What does a hairstylist earn?

The average salary is 31,700 SEK per month, with variation depending on experience, location, and specialization.

What education is required to become a hairstylist?

Most commonly, a vocational upper secondary education in the hairdressing program, supplemented with internships and sometimes journeyman exams.

What are the career prospects for hairstylists?

Job opportunities are plentiful according to the Employment Service, and demand is expected to remain unchanged over the next five years.

Are there regional salary differences?

Yes, salaries tend to be higher in larger cities where demand is greater and living costs are higher.

What personal qualities are important?

Creativity, social skills, flexibility, and precision are especially valuable in the profession.

Can you work as a self-employed individual?

Yes, many hairstylists operate their own businesses or combine salon work with freelance assignments.

What is the gender distribution?

The profession is dominated by women, with an average salary of 32,300 SEK. Data on male salaries is not available.

Stylist, hair

31 700 kr

Hairdressers

30 400 - 31 700 kr / month

Kropps- & skönhetsvård

What will be the salary after tax?

Salary progression Stylist, hair

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What does a hairstylist do? – Tasks and work environment

A hairstylist's main task is to create and develop hairstyles for clients in various settings, ranging from everyday cuts to advanced styling for photoshoots, fashion shows, or weddings. The work includes consultations, cutting, coloring, styling, and sometimes hair treatments. Many hairstylists work in salons, but it is also common to participate in project-based assignments on a freelance basis or within the media and fashion industries. The work environment is characterized by creativity, close client contact, often a fast pace, as well as ergonomic and hygienic requirements.

Salary development over time

The salary development for a hairstylist has been relatively stable over the past three years. In 2022, the average salary was 31,400 SEK per month, which increased slightly to 31 500 SEK in 2023 and further to 31 700 SEK in 2024. This represents an increase of just under 1% over the period, which is slightly below the average for the labor market overall. The cautious salary increase can be explained by stable demand for the profession, where the number of available positions and competition within the industry have kept wages steady. The fact that many work part-time also affects the average salary and creates some variation depending on employment form and experience. Women dominate the profession and have a slightly higher average salary than the overall average. Regional differences may occur, with larger cities often offering somewhat higher salaries due to increased demand and higher living costs.

Hairstylist, salary – comprehensive overview

Average salary: 31 700 SEK/month
Lowest/highest salary: Data not available
Hourly wage: 190 SEK
Gender differences: Women earn 32 300 SEK, data on men is not available
Regional differences: Salaries tend to be higher in metropolitan areas

Education and qualifications

To work as a hairstylist, a vocational upper secondary education in the hairdressing program is usually required, supplemented with internships and sometimes journeyman exams. The industry values both formal education and experience, and there are opportunities to further develop skills through courses and certifications in areas such as coloring, styling, or extensions. Self-study and continuing education are common to stay updated with trends and techniques.

Upper secondary education: Vocational program, hairdressing specialization (3 years)
Journeyman exam: Voluntary but meritorious for professional certification
Certification courses: Coloring, styling, hair extensions
Internship: Mandatory part of the education
Further education: Courses and seminars for trend awareness

Many hairstylists combine salon work with freelance assignments in fashion, advertising, or film. This flexibility allows building a broad network and developing a unique niche within the profession.

– statsskuld.se

Common benefits and compensations

Typical benefits for hairstylists include discounts on hair care products, access to training and inspiration days, and sometimes commissions on product or service sales. Pension schemes and wellness allowances may also be offered depending on employment type and employer.

Competition and challenges

The competition within the profession is intense, especially in larger cities where many qualified individuals seek attractive workplaces. At the same time, recruitment difficulties are reported, partly because many are employed part-time or work as self-employed. The fast-changing trends in the industry require ongoing training and adaptability. Ergonomic challenges and the risk of strain injuries are common, as the work involves lots of standing and repetitive movements. Customer relations are central, which demands flexibility, service skills, and communication abilities.

