Professional Profile

Profession: Cosmetologist
Provide beauty services, such as shampooing, cutting, coloring, and styling hair, and massaging and treating scalps. May also apply makeup, dress wigs, perform hair removal, and provide nail and skin care services.

Number of Licensed Professionals in Florida:
88,350

Salary Range:
$13,880–39,070*

Requirements to be licensed:

• Must be at least 16 years old or have received a high school diploma

• Must have completed a minimum of 1,200 hours at a Florida cosmetology school

• Must complete a board-approved HIV/AIDS course for initial licensure

• Must pass the written Florida cosmetology examination.

Interesting Facts: Other than real estate professionals, cosmetologists are the largest individual licensing population the department licenses. The cosmetology and beauty industry is over a $2 billion industry in Florida. Cosmetologists can perform all services allowed by the Board of Cosmetology  - from hair wrapping to tinting eyelashes to permanent waving to microdermabrasion. The Board of Cosmetology licenses and regulates cosmetologists, manicure/pedicure/nail extension specialists, facial specialists, full specialists, hair braiders, hair wrappers, body wrappers, cosmetology salons and mobile cosmetology salons.

*U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Florida, May 2006