Getting a professional haircut can have a significant impact on your appearance. How you look affects your work and personal life to a large degree, so you should be getting a quality haircut but not paying ridiculous prices that some hair salons or barbers are looking for these days.
An average men’s haircut costs $15-$28, and for women, it’s $25-$44. You can pay more in trendier locations but if you’re just looking for a reasonable haircut then expect to pay those prices. If you’re paying more for a basic haircut you may be getting ripped off and should reconsider the location. Don’t pay so little that you get a poor quality haircut otherwise, you may as well for doing it yourself.
| Cost | 20% Tip | |
| Men | $15 – $28 | $3 – $5.6 |
| Women | $25 – $44 | $5 – $8.8 |
| Kids | $15 | $3 |
| Seniors | $1 – $3 Discount | 20% Tip |
The haircut is one of those regular expenses that does not seem too much at first glance but adds up to a significant amount over time. Just think about it, say you get a haircut once a month, each time paying $50.
| Low Yearly Cost | High Yearly Cost | |
| Men | $216 | $403.20 |
| Women | $360 | $633.60 |
| Kids | $216 | $216 |
That is $600 per year. Add in 20% tips to your stylist, and that amount increases to $720 a year. For a couple, that is $1,440 a year. And you are paying this year after year. Each year you will pay more due to inflation and price increases.
This year it is $1,440. Next year it will be $1,500. The year after, even more. It adds up quickly over time. All that money will come directly out of your retirement account or your kids’ college funds.
Find a better deal on your haircut, and you can put the money saved in an investment fund instead. Then, with compounding interests, that money will snowball to something significant over the years and decades.
Let’s say you find a good deal and reduce your haircut expenses by half. Using our example above, you are saving $720 in one year. And let’s assume the price for haircuts increases by 3% per year due to inflation. So next year, you will be saving $742.
The year after that, you will be saving even more, etc. Assuming a 10% annual investment return (the historical return of the stock index S&P 500), your savings on finding a better deal on haircut will add up to over $170,000 over 30 years.
All that for just finding a better deal on your haircut. Think about what you can do with an extra $170,000! (Yes, you can pay off a house!)
Let’s look into the cost of haircuts in the US in more detail. We will then discuss finding that elusive “sweet spot” of quality – not getting ripped off by overpriced hair salons in pretty buildings while avoiding cheap but low-quality places.
Related: How Much Should I Spend on a Haircut (Men & Women)
Average Haircut Cost By City
The prices below are for a basic haircut. Special haircuts or treatments will generally cost more.
| Men | Women | |
| The Entire USA | $28 | $44 |
| New York City | $37 | $73 |
| Minneapolis | $31 | $41 |
| Chicago | $32 | $61 |
| St. Louis | $34 | $45 |
| Dallas | $32 | $61 |
| Denver | $32 | $48 |
| Seattle | $35 | $50 |
| San Francisco | $49 | $71 |
| Los Angeles | $45 | $69 |
Average Cost of Wedding Hair: For example, bridal hair in 2020 costs $110 on average, according to the wedding planning website WeddingWire’s 2020 Newlywed Study.
Given that popular wedding hairstyles such as the classic chignon can be very intricate and time demanding, that price tag might not actually be that unreasonable.
The average bridesmaids’ hair cost is cheaper but still significant at $70 each.
Average Cost of Hair Highlights and Coloring: Another popular hair treatment is hair highlights and coloring. Its pricing will depend on whether it is a partial or full highlight.
For partial highlight, the average cost is $40 to $60. For full highlight, the average price is $80 to $100. If you highlight more than one color, add $20 to $40 per additional color used.
Average Cost of Hair Blow Dry: For blow-dry, the average cost is $35 to $45.
Average Cost of Hair Styling: For hair stylings such as updos, buns, curls, and twists, the average is $50 to $70.
Average Cost of Hair Perm: For perm, the average price is around $80.
