What are the pros and cons of being a hairdresser?

The pros and cons of being a hairdresser relate to education requirements, work environment, and pay. Here are the top pros and cons of being a hairdresser: Pros: Education requirements. You can attend hairdressing or cosmetology school to become a hairdresser, which is far cheaper and less time-consuming than traditional college degree programs. Some hairdressers even bypass school by being self-taught. Some also gain a hairdresser apprenticeship where they are paid to learn and work simultaneously. Fun working environment. If you enjoy cutting hair, then a hairdresser shop's environment can be a really fun job. Not only do you get to create hairstyles, but you also get to hang out and talk with clients and other hairdressers all day. You get to help people look better. Hairdressers can experience satisfaction and fulfillment by making a person look better. This service often makes clients feel better about themselves, making the hairdresser feel good about their job. Work is normally pretty easy. If you are good at cutting hair, being a hairdresser is usually pretty easy and not stressful. Hairdresser shops can get busy, but even during these times, the general feeling is low-stress and fun. The typical day for a hairdresser sees them cutting several clients' hair, cleaning the shop, and taking care of any necessary bookkeeping or scheduling.

How To Become A Hair Dresser: What It Is and Career Path

What is a hair dresser and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted Expert

Charley Sain

The main responsibility of a hairdresser is to style hair according to clients' instructions and preferences. Apart from that, their duties also include welcoming clients into the salon, suggesting hairstyles or treatments, recommending hair products, and maintaining a clean workstation. A hairdresser may also advise clients to seek medical attention for any scalp or hair conditions that they might find during the session.

The specific hairstyling-related tasks that a hairdresser does are cutting, coloring, blow-drying, and shaving hair. They may also be responsible for cutting or trimming facial hair, nose hair, and eyebrows.

The most important skill that a hairdresser should have is, of course, hairstyling or hairdressing. Many salons typically require their hairdressers to have an associate's degree in cosmetology or a certificate from an accredited cosmetology program. In some states, salons also require state licensure to work as a hairdresser.

More than these educational requirements, an aspiring hairdresser must also be physically able to stand for long periods, follow instructions clearly, and work under pressure. To be successful in this role, a hairdresser must also have excellent skills in time management, organization, and customer service.

What general advice would you give to a Hair Dresser?

Charley Sain

Cosmetology Instructor, Program Coordinator for Cosmetology, Esthetics, and Manicuring, Cleveland Community College

My advice to a new professional would be to work hard, continue your education, and never give up. The beauty industry rapidly changes, due to modern technology, so it is imperative to continue your education and continue your professional growth. It is essential to work hard because building a clientele can be challenging, especially during these times. Do not let those challenges get you down; stay focused, and keep your eye on your goals.

ScoreHair DresserUS Average

Salary

2.9

Avg. Salary $36,852

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

5.6

Growth Rate 11%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

8.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.55%

Asian 7.19%

Black or African American 10.26%

Hispanic or Latino 20.50%

Unknown 4.29%

White 57.22%

Gender

female 93.92%

male 6.08%

Age - 39

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39

Stress Level

5.6

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

6.5

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

10.0

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a hair dresser

Explore hair dresser education requirements

Most common hair dresser degrees

High School Diploma

45.9 %

Associate

22.4 %

Certificate

9.3 %

Start to develop specific hair dresser skills

Skills	Percentages
Appointment Scheduling	27.58%
Customer Service	21.84%
Product Sales	8.12%
Curling Irons	6.40%
Front Desk	5.98%

Complete relevant hair dresser training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New hair dressers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a hair dresser based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real hair dresser resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming a licensed hair dresser usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed hair dresser in most of states. 43 states require hair dressers to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

State	Education	Exam	License Url
Alabama	Specific course required	State exam required	Licensed Cosmetologist
Arkansas	Specific course required	Both state and third-party exams required	Cosmetologist
California	Specific course required	State exam required	Cosmetologist
Colorado	Specific course required	State exam required	Cosmetologist
Connecticut	Specific course required	State exam required	Hairdresser/Cosmetician

Research hair dresser duties and responsibilities

Manage product inventory for cosmetology products, place product orders, maintain the inventory.
Shampoo, style and color hair as well as advise clients about wigs.
Bleach, dye, or tint hair.
Assist in hair and make-up.

Prepare your hair dresser resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your hair dresser resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a hair dresser resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Hair Dresser Resume templates

Build a professional Hair Dresser resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Hair Dresser resume.

Apply for hair dresser jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a hair dresser job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do hair dressers rate their job?

-/5

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1 Star

Hair Dresser reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020

Pros

I like the satisfaction of doing someone’s hair and they love it.

Cons

Working all weekends, being in tons of social interactions a day, high stress situations, work comes home with you, getting criticism online, lots of disinfection and cleaning, lots of interaction with coworkers. Some days at work I want To go hide in the bathroom to avoid anymore social interaction and stress from dealing with the public all day.

A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019

Pros

•talking n building relationships w awesome people • doing art everyday and learning mastering my craft •not sitting all day with tons of freedom to express myself through unconventional fashion and hairstyles •feeling like i have something to offer that makes people feel happy about themselves •having having clientele that is loyal

Cons

•pay is not what i expected nor is my passion as lucrative as i thought it would be. •feels less like an artist and more like an unskilled service worker or like I'm the 'help' •working weekends and holidays

What is a hair dresser and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a Hair Dresser?

Hair Dresser career paths

Key steps to become a hair dresser

Explore hair dresser education requirements

Most common hair dresser degrees

Start to develop specific hair dresser skills

Complete relevant hair dresser training and internships

Obtain the necessary licensing

Research hair dresser duties and responsibilities

Prepare your hair dresser resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Hair Dresser Resume templates

Apply for hair dresser jobs

How Did You Land Your First Hair Dresser Job

Average hair dresser salary

How do hair dressers rate their job?

Hair Dresser reviews

Hair Dresser FAQs

What are the pros and cons of being a hairdresser?

Search for hair dresser jobs