Hair Coloring

Hair Colorist Career Overview

Hair colorists are cosmetologists who have specialized in coloring and treating hair. Individuals in this profession build and maintain a loyal client base for their services. Most keep records of hair and skin products they recommend to their customers, and many have found a lucrative side business actively promoting hair care and coloring products. Hair colorists need to be clean, organized, and friendly. The most successful hair colorists are not only hair experts, but expert salesmen, well versed in the newest fashion trends, and able to help people find a style that works for their particular tastes.

If you ‘re a people person, have a flair for fashion and style and helping people look their best, and want to be your own boss, being a hair colorist may be the right career for you.

Hair Colorist Education & Training

Every state requires all hair colorists to be licensed, with the exception of shampooers. To obtain a license from the state, most aspiring hair colorists need to graduate from a recognized barber or cosmetology school. Almost all of these programs require a high school diploma or GED for admittance. There are a wide variety of courses offered in these programs, but they all focus on hairstyling, skin care, and other personal appearance issues. Many vocational schools offer a cosmetology program.

Attending a program full-time, most students in barbering or cosmetology school take about nine months to finish their training. After the nine months, most will have earned an associate's degree. If you are already working in cosmetology it is a good idea to take continuing education courses to keep up-to-date on a current trends, and new beauty techniques. Beyond classes in beauty, taking a few courses on sales and marketing can really help you succeed in this competitive industry.

Every state has different specific licensing qualifications, but in general, to be licensed one must be over 16 years old, have a high school diploma or GED, and have graduated from a state-recognized cosmetology school. After these requirements have been fulfilled, the prospective hair colorist must take a licensing exam. Most states’ licensing exams include both a written section and a practical section where the student proves their skills on real hair. Many states allow barber training to be credited to a cosmetology license, and some states combine the two in one license.

Some states have reciprocity agreements for their cosmetology licenses which allow licensed cosmetologists and hair colorists from other states to practice their work without getting an in-state license. If you are already licensed and plan to move, make sure you know all the licensure rules of your new state.

The most effective education for a hair colorist is on the job. Most hair colorists start out in an entry-level position and work their way up. After proving their skills to their employers, hair colorists are allowed to execute more complicated coloring procedures.

Hair Colorist Career & Salary Outlook

Employment for personal appearance professionals, including barbers, cosmetologists, and hair colorists is projected to grow slightly faster than the rest of the economy, around 14% from 2006 to 2016. There should be a great deal of opportunity for new hair colorists in the next few years, but those at the top can expect heavy competition. Most job openings at the top of the field come not from sector growth, but from workers retiring or leaving for other industries.

For all salaried hair colorists, median hourly earnings are $10.25. The vast majority earned between $7.92 and $13.75, with the top ten percent earning more than $18.78 Earnings are typically low for entry-level workers, but after a while of building a client base there is a much greater opportunity for earnings. Some salons offer commissions and bonuses for bringing in new business as well.

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