Average Cost of Hair Straightening: This depends on the specific treatment. For keratin treatment or chemical hair relaxing that typically lasts 3 to 5 months, the average price is around $150.
For permanent straightenings such as thermal straightening or Japanese treatment, the average cost ranges from $200 to $800.
Average Hair Salon Prices by Service
| Services | Average Price |
| Shaving | $20 |
| Bridal Hair | $110 |
| Bridesmaid Hair | $70 each |
| Partial Highlights | $40 – $60 |
| Full Highlights | $80 – $100 |
| Additional Highlight Colors | $20 – $40 per additional color |
| Blow Dry | $35 – $45 |
| Hair Styling – Updos, Buns, Curls, Twists | $50 – $70 |
| Perm | $80 |
| Hair Straightening – Keratin Treatment (lasts 3 to 5 months) | $150 |
| Hair Straightening – Chemical Relaxing (lasts 3 to 5 months) | $150 |
| Hair Straightening – Thermal Straightening or Japanese Treatment (permanent) | $200 – $800 |
How Much to Tip A Hairdresser
Tipping your hairdresser can be a confusing experience and there is no hard and fast rule on if you should be doing it at all, and if you do how much should you be tipping. The other question is often what are you supposed to do if you don’t like the haircut, offers a low tip or no tip at all?
Unlike restaurant servers that rely heavily on tipping, hairdressers usually make more money but it’s still a service job that people assume you’re supposed to tip for. Many stylists appreciate and may even assume a tip will be provided, but they don’t require one and know not every customer will provide one.
It is customary to tip after a haircut, especially if you plan to return and want to encourage a good haircut every time. The industry standard for tipping is 18% to 22%. Personally, a 20% tip is a good tip to leave – if you like the haircut you have received. So for a $20 haircut, a $4 tip is an appropriate amount.
Tipping owner: According to Oprah.com, there is an old saying that you don’t have to tip if the owner cuts your hair. This seems to be a dying tradition. The truth is, salon owners do welcome and appreciate tips.
What If You Do Not Like Your Haircut
If you are not happy with your haircut, you are entirely within your rights to cut back on your tip. Just make sure you have clearly communicated what you expect for your haircut to your stylist.
If your realistic expectation is not met, politely let your stylist know and tell them exactly why you are unhappy. Give them a chance to remedy the situation. If you are still dissatisfied after that? Then it is fair for you to tip less or not at all.
What if your stylist fails to meet expectations repeatedly despite clear communications from you? Then it is time to look for a new hairstylist who can do a better job. How? We will talk about that in the next section.
Best Discount Hair Salons
Living a frugal lifestyle you want to find the best deals for great services and that includes your hairdresser. Unless you’re getting highly styled or require special treatments, you don’t need to pay higher prices at boutique hair salons.
| Men | Women | Kids | Seniors | |
| Great Clips | $17 | $17 | $14 | $14 |
| Super Cuts | $14 | $14 | $12 | $12 – $15 |
| Sports Clips | $15 – $28 | $15 – $28 | $14 | $14 |
| Fantastic Sams | $14 | $14 | $10 | $10 |
| Cost Cutters | $16.99 | $16.99 | $12.99 | $16.99 |
| First Choice | $18.95 | $18.95 | $14.95 | $14.95 |
| Lemon Tree | $20 | $20 – $30 | $10 | $20 – $30 |
Most people can get a fantastic haircut at chain hairdressers which are available in most locations and convenient in local malls and strip malls.
Discount Haircut Prices For Men
For men, the price for a basic haircut ranges from $14 – $28, you may get a shampoo, but typically, you’re just getting a quick haircut or a buzzcut.
If you want additional services, such as a shampoo and blowdry, the cost will increase by around $7 for each additional service you want.
If you’re only getting buzzcuts from a discount hair salon, then a much cheaper option may be to buy a cheap electric hair clipper and cut your own hair every week.
