According to the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, there were 1,680 cosmetologists licensed in South Dakota in 2012. Projections indicate that the number of cosmetologists in South Dakota will expand by about 7% to a total of 1,790 in the ten years between 2012 and 2022. This means an average of 50 new jobs will open up each year during this period.
Comparing National and State Salary and Wage Data
In general, South Dakota’s cosmetologists have a higher average annual salary and hourly wage rate than the average for the United States as a whole:
- 10th percentile (higher than 10% of cosmetologists)
- South Dakota – $20,300/year ($9.74/hour)
- United States – $17,000/year ($8.18/hour)
- 25th percentile (higher than 25% of cosmetologists)
- South Dakota – $23,400/year ($11.27/hour)
- United States – $18,700/year ($8.98/hour)
- 50th percentile (higher than 50% of cosmetologists)
- South Dakota – $27,900/year ($13.41/hour)
- United States – $23,100/year ($11.12/hour)
- 75th percentile (higher than 75% of cosmetologists)
- South Dakota – $33,200/year ($15.96/hour)
- United States – $32,100/year ($14.96/hour)
- 90th percentile (higher than 90% of cosmetologists)
- South Dakota – $38,000/year ($18.26/hour)
- United States – $44,200/year ($21.26/hour)
The median annual salary and hourly wage for South Dakotan cosmetologists’ ($27,900 per year and $13.41 per hour, respectively) ranks as number eight when compared to the rest of the country.
The South Dakota Cosmetology Commission licenses cosmetologists working as hairdressers and hairstylists, as well as manicurists. The commission is comprised of five members, three of whom are cosmetologists licensed in South Dakota while the other two are public members. Each member serves a three-year term and is appointed by the Governor.
More in-depth regional salary and hourly wage data can be found on the following table, compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2013: