Average Cosmetologist Salary in United Kingdom for 2024

In this article, we will look at the average Cosmetologist salary for 2024 in United Kingdom and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!

The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.

All salary information is in the local currency, which is the British pound. To keep things simple, we are using the GBP currency code instead of the currency symbol £.

How Much Does a Cosmetologist Make in United Kingdom?

A Cosmetologist working in United Kingdom will typically earn around 49,800 GBP per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 23,800 GBP to the highest average salary of 80,800 GBP.

Average Annual Salary
49,800 GBP
Average Monthly Salary
4,150 GBP

Lowest Annual Salary
23,800 GBP
Lowest Monthly Salary
1,983 GBP

Highest Annual Salary
80,800 GBP
Highest Monthly Salary
6,733 GBP

These are average salaries for a Cosmetologist in United Kingdom and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Cosmetologist to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.

Cosmetologist salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.

Distribution of Cosmetologist Salaries in United Kingdom

So we've looked at the average salaries a Cosmetologist will earn in United Kingdom. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.

Salary ranges

We already know that a Cosmetologist can earn between 23,800 GBP and 80,800 GBP on average in United Kingdom. This is known as the range in statistics.

The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.

Median salary

The median salary for a Cosmetologist in United Kingdom is 55,400 GBP. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 55,400 GBP, and 50% of the population earn more than 55,400 GBP.

If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.

If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).

Percentiles

Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.

For the average Cosmetologist salary in United Kingdom, 25% of the population are earning less than 33,000 GBP while 75% of the population earn more than 33,000 GBP.

75% of the population earn less than 71,400 GBP, and 25% of the population earn more than 71,400 GBP.

Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.

The difference between a median and an average salary

The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.

  • If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
  • If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
  • If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.

Cosmetologist Salary by Experience Level in United Kingdom

The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.

We have researched the average cosmetologist salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.

  • 0 - 2 Years Experience. A Cosmetologist in United Kingdom that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 27,800 GBP.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Cosmetologist salary would increase to 33,800 GBP.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Cosmetologist, the average salary would be 51,400 GBP.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 61,400 GBP.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Cosmetologist with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 68,100 GBP.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For a Cosmetologist with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 72,300 GBP.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years
27,800 GBP
2-5 Years +34%
33,800 GBP
5-10 Years +48%
51,400 GBP
10-15 Years +22%
61,400 GBP
15-20 Years +9%
68,100 GBP
20+ Years +8%
72,300 GBP

Cosmetologist Salary by Education Level in United Kingdom

As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?

In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.

The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.

In our research, we looked at the average salary for a Cosmetologist in United Kingdom based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.

  • High School. A Cosmetologist in United Kingdom with a high school education can earn an average salary of 31,200 GBP.

  • Certificate or Diploma. A Cosmetologist in United Kingdom with a certificate or diploma education can earn an average salary of 48,200 GBP.

  • Bachelor's Degree. A Cosmetologist in United Kingdom with a bachelor's degree education can earn an average salary of 79,000 GBP.

Average Salary by Education Chart

High School
31,200 GBP
Certificate or Diploma +57%
48,200 GBP
Bachelor's Degree +68%
79,000 GBP

How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?

The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in United Kingdom is around 29,600 to 88,700 GBP and takes two years to complete.

As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.

It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.

Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.

Cosmetologist Salary Compared by Gender

In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.

In United Kingdom, a male cosmetologist will earn an average of 48,500 GBP, while a female cosmetologist will earn around 49,700 GBP.

This means that a male cosmetologist earns approximately 2% less than a female cosmetologist for performing the same job.

Average Salary by Gender Chart in United Kingdom

Male
48,500 GBP
Female +2%
49,700 GBP

Cosmetologist Average Pay Raise in United Kingdom

In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.

From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for a Cosmetologist in United Kingdom is around 12% every 15 months.

The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in United Kingdom is around 9% every 15 months.

In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.

To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:

Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12

So for this example, it would be:

Annual Increase = ( 12 ÷ 15 ) × 12  = 10%

What this means is that a Cosmetologist in United Kingdom can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 10% every 12 months.

Annual Pay Raise by Industry in United Kingdom for 2024

In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in United Kingdom.

You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.

Banking
3%
Energy
6%
Information Technology
9%
Healthcare
3%
Travel
6%
Construction
9%
Education
3%

Cosmetologist Bonus and Incentive Rates in United Kingdom

Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.

Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.

A Cosmetologist is a moderate bonus based job, with 61% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

39% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.

For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 2% to 7%.

Received Bonus
61%
No Bonus
39%

What are the Types of Bonus?

There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:

  • Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
  • Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
  • Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
  • Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.

Government vs Private Sector Salaries

Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.

Public sector employees in United Kingdom earn approximately 7% more than private sector employees in the same role.

Public Sector
72,700 GBP
Private Sector -7%
68,200 GBP

Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Cosmetologist

In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Cosmetologist in United Kingdom.

