - Instructor |
| NM | 7 | 3.1 | $22,136 | exam | Barber/Cosmetologist Instructor; Barber Instructor |
| ND | 7 | 3.4 | $27,833 | exam | Barber Instructor; Cosmetologists |
| DE | 5 | 28.6 | $70,559 | exam | Apprentice Cosmetologist/Barber/Master; Barber |
| RI | 3 | 14.3 | $7,721 | exam | Electrologist; Hairdresser, Cosmetologist, Estheticia |
| HI | 3 | 2.0 | $30,833 | exam | Barber; Beauty Apprentice |
| MS | 3 | 6.7 | $18,850 | exam | Barber; Cosmetologist |
| MT | 3 | 7.3 | $25,000 | exam | Barbers and Cosmetologists - Barber; Barbers and Cosmetologists - Barber No |
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.