New York state – and NYC in particular – is a great place for you to find a job as a barber, cosmetologist, manicurist or makeup artist. More than 41,900 such professionals were employed in New York’s salon and spa industry in 2013 according to the state’s Department of Labor.
These types of rewarding careers let you work with people to improve their appearance and bring out their natural beauty. New York State offers you options when you are starting your career. You can choose to work as a commissioned, salaried or hourly employee, or you can rent your own station in one of New York’s long-established salons. After you have gained some experience, you can even become a salon owner!
You will be able to make even more money than indicated by New York state’s official salary figures, because they do not include tips. Your customers will generally show their appreciation by tipping you at least 15%.
Cosmetology Salaries in New York
If your preference is to cut and style women’s hair, you can join the largest group of beauticians in New York – cosmetologists. New York had the second highest employment level in the country for cosmetologists in 2013 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. More than 24,500 of these professionals worked in New York that year according to the Bureau and the state’s Department of Labor.
The average salary for a cosmetologist in New York was $28,720 in 2014. Entry-level salaries averaged $16,920, but as you get better at providing the haircuts and styles that your clients want, your income will increase. The average salary for an experienced hairdresser was $34,620.
Your take home pay will be even higher than shown here, because these figures do not include tips. Your clients will generally tip you 15 to 25% to reward you for your artistry.
New York Esthetician Salaries
Becoming a licensed esthetician in New York state will let you join the state’s most rapidly growing salon profession. The state’s Department of Labor expects rapid growth of 38.5% in the number of skin care specialty jobs between 2012 and 2022.
New York state has a high employment level of estheticians compared to the rest of the country. In 2013, it had the fourth highest level of estheticians in the country, while New York City had the highest level of such employment of any metropolitan area in the country, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Entry-level salaries averaged $19,770 in 2014 according to the New York State Department of Labor. As you become even better at providing skin treatments through experience, your salary will increase. The average salary for estheticians in New York was $33,730, while experienced skin care professionals earned an average of $40,710.
You can expect to make more money than these figures suggest, because they do not include tips. Your customers will generally tip you 10 to 25% for making them look and feel better.
New York Makeup Artist Salaries
New York state is one of the best places in the country for you to become a makeup artist. It has the second highest concentration of these types of jobs in the country, and makeup artists in both New York state and city had the highest average salaries in the country in 2013 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Makeup artists in the performing arts generally make substantially more money than those who work with individual clients, and New York state has a robust performing arts industry.
The average salary for a makeup artist in the state was $104,410 a year in 2014 according to the New York State Department of Labor. Even entry-level makeup artists averaged $52,940, while those with experience earned $130,150 on average.
Barber Salaries in New York
If your preference is to work with men’s hair and skin care, you can enjoy a rewarding career as a barber in New York. The number of barbers in the state is increasing, and the New York State Department of Labor expects this increase to be 9% between 2012 and 2022. This should result in 130 jobs becoming available in the state each year on average.
The Nassau area has the second highest concentration of jobs of any metropolitan area in the country according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Interestingly, New York City has the fourth highest concentration.
The average salary for a barber in New York state was $22,440 according to its Department of Labor. As you gain experience, you will get better at providing what your clients are looking for, and you will be able to earn more money. Barbers with experience in New York averaged $25,210 as compared to entry-level barbers who earned an average of $16,900. This does not account for independently employed barbers who rent chairs or those that own their own shops, many of which make substantial incomes within the low six-figure range.
You should make more money than these figures indicate, because they do not account for tips. Your clients will generally tip you at least 15% to reward you for your good service.
Salaries of Manicurists in New York
Getting licensed to provide nail treatments in New York gives you good job options for several reasons. The state had the second highest concentration of jobs for manicurists in the country in 2013 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Also, the New York State Department of Labor expects the number of these jobs to increase by 18.6% between 2012 and 2022.
The average entry-level salary for a manicurist in New York was $16,890 in 2014. As you gain experience and learn to provide more stunning nail treatments, your income should increase. The average salary for a manicurist was $18,750, and experienced ones earned an average of $19,680.
The salaries for manicurists were much higher in the Western New York region that includes Buffalo. Entry-level salaries there were $19,100 with experienced manicurists earning $25,750 a year.
You can expect to take home more money than indicated here, because these types of salary statistics do not factor in tips. Your grateful clients will tip you for making them look prettier.