Start-up cost
$35,000-$230,000
Hair salon start-up $35,000-$230,000 (StartCosts, 2026, two vendor estimates agree on band); Second source: $69,000-$145,000 for a 3-4 station salon (Booksy, 2026-08-24). Source: StartCosts, industry start-up cost guides, 2026. Lab cost band: $25K to $250K.
The field in numbers
These are Census and Bureau of Labor Statistics figures for the wider field, not for this business alone.
Industry (Census)
Beauty Salons (NAICS 812112)
Solo owners in the wider field
1,539,712 (Personal Care Services)
Solo owners in this exact industry
867,242
Average gross sales per solo owner
$33,731 a year, before costs (gross sales, not profit)
Still open after 1, 2, 5, 10 years
82.5%, 74.2%, 56.9%, 39.6% (all businesses in the sector, Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Related businesses in the Lab
Does it fit you?
The Startup Lab asks a few plain questions about your money, time and what you like doing, then narrows 910 businesses to the few that fit. The $10 report on this business adds itemized costs, your county’s numbers and Groundwork Alumni access.
