According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, cosmetologists earned a mean annual wage of $27,940 per year before tips in 2014, but cosmetologist salary depends on a number of factors. One thing that can affect earning potential is where the stylist works; working in major metropolitan areas may mean higher salaries and more tips than smaller, more rural areas. It's also imperative that that stylists urge their clients to re-book before they leave the salon, and encourage their clientele to keep coming back and referring friends and family. Your level of experience as a can dramatically impact your salary. As you gain more years of experience, continue your education in the field and grow your clientele, you will likely increase your salary and tips. Because this field is so flexible, many professionals choose to work part-time instead of full-time, and that can skew the salary data lower than it really is. Salary has the potential to grow with experience, growing clientele, and increasing hours worked. Another thing the BLS data often does not account for accurately is the tips you may receive for the hair, nail and makeup services. For more information about beauty wages, check out our cosmetologist career guide. Many cosmetologists fail to report their full income from tips and gratuities so it's difficult to calculate their real earning potential beyond the actual salary. Cosmetologists who work for salons are likely paid an hourly wage in addition to tips from clients, whereas those who work in a booth rental environment keep all their proceeds after deducting the fees for their booth rental. Some choose to be entirely independent and do on-site cosmetology services or work out of their homes, in which case they keep all of the proceeds with minimal overhead.