Tips for aspiring hairstylists

To succeed as a hairstylist, it is good to be both creative and meticulous, as the profession requires a sense for details and trends. Developing good social skills is crucial since close client contact is a large part of the work. Staying constantly updated on new techniques and products provides an advantage, especially in a rapidly changing industry. Flexibility and adaptability are important qualities, particularly if you want to combine salon work with freelancing. Building a network within the industry and participating in courses or workshops can lead to new opportunities. Initiative and a professional attitude make it easier to gain clients' trust and generate repeat business. Finally, patience and perseverance are essential, especially during the first years as experience is built up.

Key facts about Hairstylist

Education level: Upper secondary education, often with journeyman exam
Work environment: Salons, freelance, project-based within fashion/film
Typical employment: Full-time, part-time, or self-employment
Demand: Great opportunities for jobs nationwide
Special skills: Coloring, styling, trend awareness

Career paths and future prospects

After 3–5 years as a hairstylist, there are good opportunities to develop further within the profession. Many choose to start their own salon, specialize in areas such as coloring, bridal and event styling, or work as trainers. Others continue within fashion, advertising, or media, where demand for creative stylists is high. According to the Employment Service, job opportunities are strong nationwide, with demand expected to remain unchanged over the next five years. The recruitment situation is characterized by many part-time workers, which means there may be available positions even if competition is high. As of May 2024, there were 36 available jobs in the hairstylist profession, including hairstylists within hairdressing.

Common questions about Hairstylist

What does a hairstylist earn?
- The average salary is 31 700 SEK per month, with variation depending on experience, location, and specialization.
What education is required to become a hairstylist?
- Most commonly, a vocational upper secondary education in the hairdressing program, supplemented with internships and sometimes journeyman exams.
What are the career prospects?
- Job opportunities are plentiful according to the Employment Service, and demand is expected to remain unchanged over the next five years.
Are there regional salary differences?
- Yes, salaries tend to be higher in larger cities where demand is greater and living costs are higher.
What personal qualities are important?
- Creativity, social skills, flexibility, and precision are especially valuable in the profession.
Can you work as a self-employed individual?
- Yes, many hairstylists operate their own businesses or combine salon work with freelance assignments.
What is the gender distribution?
- The profession is dominated by women, with an average salary of 32 300 SEK. Data on male salaries is not available.

Richard Andersson - 2025-07-10 19:35:33

Occupation

Salary distributed by age and sector

Age	Base salary	Monthly salary
18-24	25500 kr	27300 kr
25-34	29700 kr	31300 kr
35-44	32400 kr	33500 kr
Snitt	30400 kr	31700 kr

Age	Base salary	Monthly salary
18-24	25500 kr	27300 kr
25-34	29700 kr	31300 kr
35-44	32400 kr	33500 kr
Snitt	30400 kr	31700 kr

Age	Base salary	Monthly salary
18-24	25500 kr	27300 kr
25-34	29700 kr	31300 kr
35-44	32400 kr	33500 kr
Snitt	30400 kr	31700 kr

Age	Base salary	Monthly salary
18-24	25500 kr	27600 kr
25-34	30000 kr	31700 kr
Snitt	30800 kr	32300 kr

Age	Base salary	Monthly salary
18-24	25500 kr	27600 kr
25-34	30000 kr	31700 kr
Snitt	30800 kr	32300 kr

Age	Base salary	Monthly salary
18-24	25500 kr	27600 kr
25-34	30000 kr	31700 kr
Snitt	30800 kr	32300 kr

* Empty columns indicate that the statistical data was insufficient to allow for a statistically significant conclusion.

Salary per sector

Salary based on education

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About the data

All information displayed on this page is based on data from the Swedish Central Bureau of Statistics (SCB), the Swedish Tax Agency and the Swedish employment agency. Learn more about our data and data sources here.

All figures are gross salaries, meaning salaries before tax. The average salary, or mean salary, is calculated by adding up the total salary for all individuals within the profession and dividing it by the number of individuals. For specific job categories, we have also considered various criteria such as experience and education.

Profession Stylist, hair has the SSYK code 5141, which we use to match against the SCB database to obtain the latest salary statistics.

How much does a Stylist, hair make