How much does it cost to open a salon?

A small hair salon usually costs somewhere around $70,000 to $150,000 to open, though the spread is wide. Booksy puts a 3 to 4 station salon at $69,000 to $145,000, and Vagaro puts a mid-range salon at $80,000 to $150,000. A solo booth or suite can start near $3,500.

Build-out is where budgets swing. Booksy estimates salon tenant improvements at $120 to $200 per square foot, much of it plumbing for the wash area. Furniture costs less than people expect: hydraulic styling chairs run $400 to $1,200 each, and shampoo bowls $300 to $600 plus $500 to $1,500 each to plumb.

Every shampoo bowl adds plumbing, so settle the count before you sign a lease. Laying out stations, a hood dryer and the reception desk in a free salon floor plan tool shows what the space really holds. Spa owners can compare med spa costs.