How to Become a Hairdresser in Australia with a Salary Guide

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Hairdressing plays a crucial role in shaping people’s appearance, confidence, esteem and identity. 

From trendy haircuts to elaborate styles, hairdressers have the power to transform regular hair into a work of art! 

Do you see hairdressing as an appealing and adventurous career path? If yes, come along as we show you how to become a hairdresser in Australia.

Who is a Hairdresser?

Hairdresser is a person who cuts, trims, and styles customer’s hair. This could include straightening, colouring, treating, perming and many more. 

Size of the Hairdressing Industry

There are over 63,500 hairdressers in the Australian workforce. Statistics show a progressive projected growth of 9.6% by 2026, rendering this a stable career path to explore.

Popular Locations

The population of hairdressers in Australia has ever increased year after year (it is safe to say Aussies care very much about fashion and appearance). About 43% of hairdressers live outside capital cities and New South Wales has the largest share of resident hairdressers amongst other regions. 

Here below is the percentage of hairdressers in different areas of Australia by state and territory:

  • New South Wales 30.8%      
  • Queensland 21.4%    
  • Victoria 24.5%   
  • Western Australia 10.9%
  • South Australia 7.9%
  • Tasmania 2.4%
  • Australian Capital Territory 1.5%
  • Northern Territory 1.5%

Industries Where Hairdressers Work

The Beauty Services industry employs up to 98.9% of the hairdressers’ workforce. The beauty industry involves services like hairstyling, skincare, hair treatment, make-up artistry, spa services and body therapy treatments.

Other industries like Retailing services and Education and Training account for a minute 1.1% of the hairdressers’ population.

Hours of work

In Australia, around 51% of the hairdressers’ population work full-time hours in all their jobs combined. 

Full-time workers work an average of 41 hours per week in their primary job. 

This is 3 hours less than the working hours average for all jobs in Australia (44 hours per week). 

Age

The average age of hairdressers in the Australian workforce is 34 years, which is lower than the all-jobs average of 44 years. 

A large share of workers (27.9%) are within the age bracket of (25 to 34) years.  

Gender

With over 63,500 hairdressers in Australia, females make up 85% of the people who work there, and males make up 15%.

What are some of the skills required to become a Hairdresser in Australia?

People often say that hairdressers tell the most engaging and thrilling stories (gossip) in the salon, that isn’t totally a lie, right? : ) 

It is quite funny but true that you need great (gossip) communication skills to become a good hairdresser. 

Anyway, here are some important skills necessary for you to become a successful hairdresser in Australia:

  • Creativity skills
  • Technical Hairdressing skills
  • Meticulous skills
  • Hygiene and safety
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Tools Handling skills
  • Time Management
  • Customer service and relation skills
  • Communication skills

What are the tasks and duties of a Hairdresser in Australia?

Hairdressers have several roles to play from communicating with customers to styling them and ensuring customer satisfaction. 

Here are some tasks and duties of a hairdresser:

  • Schedule client appointments and manage client records.
  • Hold consultation appointments with clients regarding their hair type, desired style and hair treatment needs.
  • Give recommendations to clients on hair care and styling products personalized for their hair.
  • Cutting, trimming, fixing and shaping hair using different hair care equipment and products.
  • Perform chemical hair treatments such as perms, relaxers and moisturisers.
  • Shampoo, condition, rinse and dry hair before, during or after treatments.
  • Apply hair extensions and wigs according to clients’ fit.
  • Keep workstations, hairdressing tools and equipment properly organised, cleaned and sterilised.
  • Keep up-to-date with the latest hair trends and techniques in the industry.
  • Optimization of social media platforms to market hairdressing services.
  • Manage and take proper records of inventory and order supplies.
  • Provide excellent customer service and build relationships with clients.
  • Work with other professionals such as makeup artists and photographers.
  • Handle customer complaints and professionally resolve issues.

How much do Hairdressers earn in Australia? 

As a hairdresser in Australia, your income depends largely on many factors like your skill sets, your employer, the size of your business, and your experience in the industry.

However, the general average full-time earnings are $1,038 per week. The average hourly pay is $27.

On a yearly basis, the average salary for hairdressers is around $54,000.

