Lead Stylist Salary in the United States

How much does a Lead Stylist make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lead Stylist in the United States is $134,070 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $64.

However, a Lead Stylist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $147,201
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $124,676 to $140,943
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $116,123
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View as table View as graph 25% $124,676 10% $116,123 90% $147,201 75% $140,943 $134,070 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Lead Stylist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $140,943 $11,745 $2,710 $68
Average $134,070 $11,173 $2,578 $64
25th Percentile $124,676 $10,390 $2,398 $60
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Key Factors That Influence Lead Stylist Salaries

A Lead Stylist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Lead Stylist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Lead Stylist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $74,733
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $95,969
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $133,565
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $126,826
  • Expert (over 8 years): $158,008
Levels Salary
Fashion D... Level Lead Stylist$74,733
Fashion D... Level Lead Stylist$95,969
Lead Styl... Level Lead Stylist$133,565
Manager o... Level Lead Stylist$126,826
Senior Ma... Level Lead Stylist$158,008
$74,733 0 yr
$95,969 < 2 yrs
$133,565 2-4 yrs
$126,826 5-8 yrs
$158,008 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Lead Stylist Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Lead Stylists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $148,442.
  • California: $147,879.
  • Massachusetts: $145,908.

Top Paying Cities for Lead Stylists

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $169,102
  • San Francisco: $167,251
  • Oakland: $163,726

What Skills Can Increase a Lead Stylist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Presentation (Mentioned in 8.92% Job Postings): Presentation conveys information from a speaker to an audience. Presentations are typically demonstrations, introduction, lecture, or speech meant to inform, persuade, inspire, motivate, build goodwill, or present a new idea/product.
  • Prototyping (Mentioned in 3.69% Job Postings): Creating a sample product that may be tested to discover potential problems and avoid mistakes.
  • InDesign (Mentioned in 1.85% Job Postings): nDesign is a desktop publishing software application for creating flyers, brochures, magazines, newspapers, and books. Projects created using InDesign can be shared in both digital and print formats.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Presentation 8.92%
Prototyping 3.69%
InDesign 1.85%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Lead Stylist's salary.
  • Photoshop: Can increase your salary by up to 27%.
  • Adobe Photoshop: Can increase your salary by up to 26%.
  • Team Management: Can increase your salary by up to 25%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Photoshop
 $170,269
27%
Adobe Photoshop
 $168,928
26%
Team Management
 $167,588
25%
Process Development
 $166,247
24%
Illustrator
 $166,247
24%
Product Development
 $163,565
22%
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Lead Stylist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Lead Stylist roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Retail & Wholesale, offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely, Lead Stylist positions in MFG Nondurable typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Lead Stylist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Lead Stylist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Retail & Wholesale$160,884$77.020%

Lead Stylist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Lead Stylist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

  • Hourly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Yearly
  • Table View
Last Updated on July 01, 2026
$124,676
Average $134,070/year
$140,943
$10,390
Average $11,173/month
$11,745
$2,398
Average $2,578/week
$2,710
$60
Average $64/hour
$68
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $140,943 $11,745 $2,710 $68
Average $134,070 $11,173 $2,578 $64
25th Percentile $124,676 $10,390 $2,398 $60

Salaries of jobs related to Lead Stylist

Salary Trends for Lead Stylist

Salaries for a Lead Stylist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $114,995 in 2023 to around $111,622 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Lead Stylist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Lead Stylist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$114,995
2024
$113,899
2025
$111,622
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $114,995
2024 $113,899
2025 $111,622
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Lead Stylist

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Lead Stylist

Here are companies hiring for Lead Stylist and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Lead Stylist

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Lead Stylist?

The Retail & Wholesale industry offers the highest average compensation for Lead Stylist roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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