CareerFacts

All careers › Shampooers

Shampooer: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$32,600median pay per year, or $15.67 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $23,110lowest 10% earn less
  2. $28,55025th percentile
  3. $32,600median
  4. $35,55075th percentile
  5. $38,240top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

Shampooers earned a median of $32,600 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the rate for all occupations[2][3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+5.6%[2]
Openings per year
2,200[6]
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential[7]

How much do shampooers make?

The median shampooer wage was $32,600 a year, or $15.67 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers made more than that and half made less[1]. The average was $31,980 a year, or $15.37 an hour[8]. The median for all occupations was $50,980, so shampooers sat below it[1][5].

Measure Annual Hourly
10th percentile[4][9] $23,110 $11.11
25th percentile[4][9] $28,550 $13.72
Median[1] $32,600 $15.67
75th percentile[4][9] $35,550 $17.09
90th percentile[4][9] $38,240 $18.39

A percentile is a boundary. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $23,110 a year[4][10]. BLS does not publish a starting salary, only percentile wages[10].

The figures cover about 8,070 wage and salary jobs[11]. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include benefits or nonproduction bonuses[12]. That matters here, because 46.7% of shampooers worked for themselves in 2025[13].

Pay by state and city

BLS published shampooer wages for 19 states and the District of Columbia[14]. The District of Columbia had the highest median, $38,870, followed by California ($37,080) and New York ($37,070)[14]. Alabama had the lowest median among those places, at $21,810[14].

New York had the most jobs, with 1,210[15]. Pennsylvania followed with 1,000, then Texas with 840[15].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, New York-Newark-Jersey City had the highest median, $37,620, followed by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria at $36,410 and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin at $35,990[16]. New York-Newark-Jersey City also had the most jobs, 1,410, followed by Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington with 710[17].

Show median pay in 19 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
District of Columbia[14]$38,870210
California$37,080n/a
New York$37,0701,210
Maryland$34,900500
Massachusetts$34,840n/a
Illinois$34,190240
Connecticut$34,010n/a
New Jersey$33,180690
Delaware$32,150200
Texas$31,200840
Oklahoma$29,42070
Louisiana$29,160n/a
Virginia$28,920350
Florida$28,550550
Georgia$27,560690
Pennsylvania$26,1301,000
North Carolina$26,03090
Michigan$25,960n/a
Tennessee$24,16040
Alabama$21,810n/a

How to become a shampooer

BLS lists no formal educational credential and no related work experience for entry. The typical training is short-term on-the-job training[7]. O*NET places the job in a group that needs very little to some preparation, from little or no experience to several months or a year[18].

The O*NET survey tells a different story about schooling. Of 17 workers surveyed, 68% said a post-secondary certificate was required, 18% said a high school diploma or equivalent and 13% said less than a high school diploma[19]. With so few respondents, treat these shares as a rough guide only.

The facts here do not name any license or say how long training takes.

What shampooers do

Shampooers shampoo and rinse customers' hair[20]. Tasks listed by O*NET include:

Workers report job titles such as shampoo assistant, shampoo technician and stylist assistant[22].

Job outlook

BLS projects shampooer employment to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 15,400 to 16,200 jobs, a change of 900[2]. These counts include self-employed workers[2]. Across all occupations, projected growth is 3.5% over the same span[3].

About 2,200 openings are projected each year, on average[6]. Openings count jobs left by workers who retire or switch occupations, as well as new jobs[6]. Each year, 5.4% of shampooers are projected to leave the labor force and 8% to move to a different occupation[23].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show a job with no formal entry requirement and short-term on-the-job training[7]. The median wage sits below the all-occupations median, and the 90th percentile was $38,240[1][5][4]. Growth is projected to be faster than for all occupations[2][3]. Related hair and beauty jobs such as hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists have a median of $35,790 and typically need a postsecondary nondegree award[24]. The facts here do not say whether a shampooer can move into those roles.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[24].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a shampooer make an hour?
The median was $15.67 an hour in May 2025[1]. The 10th percentile was $11.11 and the 90th percentile was $18.39[9].
Do you need a degree to be a shampooer?
BLS lists no formal educational credential for entry[7].
How long does it take to become a shampooer?
BLS lists short-term on-the-job training as typical[7]. The facts do not give a number of weeks or months.
Is shampooer a growing job?
Employment is projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[2][3]. About 2,200 openings are projected each year[6].
What is the highest paying state for shampooers?
The District of Columbia had the highest median, $38,870, followed by California at $37,080[14].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Shampooers in the US was $32,600 per year and $15.67 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Shampooers is projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 15,400 to 16,200 jobs (a change of +900). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Shampooers: 10th percentile $23,110, 25th percentile $28,550, 75th percentile $35,550, 90th percentile $38,240. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 2,200 openings for Shampooers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Shampooers: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Shampooers was $31,980 per year and $15.37 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Shampooers: 10th percentile $11.11, 25th percentile $13.72, 75th percentile $17.09, 90th percentile $18.39. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 8,070 people were employed as Shampooers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS Employment Projections: 46.7% of Shampooers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  14. Median annual wage for Shampooers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Shampooers jobs: New York 1,210; Pennsylvania 1,000; Texas 840; Georgia 690; New Jersey 690. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Shampooers (areas with at least 100 jobs): New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $37,620; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $36,410; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $35,990; Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $34,280; Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $32,610; Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $28,540; Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $27,890; Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $19,690. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Shampooers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 1,410 (median $37,620); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 710 (median $32,610); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 580 (median $36,410); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 520 (median $27,890); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 320 (median $28,540); Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 230 (median $34,280). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  18. O*NET 39-5093.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET 39-5093.00 survey of workers (17 respondents), education level they say is required: Post-Secondary Certificate 68%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 18%, Less than a High School Diploma 13% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET description of Shampooers. O*NET OnLine
  21. O*NET task list for Shampooers. O*NET OnLine
  22. O*NET 39-5093.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Hair Assistant, Shampoo Assistant, Shampoo Person, Shampoo Technician, Shampooer, Stylist Assistant. O*NET OnLine
  23. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Shampooers: 5.4% of workers leave the labor force each year and 8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  24. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.