Career Explorer Personal care
Human edge, growing
Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
Provide beauty services, such as cutting, coloring, and styling hair, and massaging and treating scalp. May shampoo hair, apply makeup, dress wigs, remove hair, and provide nail and skincare services.
Among the most resilient careers: more resilient than 98% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is low (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it moderate), and US jobs are projected to change by +7.7% by 2035, faster than average. The work leans on creative vision and emotional intelligence.
AI struggles with much of this work, and US employers are expected to hire more people into it than average.
- Median pay (2025)
- $35,790
- Job growth to 2035
- +7.7%
- Openings a year
- 73,400
- People doing it (2025)
- 595,000
- Usual route in
- College certificate
Where people already use AI for this work
- Promote products, services, or programs
- Advise patients or clients on medical issues
- Execute financial transactions
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Groom or style hair
- Apply hygienic or cosmetic agents to skin or hair
- Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas
What the work looks like
- Keep work stations clean and sanitize tools, such as scissors and combs.
- Schedule client appointments.
- Bleach, dye, or tint hair, using applicator or brush.
- Cut, trim and shape hair or hairpieces, based on customers' instructions, hair type, and facial features, using clippers, scissors, trimmers and razors.
- Shampoo, rinse, condition, and dry hair and scalp or hairpieces with water, liquid soap, or other solutions.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Exercise trainers and group fitness instructorsHuman edge, growing, Index 99, +7.3%
- Occupational therapy assistantsHuman edge, growing, Index 99, +21.5%
- Physical therapist assistantsHuman edge, growing, Index 99, +23.0%
- Home health and personal care aidesHuman edge, growing, Index 99, +18.1%
Also known as: Cosmetologist, Hair Stylist, Hairdresser, Stylist, Beautician, Beauty Specialist, Hair Artist, Hair Dresser.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.