Personal Care and Service Salaries: Hairdressers, Trainers, and More

The Personal Care and Service Occupations group covers hairdressers, barbers, cosmetologists, fitness trainers, childcare workers, recreation attendants, and other roles that provide direct personal services. Wages in this group vary significantly by specialization and self-employment status.

Hairdressers and Cosmetologists

Most cosmetologists work in commissioned or booth-rental models — meaning their actual earnings depend on client volume and tips rather than a fixed wage. BLS OEWS captures employed cosmetologists' base wages, which often understate total earnings for busy stylists in high-demand markets.

Fitness Trainers and Instructors

Personal trainers and group fitness instructors have high variation in earnings based on employment setting. Trainers at high-end gyms or working as independent contractors with affluent clientele can earn well above the BLS median. Those employed at budget gym chains earn near the lower end of the distribution.

Childcare Workers

Childcare workers are among the lowest-paid occupations in BLS data despite the critical nature of their work and the significant training and certification requirements many states impose. The persistent low wages in childcare reflect structural funding challenges in an industry where consumers (parents) face affordability constraints.

Geographic Variation

California, Washington, and Connecticut show the highest wages for personal care workers — driven by high minimum wages and cost-of-living adjustments. Browse all states on WageDepth.