Career
Shampooers
Wash and condition clients' hair in salons.
$32,600
Median pay
+5.6%
Job growth, 2025–35
2,200
Openings a year
No formal educational credential
Typical education
None required
Typical time after high school
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Massage, shampoo, and condition patron's hair and scalp to clean them and remove excess oil.
- Advise patrons with chronic or potentially contagious scalp conditions to seek medical treatment.
- Treat scalp conditions and hair loss, using specialized lotions, shampoos, or equipment such as infrared lamps or vibrating equipment.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on objects & tools, then people & care?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Massage, shampoo, and condition patron's hair and scalp to clean them and remove excess oil.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Speaking, Active Listening, Service Orientation, Coordination.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
No degree beyond high school, though short-term on-the-job training is typical, for a median of $32,600 a year and 2,200 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, GeneralCIP 12.0401
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Skincare Specialists$45,330 · +8.8%
- Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$35,790 · +7.7%
- Massage Therapists$58,450 · +15.3%
- Barbers$38,210 · +3.3%
- Manicurists and Pedicurists$35,760 · +9.2%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.