Chicago vs. Philadelphia
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists. Median, spread and buying power, side by side.
Data released May 2025
BLS OEWS · SOC 39-5012
Fig. 1 — Side by side
Both distributions, one scale
10th to 90th percentile, median struck in red
Table 1 — Adjusted
Philadelphia's median is 8.9% higher — but after local prices, Philadelphia still leads by 10.0%.
Chicago's median $34,260 buys $33,100 at national prices (price parity 103.6); Philadelphia's $37,320 buys $36,400 (102.6).
Table 2 — The figures
Point by point
Published percentiles for both metros; the last column is Philadelphia against Chicago.
| Chicago | Philadelphia | Δ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | 12,000 | 9,960 | −17.0% |
| 10th percentile | $31,200 | $28,600 | −8.3% |
| 25th percentile | $31,200 | $31,980 | +2.5% |
| Median | $34,260 | $37,320 | +8.9% |
| 75th percentile | $42,360 | $49,440 | +16.7% |
| 90th percentile | $58,960 | $64,530 | +9.4% |
Sources
How this page was made
- Wage data
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release. Public domain.
- Price parity
- Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024.
- Full pages
- Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists in Chicago · Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists in Philadelphia
Percentiles are reported exactly as released. Derived (price-adjusted) figures round to the nearest hundred. We take no payment for how any figure is presented.