Salon Manager Jobs in Tucson, AZ
Salon managers in Tucson run everything from neighborhood haircut shops on Oracle Road to resort spa beauty departments in the Catalina Foothills. Sport Clips has posted $27 to $37 an hour for a licensed salon manager at its Wetmore Center salon. Current openings are below, followed by who hires and how to move up.
Current Salon Manager Openings in Tucson, AZ
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Salon Manager Work in Tucson
Tucson's salon management jobs fall into two groups. The first is the franchise and retail salon: Sport Clips runs salons from the Broadway Center to Marana, Great Clips has more than a dozen Tucson locations, and Ulta Beauty's Tucson store leaders oversee an in-store salon. These managers are usually working stylists who also schedule the team, hire, order product and answer for the numbers, which is why Sport Clips asks its managers for an active Arizona cosmetology or barber license.
The second is the resort spa. Canyon Ranch on the east side has posted a Beauty Services Manager role leading a team of 35 to 45, and Loews Ventana Canyon Resort hires a Spa Manager for its Lakeside Spa and Fitness to run budget, staffing and sales. Those jobs lean on spa operations experience more than chair time, and they tend to go to people who have already run a team in hospitality or a salon.
Top Tucson Employers for Salon Managers
These Tucson employers hire salon and spa managers:
- Sport Clips - hires licensed salon managers and assistant managers across its Tucson and Marana salons, with a Manager-in-Training path for licensed stylists.
- Ulta Beauty - hires Tucson store leaders who run both the retail floor and the in-store salon.
- Canyon Ranch - the wellness resort hires a Beauty Services Manager to lead its beauty services team.
- Loews Ventana Canyon Resort - the Catalina Foothills resort hires spa managers for its Lakeside Spa and Fitness, covering budget, staffing, licensing compliance and marketing.
Salon Manager Salaries in Tucson
- Assistant manager or shift lead: roughly $22 to $30 an hour including tips and commission.
- Salon manager: roughly $27 to $37 an hour including tips and bonuses, the range Sport Clips has posted for its Wetmore Center salon.
- Resort spa or beauty services manager: salaried; Canyon Ranch, Loews Ventana Canyon and Miraval have not published pay for these roles, so ask at the offer stage.
These are estimates that vary by employer and experience. In franchise salons a manager still cuts hair, so tips and service volume move pay as much as the management premium does; Great Clips' Arizona franchise group advertises $20 to $40 or more an hour with tips for stylists, which sets the floor a manager builds on. Resort managers trade tips for salary, benefits and a larger team.
How to Become a Salon Manager in Tucson
Arizona does not issue a separate salon manager license, but it does require one at the top. Under the Arizona Barbering and Cosmetology Board's rule R4-10-405, every licensed salon must designate a manager licensed by the Board to directly supervise the establishment during all hours of operation, unless the owner holds a personal license. That is why franchise salons promote licensed stylists and barbers into management. In Tucson the license starts at the Aveda Institute downtown (cosmetology, 1,500 hours), Tucson College of Beauty on Flowing Wells Road, or The Barber Academy on South 12th Avenue for barbers. Resort spa managers usually need three to five years of spa management experience; Canyon Ranch prefers an esthetician or cosmetologist license and asks for CPR and First Aid within 90 days of hire.
What the Job Involves
A salon manager opens the salon, builds the schedule, covers the chair when walk-ins stack up, and keeps the team on service and retail goals. The job includes hiring and coaching stylists, ordering product and supplies, running inventory and payroll paperwork, handling unhappy clients, and making sure every person behind a chair holds a current license and the shop passes inspection.
Skills Employers Look For
- An active Arizona cosmetology or barber license for salon roles
- Scheduling and staffing around walk-in peaks and weekends
- Coaching and hiring stylists, including new graduates
- Reading sales, service and retail numbers and acting on them
- Inventory, ordering and POS or salon software such as ProSalon
- Calm handling of client complaints
- Bilingual English and Spanish, preferred by some employers
Career Path and Advancement
The usual Tucson path runs licensed stylist or barber, shift lead, assistant manager, then salon manager, and Sport Clips advertises growth from there into multi-unit leadership. Ulta store leaders oversee a salon inside a larger retail operation, and managers with spa or hospitality experience can move to beauty services or spa manager at Canyon Ranch, Loews Ventana Canyon and the other Foothills resorts. Some managers open their own salon or suite.
Related Careers in Tucson
These Tucson guides cover the closest alternatives for salon managers:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to manage a salon in Arizona?
A salon must have a Board-licensed manager on duty. Arizona Barbering and Cosmetology Board rule R4-10-405 requires each licensed establishment to designate a manager licensed by the Board to supervise during all hours of operation, unless the owner holds a personal license.
How much do salon managers make in Tucson?
Sport Clips has posted $27 to $37 an hour, including tips and bonuses, for a licensed salon manager in Tucson. Assistant managers earn somewhat less, and resort spa managers are salaried. These are estimates that vary by employer and experience.
Can a new stylist become a salon manager?
Yes, over time. Sport Clips runs a Manager-in-Training program for licensed stylists who are not yet ready to manage, and most Tucson managers start behind the chair before moving to shift lead and assistant manager.
Which Tucson employers hire salon managers?
Sport Clips, Ulta Beauty, Canyon Ranch and Loews Ventana Canyon Resort all hire salon or spa managers in the Tucson area. Check the listings above, since salon management openings come and go through the year.
What is the difference between a salon manager and a spa manager?
A salon manager usually works as a licensed stylist while running a small team. A resort spa manager runs a larger department of massage therapists, estheticians, nail technicians and attendants and focuses on budget, staffing and guest experience.
Ready to apply? Browse all salon manager jobs in Tucson, AZ on TucsonHIRED and apply today.