Hair Salon Tip Calculator: How Much to Tip Your Hairdresser
Type your service price, pick what you had done and how it went, and see the right tip for your stylist and anyone who helped, plus tip charts by price and by service.
You loved your hair, you are standing at the front desk, and the card reader asks for a tip. Is 15 percent enough? Do you tip the person who washed your hair too? What if your stylist owns the salon?
This free hair salon tip calculator answers all of that in a few seconds. Type the price, pick your service and how it went, and you will see exactly how much to tip your hairdresser and anyone who helped.
Quick answer: In the US, the usual tip for a hairdresser is 15% to 20% of the full service price, and 20% or more for color, highlights, balayage or a big change. On a $100 haircut that is $15 to $20. Tip a shampoo person or assistant $3 to $10 on top, and tip on the price before any discount.
How much to tip your hairdresser
Most people in the US tip their hairdresser between 15 and 20 percent. Think of 20 percent as the normal tip when you are happy with your hair, 15 percent when the visit was fine but nothing special, and 25 percent when your stylist went above and beyond, like fixing a color someone else ruined or squeezing you in at the last minute.
The tip goes on the price of the service, not on shampoo, styling cream or anything else you bought to take home.
Hair salon tip chart by price
Use this chart if you just want the numbers. Amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar, which is how most people tip.
| Service price | 15% | 18% | 20% | 25% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40 | $6 | $7 | $8 | $10 |
| $60 | $9 | $11 | $12 | $15 |
| $80 | $12 | $14 | $16 | $20 |
| $100 | $15 | $18 | $20 | $25 |
| $150 | $22 | $27 | $30 | $38 |
| $200 | $30 | $36 | $40 | $50 |
| $250 | $38 | $45 | $50 | $62 |
| $300 | $45 | $54 | $60 | $75 |
| $400 | $60 | $72 | $80 | $100 |
So, how much do you tip a hairdresser on $200? Usually $30 to $40, and $50 if the result was even better than the photo you showed. On a $300 balayage, a 20% tip is $60.
How much to tip for each hair service
| Service | Usual tip | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Haircut and style | 15% to 20% | 20% if it was a big change or a fix |
| All-over color or root touch-up | 15% to 20% | Tip on the full color price |
| Highlights or balayage | 20% | 25% for color correction or very long sessions |
| Braids, locs or extensions | 15% to 20% | 10% to 15% is fine on very high install prices |
| Blowout or event styling | 20% | Round up to the next $5 |
| Keratin, perm or treatment | 15% to 20% | Tip on the service, not the take-home products |
| Kids’ haircut | 15% to 20% | Add a few dollars for extra patience |
| Shampoo person or assistant | $3 to $10 each | Hand it to them directly |
Long color sessions are where people under-tip the most. A balayage or full set of highlights can take three to five hours of hand painting and toning, so 20 percent is the starting point, not the bonus. The same goes for box braids, where one install can take most of a day.
How to work out a hair salon tip in your head
- Find 10 percent: move the decimal one place to the left. 10% of $85 is $8.50.
- Double it for 20 percent: $8.50 times 2 is $17.
- Need 15 percent? Add half of the 10% amount: $8.50 plus $4.25 is about $13.
- Round to a whole dollar: $13 or $17 is easier to hand over than $12.75.
- Add the helpers: put $3 to $10 aside for each person who washed or dried your hair.
Who to tip at the salon
- Your stylist or colorist: 15% to 20% of their service. If one person cut and another colored, tip each on their own part of the bill.
- The shampoo person or assistant: $3 to $10 each, depending on the price of the visit and how much they did.
- The front desk: no tip is expected for booking or checkout.
Do you tip the salon owner?
An old etiquette rule said you do not tip the owner, because they keep the profit. Most people no longer follow it. Many owners still cut hair all day and are paid the same way as their team, so a normal 15 to 20 percent tip is welcome. If you are unsure, tip as you would anyone else. A politely declined tip is better than a forgotten one.
How much to tip your hairdresser at Christmas
If you see the same stylist all year, the holidays are a nice time to say thank you. A common holiday tip is the cost of one regular visit, given in cash or a card in December. If that is too much this year, a regular tip plus a short note is still kind, and stylists say the note is often what they remember.
When it is okay to tip less
A tip is for service, so a lower tip is fair when the service was poor, such as a very late start or a stylist who ignored what you asked for. Before you leave, say what is wrong. Most salons will fix a cut or a color for free within a week or two, and a stylist cannot fix what they do not know about. Even then, the shampoo person usually did their job, so tip them as normal.
Cash, card or app?
Cash is still the easiest way to make sure your stylist gets the full tip the same day. Card tips work too, but ask the front desk to put the tip under your stylist’s name. Some independent stylists also take tips through payment apps, which is fine if they offer it.
Getting ready for your next appointment? Read our guide on whether you should wash your hair before a haircut, use how to choose a haircut to know what to ask for, and check where your color sits on the hair color chart before you book.
Keep going: find a cut that suits you with the face shape calculator, and check your ideal length on the hair length chart.