You can also use an electric hair clipper to cut your facial hair if you don’t need an extremely close shave and the irritation is much lower. You’ll typically get multiple cutting blades, so use 1 for hair and 1 for your face, which cuts down on razer blade costs.
Discount Haircut Prices For Women
The cost for a discounted haircut for women is typically similar to men at the same salons, the cost ranges from $14 – $30, and prices may vary a little depending on your hair length. Longer hair may cost a little extra to cut due to the time required.
Most haircuts in chain hair salons are cheap because prices are split out, so if you only need an actual haircut with no styling, shampoo, blowdry, color, or products at all, then you don’t need to pay for that.
| Item | Cost |
| Regular Style | $20 |
| Long Hair Style | $45 |
| Formal Style | $60 |
| Shampoo | $6 |
| Conditioning Treatment | $15 |
| Blowdry | $22 – $45 |
| Color Treatment | $56 – $90 |
| Root Color | $55 |
| Highlights | $60 – $110 |
The haircut quality isn’t always poorer, it’s more to do with removing unneeded services or products to keep the prices lower. If you want those services once in a while, then most chain salons can provide anything you need at an extra cost.
Being able to mix and match the service you need helps keep costs low, and you can pick certain treatments like conditioning to do every second month to keep your hair healthy.
Discount Hair Prices For Kids
The average cost to cut a kid’s hair at a chain hair salon is around $10 – $15. From a hair salon’s perspective, kids are generally 11 years old and under. However, some salons may have different age cut-offs for the kid’s discount prices.
Discount Hair Prices For Senior Citizens
Senior citizens or people over 60 years old will typically get a $1 – $3 discount on haircuts at chain stores, and the average cost is around $10 – $30, and for most men, the price will be on the lower end, especially if a simple buzzcut is all that’s required.
Women in this category won’t get discounts on any additional services they request, so the same costs would apply for additional services as seen above.
How to Look for a Good Hair Stylist
Finding a good hairstylist that suits you can be a very hit-or-miss process. But, things do not have to be that chancy. Follow these five simple steps, and you can find your ideal stylist in no time.
- Research Local Salons & Stylists: Look up salons and stylists close to where you live or work. For example, build a list of salons that are located within 30 minutes of your home or office. This list will serve as the starting point of your quest.
- Ask Your Social Network for Recommendations: Ask your friends, families, and coworkers for recommendations on salons or stylists. You can ask face to face or on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Cross reference their recommendations with your list from step 1 to narrow down your choices to those that are close to your home or office.
- Check Online Reviews & Ratings: Check out online reviews and ratings on sites such as Yelp. But remember online reviews can be fake. So do not rely 100% on them. Treat them as additional data points to consider.
- Make a Decision: Pick a salon or stylist based on the information gathered in steps 1 to 3 above. Make an appointment with your pick.
- Communicate Clearly: Make sure you know what you want. Communicate that clearly to your stylist. If it helps, bring photos with you. Use photos of yourself or some models to show your stylist what you want to be done to your hair.
Tip: If you found a hairstylist you like, I would recommend getting her contact after a few visits. The reason for this is because I have personally lost contact with a few good ones because they either quit working for that salon, or they relocated to a different place.
Key Takeaways
In this article, we have covered a lot of information about haircut costs and how to find the sweet spot of the best value for haircuts. Let’s do a quick recap:
- Finding a better deal on your haircut and investing the savings could give you an extra $170,000 in 30 years
- In the US, the average haircut cost for men is $28. For women, it is $44. Those costs vary based on locations. Expect to pay more in big cities
- Expensive salons do not mean better haircut quality. You are mostly paying for their posh locations and luxurious experiences
- Look for the sweet spot of the best value for haircuts: $15 to $20 for men, $15 to $30 for women
- 20% is a good amount to tip your stylist
- To find a good stylist, research online reviews and listings. Also, ask your friends for recommendations
- Communicate clearly to your stylist what you want with your hair. Bring photos if necessary