Essential steps on how to become a Hairdresser in Australia

Hairdressing is a way more significant profession than it most times appears to people.

There are a couple of ways to become a hairdresser in Australia. 

You can either 

  • Complete a certification from recognised institutions like an RTO or TAFE
  • Or going through an apprenticeship (domestic students only).  

Here, we will be showing you the step-by-step procedure required to help you become a hairdresser in due time!

Step 1: Get a Certificate III

Completing a Certificate III in Hairdressing is a minimum requirement if you want to become a qualified hairdresser in Australia.

This is a generally recognised certification in Australia that provides you with all the required skills and knowledge to work as a qualified hairdresser. 

This particular qualification covers various hairdressing aspects such as hair cutting, styling, and perming. 

The qualification focuses more on developing the technical, creative and interpersonal aspects of hairdressing. 

This course is usually completed over the span of 12 to 24 months and costs an average range of $5,000 to $15,000 depending on the institution, region and your residency status. 

This training can be delivered through a registered training organization (RTO) or TAFE.

You can also complete a Certificate III in Barbering if you want to become a barber in Australia. 

To get an entry into the course, you must meet the following requirements:

  • Minimum age requirements of the training institute (Usually 18 years)
  • Completed Year 11 or 12
  • English requirements e.g. 5.5 score in IELTS (for international students)

Step 2: Get a Certificate IV

The certificate IV course is the next step in the hairdressing training for experienced hairdressers who have completed the certificate III. 

In this course, you will be taught advanced technical skills which would involve both theoretical and practical aspects of the industry. 

Topics such as salon management and operations, advanced styling techniques, customer consultation, understanding product contents, advanced hair colouring, promotion of products and services etc. will be part of the curriculum. 

This certification is usually completed over the span of 6 to 7 months. The cost of doing a Certificate IV in Hairdressing is between $5,000 to $10,000 depending on the institution, region and your residency status. 

This certification will help you to advance your career and work as a senior hairdresser, salon manager, or even trainer. 

Step 3: Obtain a Diploma

This Diploma course is the highest qualification for a hairdresser in Australia. 

This is a great course to take if you plan on setting up your hair salon in the future or want to work in a senior position in a salon.

The Diploma in Hairdressing course can be completed within 7 to 9 months.

This qualification is also a pathway for further study in hairdressing or beauty-related fields, such as the Diploma of Beauty Therapy.

Alternative Step 1: Apprenticeship (Domestic Students only)

Apprenticeship can be a great way to enter the Hairdressing industry in Australia.  

During the apprenticeship, you learn the practical daily experience of being a hairdresser. This would include customer relations, skill testing and client consultation. 

Hairdressing apprenticeships can take 3 to 4 years to complete.

Many domestic students also complete apprenticeships, along with the certification III training in hairdressing, which helps to get both on-site and off-site knowledge. 

Please note: international students can’t undertake stand-alone apprenticeships in Australia. However, international students can find part-time work in the hairdressing industry to gain experience while studying in Australia.  

What are some of the popular institutions to study Hairdressing in Australia?

Here are some popular institutions that offer hairdressing courses in Australia:

  • TAFE NSW
  • TAFE Queensland
  • TAFE South Australia
  • TAFE Western Australia
  • TAS TAFE 
  • Australian Academy of Hairdressing
  • Academia International
  • Biba Academy
  • Box Hill Institute
  • Brisbane School of Hairdressing
  • Canberra Institute of Technology
  • Charles Darwin University
  • Chisholm Institute
  • Victoria University

Career Opportunities for Hairdressers in Australia

There are variety of career opportunities for hairdresser in the hairdressing industry. Some of the popular ones include:

  • Salons
  • Barber Shops
  • Resorts
  • Spas
  • Film industry
  • Fashion industry
  • Celebrities
  • Weddings
  • Photo shoots
  • Other events

Future growth of Hairdressing in Australia

The future growth of hairdressing in Australia is bright and full of exciting opportunities with a speculated 9.6% growth in the industry. 

Australia, having a constantly growing population, a thriving beauty services industry, and an increasing demand for personalised services is a sweet spot to start a career in hairdressing. We hope you enjoy reading this article. If you want to know about other careers, please look through our careers guide through blog page here.