What is my hair salon or barbershop worth?

Salons and barbershops have some of the lowest multiples on main street, because clients often follow the stylist, not the salon. Booth-rental and commission models are valued differently.

Avg SDE multiple

2.10×

Typical range

1.51–2.54×

Avg revenue multiple

0.52×

Median sale price

$117K

BizBuySell industry row: Hair Salons and Barber Shops (nail salons average 1.74×, spas 2.31×). Range applies the typical quartile spread (0.72×–1.21× of the average, from BizBuySell's HVAC quartiles) because no trade quartiles are published. Source: BizBuySell — Business Valuation Multiples by Industry (businesses sold Q3 2021–Q2 2026).

Value your hair salon or barbershop

Let's estimate what your business is worth. Seven quick questions, no email needed.

Trade: Salon / barbershop ·

Which state is it in?

Worked example

Hypothetical. A 7-chair salon with commission stylists and repeat-booking clients. The owner still takes clients three days a week.

Revenue $380,000, owner earnings (SDE) $95,000, 9 years, about 30% recurring, “I work in it part of the time”.
Start at the published 2.10× average.
Recurring revenue 30–59%: +0.10×. Some contracted or repeat revenue.
Owner earnings $75K–$150K: -0.10×. Below the typical sold main-street business.
Adjusted multiple 2.10× × $95,000 = $200,000, range $143,000 – $241,000.
Revenue cross-check: $380,000 × 0.52× = $198,000.

What raises the price

Clients loyal to the brand, not one stylist
Stylists under non-solicit agreements who will stay
Retail product sales
A long, affordable lease in a good location

What lowers it

Owner is the top-booked stylist
High stylist turnover
Short lease
Few online reviews or bookings

Calculating SDE for a hair salon or barbershop

Start from net profit on your tax return or P&L, then add back:

Owner salary
Personal expenses
Depreciation on chairs and fixtures
One-time renovation costs

Only add back what a buyer can verify. If there are two working owners, the second owner's salary usually stays as a cost, because a buyer will need to replace that person.

Questions

Are nail salons and spas valued the same?

No. BizBuySell's averages are 1.74× SDE for nail salons and 2.31× for spas, versus 2.10× for hair salons and barbershops.

Compare other trades

Trade	Avg SDE multiple	Avg revenue multiple	Median sale price	Basis
Plumbing	2.61×	0.69×	$699,000	Trade row
HVAC	2.83×quartiles 1.99–3.33×	0.60×	$750,000	Trade row
Electrical	2.77×	0.63×	$1,009,000	Trade row
Landscaping	2.49×	0.72×	$449,950	Trade row
Pool service / routes	2.61×	0.83×	—	Sector average (no trade row)
Pest control	2.46×quartiles 1.69–3×	1.01×	$250,000	Trade row
Cleaning	2.25×	0.72×	$281,500	Trade row
Roofing	2.65×	0.59×	$750,500	Sector average (no trade row)
Auto repair	2.85×	0.65×	$430,000	Trade row
Salon / barbershop	2.10×	0.52×	$117,375	Trade row
Other main-street business	2.61×	0.83×	$350,000	General main-street range

Source: BizBuySell, Business Valuation Multiples by Industry, businesses sold Q3 2021–Q2 2026; quartiles from BizBuySell's HVAC and pest-control benchmark pages (sold 2021–2025). Pool and roofing use sector averages; “Other” uses the Service Businesses sector. Retrieved Oct 30, 2026.

Estimates for information only; not an appraisal or an offer. MainStreetKeys is not a business broker. Data retrieved Oct 30, 2026.