The 2013 average cosmetologist salary in Montana was $27,480 according to the state’s Department of Labor & Industry. This was very close to the national average for the field. The average cosmetologist salaries in Montana were higher in the Billings and Great Falls areas along with the southwest local area:
Metropolitan Areas:
- Billings – $30,490
- Great Falls – $29,040
- Missoula – $26,140
Local Areas:
- Southwest – $28,680
- Central – $20,480
- West – $19,790
The take home pay of cosmetologists is generally higher than the official reports indicate, since tips of 10-25% are common.
Employment Levels of Montana’s Hair and Nail Professionals
In 2013, 710 cosmetologists, hairstylists, and hairdressers practiced their craft in Montana. Forty-nine percent of them were concentrated in the Billings and Missoula areas. This totaled 180 professionals in the Billings area and 170 in the Missoula area. The southwest local area of Montana also had relatively high employment levels of these hair and nail professionals with 200 located there.
Job Projections for the Cosmetology Field in Montana
The number of jobs available for Montana hairstylists, hairdressers, and manicurists is expected to increase by 0.3% a year between 2012 and 2022. This rate is expected to increase four fold in the southwest region of the state. The number of nail and hair professionals in the northwest and south central regions of Montana is expected to increase at over three times the rate for the state as a whole.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides a detailed analysis of cosmetology salaries in Montana’s key regions as of 2013: