Most stylists have never run this number. It takes 60 seconds.
Do you know what your longest service really pays you per hour?
Not the price — what's left after rent, supplies and taxes.
$/hr
1What's your longest service?
Tap one, or type your own below.
The service
What you charge
$
How long it takesClient in the chair
hrs
Prep + cleanupSetup, sweeping, sanitizing
min
2What does your week cost?
Booth rentPer week
$
Supplies & productsHair, color, tools, per week
$
Everything elseSoftware, insurance, phone, ads
$
Your best guessEverything your week costs you
$
Hours you work per weekBehind the chair — be honest
hrs
Tax rate ?Most stylists: 25–30%
%
This is higher than employees pay because it includes self-employment tax (Social Security + Medicare, about 15.3%) on top of federal and state income tax. Nobody withholds it for you — that is why it feels like so much.
Your expenses divided by your hours = what every hour costs you before you earn a cent.
3What it really pays you
This service pays you
—
Fill in the steps above to see your number.
You thought—
It really pays—
Where it goes
What you charge—
Divided by the real hours—
Minus expenses per hour—
Minus taxes—
You actually keep—
Rent and supplies do not wait for a good week. Every hour you work carries a piece of them — whether the chair is full or not.
You can't grow a business you're always trying to survive.
This is one of three calculators inside Chair S.O.S. — the app also finds what no-shows cost you and tracks what you really take home each week.