Job Title Category Salary
Aromatherapist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 78,700 GBP
Art Therapist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 53,300 GBP
Assistant Spa Manager Fitness / Hair / Beauty 58,200 GBP
Beauty Advisor Fitness / Hair / Beauty 54,200 GBP
Beauty Educator Fitness / Hair / Beauty 66,200 GBP
Beauty Shop Coordinator Fitness / Hair / Beauty 38,700 GBP
Beauty Specialist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 53,800 GBP
Beauty Supply Manager Fitness / Hair / Beauty 100,500 GBP
Beauty Therapist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 54,500 GBP
Cosmetic Sales Fitness / Hair / Beauty 30,800 GBP
Day Spa Manager Fitness / Hair / Beauty 98,700 GBP
Esthetician Fitness / Hair / Beauty 27,400 GBP
Fitness and Wellness Coordinator Fitness / Hair / Beauty 58,500 GBP
Fitness Instructor Fitness / Hair / Beauty 38,000 GBP
Grooming Salon Manager Fitness / Hair / Beauty 89,300 GBP
Hair Replacement Specialist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 89,400 GBP
Hair Stylist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 34,000 GBP
Health Coach Fitness / Hair / Beauty 76,600 GBP
Health Educator Fitness / Hair / Beauty 89,900 GBP
Manicurist and Pedicurist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 21,100 GBP
Massage Therapist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 45,000 GBP
Masseur Fitness / Hair / Beauty 35,100 GBP
Natural Remedy Consultant Fitness / Hair / Beauty 79,000 GBP
Naturopath and Acupuncturist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 30,800 GBP
Occupational Therapist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 45,000 GBP
Occupational Therapy Assistant Fitness / Hair / Beauty 35,100 GBP
Physical Therapy Attendant Fitness / Hair / Beauty 34,000 GBP
Recreational Therapist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 44,700 GBP
Salon Assistant Fitness / Hair / Beauty 32,600 GBP
Salon Manager Fitness / Hair / Beauty 92,400 GBP
Spa Manager Fitness / Hair / Beauty 105,800 GBP
Spa Supervisor Fitness / Hair / Beauty 78,400 GBP
Sport and Recreation Manager Fitness / Hair / Beauty 109,700 GBP
Tattoo Artist Fitness / Hair / Beauty 27,800 GBP
Weight Loss Consultant Fitness / Hair / Beauty 100,700 GBP
Yoga Instructor Fitness / Hair / Beauty 65,900 GBP

Salary Comparison by City

If you want to compare salaries with different cities in United Kingdom, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.

City Average Salary
Aberdeen 49,000 GBP
Abingdon 40,300 GBP
Armagh 49,700 GBP
Bangor 43,500 GBP
Belfast 50,500 GBP
Birmingham 55,600 GBP
Bradford 54,700 GBP
Brighton 51,100 GBP
Bristol 53,600 GBP
Cambridge 49,000 GBP
Canterbury 42,300 GBP
Cardiff 50,000 GBP
Chester 47,600 GBP
Coventry 50,600 GBP
Derby 48,500 GBP
Derry 47,600 GBP
Dundee 47,400 GBP
Durham 43,800 GBP
Edinburgh 51,500 GBP
Exeter 45,000 GBP
Glasgow 57,200 GBP
Gloucester 49,700 GBP
Hartlepool 45,400 GBP
Inverness 45,200 GBP
Kingston upon Hull 49,700 GBP
Kirkwall 42,000 GBP
Leeds 55,500 GBP
Leicester 51,300 GBP
Lincoln 49,200 GBP
Lisburn 45,200 GBP
Liverpool 53,800 GBP
London 53,300 GBP
Manchester 54,100 GBP
Newcastle 49,200 GBP
Newport 47,400 GBP
Newry 48,600 GBP
Norwich 47,400 GBP
Nottingham 51,400 GBP
Oxford 45,900 GBP
Peterborough 49,800 GBP
Plymouth 49,800 GBP
Poole 49,200 GBP
Portsmouth 49,200 GBP
Ripon 40,200 GBP
Salisbury 45,700 GBP
Sheffield 51,800 GBP
Somerset 55,700 GBP
Southampton 52,000 GBP
St Davids 39,800 GBP
Stirling 45,900 GBP
Stromness 39,800 GBP
Strontian 43,400 GBP
Swansea 52,000 GBP
Truro 45,100 GBP
Wakefield 44,500 GBP
Wells 44,800 GBP
Winchester 44,500 GBP
Wolverhampton 51,900 GBP
York 47,400 GBP

Salary Comparison by State

The table below includes links to the average salary for each state in United Kingdom.

City Average Salary
England 90,900 GBP
Northern Ireland 45,600 GBP
Scotland 63,700 GBP
Wales 49,000 GBP

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