Where is it easiest to open: Other Personal Care Services
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 | 3,871 | 5.9 | $33,468 | licence | Apprentice; Barber |
| FL | 2,863 | 5.1 | $30,769 | exam | Barber Assistant; Barbers |
| NY | 2,623 | 4.6 | $30,200 | licence | Barber; Cosmetologist, Natural Hairstylist, Es |
| TX | 2,562 | 7.1 | $33,747 | exam | BARBER; COSMETOLOGIST |
| IL | 1,098 | 5.9 | $33,599 | exam | BARBER; COSMETOLOGIST |
| PA | 1,069 | 5.9 | $26,344 | exam | Barber; Barber Manager |
| NJ | 1,060 | 7.4 | $27,802 | exam | COSMETOLOGIST-HAIRSTYLIST; ELECTROLOGIST |
| GA | 1,015 | 4.7 | $34,098 | exam | Barber Apprentice; Barber Instructor |
| NC | 965 | 6.2 | $31,132 | exam | Apprentice Barber; Apprentice (Cosmetology) |
| VA | 848 | 6.2 | $31,503 | exam | Barber Individual; Barber School License |
| CO | 830 | 5.8 | $33,850 | exam | Barber; Cosmetologist |
| OH | 791 | 6.3 | $28,568 | exam | Advanced Cosmetologist; Barber |
| MA | 749 | 4.9 | $33,060 | exam | BARBER; COSMETOLOGIST (HAIRDRESSER) LICENSE |
| WA | 743 | 5.3 | $33,772 | exam | Cosmetologist; Instructor (Cosmetology) |
| MI | 738 | 5.3 | $25,388 | exam | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| AZ | 732 | 7.1 | $34,258 | licence | Cosmetologist; Cosmetology Instructor |
| TN | 538 | 7.0 | $31,827 | exam | BARBER TECHNICIAN; COSMETOLOGIST |
| IN | 510 | 6.4 | $27,127 | exam | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| OR | 488 | 5.0 | $31,200 | licence | Cosmetology: Barbering; Cosmetology (Barbering, Esthetics, Hai |
| MN | 478 | 5.5 | $28,576 | licence | Barbers / Barbershops / Barber Schools; Cosmetology -Individual Licenses |
| MO | 466 | 6.5 | $29,025 | exam | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| CT | 463 | 5.3 | $30,426 | exam | Barber; Electrologist |
| UT | 452 | 6.4 | $28,111 | licence | COSMETOLOGIST HAIR STYLIST; ELECTROLOGIST |
| MD | 443 | 6.0 | $33,389 | licence | APPRENTICE COSMETOLOGIST; APPRENTICE LIMITED STYLIST |
| WI | 434 | 5.5 | $27,176 | exam | BARBERING & COSMETOLOGY APPRENTICE; BARBERING & COSMETOLOGY PRACTITIONER |
| SC | 411 | 5.9 | $26,793 | licence | Barber Assitant Manicurists; Barber Colleges |
| NV | 406 | 7.8 | $31,692 | exam | Cosmetic Demonstrator; Cosmetologist |
| KY | 251 | 6.7 | $25,044 | exam | Apprentice Barber; Apprentice Cosmetologist |
| LA | 241 | 6.6 | $27,003 | exam | Barber; Cosmetologist or Beauctician or Beauty |
| AL | 240 | 5.7 | $26,160 | exam | Certified Cosmetologist Apprentice; Certified Hairstylist Apprentice |
| OK | 220 | 5.5 | $32,447 | exam | Barber / Barber Instructor; Cosmetician |
| KS | 208 | 6.9 | $26,226 | exam | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| ID | 198 | 5.2 | $26,822 | exam | Barber; Barber - Instructor |
| NE | 190 | 6.1 | $26,377 | licence | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| IA | 187 | 6.6 | $27,870 | exam | Cosmetologist License |
| AR | 172 | 5.1 | $26,259 | exam | Barber; Barber Instructor |
| HI | 159 | 4.2 | $33,224 | exam | Barber; Beauty Apprentice |
| NH | 147 | 4.8 | $32,056 | exam | Barber; Barber, Master |
| RI | 126 | 5.1 | $33,955 | exam | Electrologist; Hairdresser, Cosmetologist, Estheticia |
| DE | 109 | 7.7 | $27,606 | exam | Apprentice Cosmetologist/Barber/Master; Barber |
| ME | 106 | 3.9 | $30,695 | exam | Barber; Barber, Apprentice |
| NM | 104 | 5.5 | $35,312 | exam | Barber/Cosmetologist Instructor; Barber Instructor |
| MT | 96 | 4.3 | $27,085 | exam | Barbers and Cosmetologists - Barber; Barbers and Cosmetologists - Barber No |
| MS | 88 | 6.1 | $23,219 | exam | Barber; Cosmetologist |
| ND | 75 | 3.7 | $26,094 | exam | Barber Instructor; Cosmetologists |
| SD | 70 | 7.1 | $26,998 | licence | Barber; Cosmetologist |
| AK | 66 | 3.5 | $32,852 | licence | Barber; Body Piercing, Tattooing and Permanent |
| WV | 55 | 4.4 | $21,529 | not matched | — |
| DC | 47 | 4.2 | $44,281 | exam | BARBER; COSMETOLOGY |
| VT | 45 | 3.2 | $33,356 | exam | Cosmetologist; Electrologist |
| WY | 37 | 3.6 | $29,932 | 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.