Salon Industry Snapshot Examples

Economic Snapshot of the Salon and Spa Industry

June 2011

Salon Industry Snapshot  The salon and spa industry is a vibrant and growing component of the U.S. economy, with more than 900,000 total establishments and annual sales of nearly $40 billion. Salon Establishments With Payroll Employees 2009 Establishments 2009 Sales Non-Employer Salon Establishments* 2008 Establishments 2008 Sales

88,876 $21.2 billion 824,119 $18.8 billion

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau; 2008/2009 figures

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The salon and spa industry registered steady growth over the last decade, with the strongest gains seen in the non-employer sector. The number of non-employer salon and spa establishments increased 72 percent in the last
Census Bureau *A Non-Employer Establishment is a business entity that has no paid employees. For data purposes the federal government counts each distinct business income tax return filed by a non-employer business as an establishment. As a result, an individual such as an independent contractor could be classified as a non-employer establishment. Non-employer businesses may operate from a home address or a separate physical location. Examples of non-employer establishments in the salon industry could include 1) a small salon business owned and operated by one individual, where this individual provides all of the services, 2) a salon business of any size that does not have regular paid employees, but may have independent contractors working in their establishment, 3) an individual that leases a chair as an independent contractor, 4) an individual that cuts hair out of their home, and 5) an individual that provides salonrelated services as an independent contractor in the entertainment or fashion
workforce. Eighty-four percent of individuals in personal appearance occupations are women, compared to 47 percent of employed individuals in the overall U.S. workforce. Twelve percent of individuals in personal appearance occupations are Black or African American, compared to a national average of 11 percent. Sixteen percent of individuals in personal appearance occupations are Asian, compared to just five percent of the overall U.S. workforce. Twelve percent of individuals in personal appearance occupations are of Hispanic origin, slightly below the national average of 14 percent. Breakdown of Employed Individuals by Gender, Race and Ethnicity Personal Appearance Occupations versus Overall U.S.