Prevailing Wage for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
Prevailing wages for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists are set by the DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data. Whether you're sponsoring a beautician, filing for a cosmetologist, or evaluating an offer as a hairstylist, DOL assigns four experience levels and the floor shifts substantially by city.
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Entry-level cosmetologists with limited professional experience, typically recent graduates of cosmetology programs performing routine services under close supervision. Employers filing at Level 1 expect minimal independent client management and limited specialty technique exposure.
The most common filing level for hairdressers and hairstylists. Workers with a few years of hands-on experience handling a full range of client services independently, including cutting, coloring, and styling, with only general supervision.
Experienced professionals who handle complex color work, specialty treatments, or advanced styling techniques. Often leads small teams or mentors junior stylists, with a well-established client base and a track record of independent judgment.
Fully competent cosmetologists in senior or master-level roles, such as salon directors or lead educators. Sets standards for service quality, trains staff, and operates with complete autonomy across all technical and client-facing responsibilities.
Prevailing Wage for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for this role and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
Watch for tip income exclusions on cosmetology LCAs
Many salon employers base the offered wage on base pay only, excluding gratuities. DOL prevailing wage compliance requires the stated cash wage to meet the floor independently; tips cannot be counted toward satisfying the LCA wage obligation for hairdressers.
Compare your offer against the worksite metro floor
Seattle-area salons face a prevailing wage floor several times higher than Puerto Rico metros for the same cosmetologist role. The LCA must list the actual worksite address, so a national salary offer may clear the floor in one city but fall short in another.
Flag salon chain filings that use corporate SOC codes
Some large salon chains file LCAs under management or business operations SOC codes rather than SOC 39-5012. If your offer title is hairstylist but the LCA references a different SOC, the prevailing wage floor applied may not reflect cosmetology wage data.
Search Migrate Mate for employers who have sponsored stylists
Migrate Mate shows historical sponsorship counts by employer, so you can identify which salon groups and beauty retailers have actually sponsored hairdressers and cosmetologists before, narrowing your search to employers with a documented H-1B or green card filing history.
Jobs for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 39-5012.00 alongside Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Beautician Prevailing Wage
Beautician Prevailing Wage
Beautician positions fall under SOC 39-5012.00 (Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Cosmetologist Prevailing Wage
Cosmetologist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Cosmetologist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 39-5012.00 (Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Hair Dresser Prevailing Wage
Hair Dresser Prevailing Wage
Hair Dresser is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 39-5012.00 (Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Hair Stylist Prevailing Wage
Hair Stylist Prevailing Wage
Hair Stylist positions fall under SOC 39-5012.00 (Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Hairdresser Prevailing Wage
Hairdresser Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Hairdresser for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 39-5012.00 (Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Hairstylist Prevailing Wage
Hairstylist Prevailing Wage
Hairstylist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 39-5012.00 (Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Stylist Prevailing Wage
Stylist Prevailing Wage
Stylist positions fall under SOC 39-5012.00 (Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for hairdressers and cosmetologists?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to calculate prevailing wages for SOC 39-5012. OFLC publishes these figures annually. Employers must pay at least the prevailing wage level that matches the position's experience requirements, as certified on the Labor Condition Application before sponsoring a worker.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
DOL assigns Level 1 to entry-level workers under close supervision, Level 2 to qualified workers performing the full range of duties independently, Level 3 to experienced workers with complex responsibilities or mentoring roles, and Level 4 to fully competent senior practitioners. Your level is determined by the actual job duties, supervision received, and years of relevant experience in the position description your employer submits.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same cosmetologist role vary so much by city?
OFLC calculates wages from regional OES surveys, so local labor market conditions drive the figures. A hairdresser position in Seattle carries a substantially higher floor than the same role in a lower-wage metro because survey respondents in that area report higher compensation. The LCA must list the actual worksite location, meaning the wage obligation follows where the work is performed, not where the employer is headquartered.
What happens if a job offer falls below the prevailing wage for a sponsored hairstylist position?
USCIS will deny the H-1B or green card petition if the LCA wage does not meet or exceed the applicable prevailing wage level. DOL can also investigate and require back pay. An employer cannot substitute tips, bonuses, or other non-cash benefits to close a gap between the offered base wage and the prevailing wage floor certified on the LCA.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location for this role?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, which lets you enter the SOC code 39-5012 and a specific metropolitan area to retrieve the current four-level prevailing wage figures. You can also check historical LCA filings through OFLC disclosure data to see what wages employers have certified for hairdresser and cosmetologist positions in a given metro. Migrate Mate filters open sponsored roles by location so you can cross-reference active listings with those wage benchmarks.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists right now.
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