Beautician Salaries in Texas

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Texas has the nation’s fifth highest employment level for hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists.

As a beautician you can elect to work in a salaried or commissioned position for an employer, or even go into business for yourself. It is a common practice in Texas for individual cosmetologists, estheticians or nail technicians to rent a salon booth or chair for a monthly fee.

You can expect to earn a very competitive salary in Texas in addition to tips, which are usually between 10 to 25 percent of the cost of the service. A good nature and pleasing personality will pay off in higher tips!

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Cosmetologist Salaries

Cosmetologists learn all aspects of a beautician’s work, including hairdressing/styling, skin care, nail care and makeup application. In order to earn a Texas cosmetologist license you will have to complete 1,500 hours at a beauty college and pass the cosmetologist test given by the State Board of Cosmetology. There are dozens of beauty schools scattered throughout the Lone Star State.

The BLS (2013) reports that you can expect to earn the following averages as one of the 20,840 cosmetologist working in Texas (figures do not include tips)..

Annual Salary
Average
$27720
Experienced
$43690

Salaries differ with location. The following are BLS estimates of cosmetologist annual salaries in large Texas cities (from highest to lowest):

Texas Area
Mean
Dallas
$30880
Houston
$27120
Austin
$25730
El Paso
$20460

Esthetician Salaries

You can get your esthetician (skin specialist) license in Texas by attending a beauty college for at least 750 hours and passing the state board esthetician exam. The BLS reported that the 3,800 skin specialists employed in Texas in 2013 earned the following:

Annual Salary
Mean
$34210
Experienced
$64260

Annual salaries of estheticians in selected metropolitan (MA) and nonmetropolitan (NMA) areas are as follows.

Texas Area
Entry-Level
Experienced
San Antonio MA
$20310
$71540
Fort Worth MA
$29110
$69640
El Paso MA
$16140
$50060
Houston MA
$17000
$46410
Eastern Texas NMA
$16330
$38740
Gulf Coast NMA
$16300
$24520

Nail Technician Salaries

In order to give manicures and pedicures you’ll have to attend beauty college for a minimum of 600 hours and pass the board licensing exam. The BLS reports that you can expect to earn the following as one of the 1,280 (2013) nail technicians in Texas.

Annual Salary
Mean
$24610
Experienced
$40680

Annual salaries you can expect to earn in metropolitan areas are:

Texas Area
Entry-Level
Experienced
San Antonio
$16250
$54950
Dallas
$17120
$45170
Austin
$18420
$36560
Houston
$15880
$33330

Makeup Artist Salaries

You can become either a theatrical/production or a personal appearance makeup artist. Although no license is required, the salons, spas, resorts, bridal boutiques that hire personal appearance makeup artists usually require a cosmetology license.

If your heart is set on becoming a theatrical makeup artist you’re lucky because Texas is one of a very few states that has enough live production companies to make it a viable career. Theatrical makeup artists can earn very high salaries. According to the BLS, there are 60 theatrical makeup artists in Texas (2013) who earn the following:

Experience
Annual Salary
Entry-Level
$26710
Mean
$52830
Experienced
$106780

Your earning potential is not as high if you become a personal makeup artist but there are far more job opportunities. An aggregate of ads for personal makeup artist jobs indicates the following average annual salaries:

  • Statewide – $34,000
  • Houston – $40,000
  • Dallas – $36,000
  • Austin – $34,000
  • Worth – $33,000
  • San Antonio – $32,000
  • El Paso – $29,000
  • Corpus Christi – $25,000

Barber Salaries

You’ll need to complete 1,500 hours of training and pass the State Department of Licensing and Regulation barbering exam to qualify for a barber license in Texas. You should get your training at a barber college which provides instructions in all aspects of barbering, including trimming and dyeing beards and moustaches as well as shaving and giving facial massages. Texas has barber colleges in over 24 cities so you shouldn’t have a problem finding one that is conveniently located near you.

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The BLS reports (2013) that the 2,140 actively employed barbers in Texas earn the following salaries.

Annual Salary
Mean
$29580
Experienced
$43360

Annual salaries of barbers in selected areas are as follows:

Texas Area
Entry
Experienced
Wichita Falls
$20520
$57410
Dallas
$19080
$56670
Houston
$24200
$35230

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