Calculating Your Average Client Ticket

How to Calculate Your Average Client Ticket (And Why It's the Number That Changes Everything)

Look, I get it. Numbers aren't why you got into this business. You got into hair because you love making people feel amazing. But here's the thing—if you don't know your average client ticket, you're basically driving blindfolded.

I ran my chair for years without tracking this number. YEARS. And I left thousands of dollars on the table because of it.

Let me show you how to fix that.

What Is Average Client Ticket? (The Simple Version)

Your average client ticket is exactly what it sounds like: the average amount each client spends per visit.

The formula:

Total Revenue ÷ Total Number of Clients = Average Client Ticket

That's it. No fancy accounting degree required.

If you made $8,000 last month and saw 50 clients, your average ticket is $160.

Simple math. Powerful information.

Why This Number Matters More Than You Think

Here's why every salon suite owner—and anyone thinking about making the leap to suite ownership—needs to know their average service ticket:

It tells you if you're pricing right. If your average ticket is $85 and your cost-per-client is $60, you're working way too hard for $25 profit per head. That's a problem.

It reveals your upselling reality. You might think you're adding on retail and extra services all the time. Your average ticket tells you the truth.

It helps you set real income goals. Want to make $6,000 next month? If your average ticket is $150, you need 40 clients. If it's $200, you only need 30. See how that changes your hustle?

It determines if you're ready for a suite. Thinking about going independent? Your average ticket tells you whether your current client base can support suite rent, product costs, and everything else that comes with running your own space.

How to Calculate Average Ticket: Step by Step

Here's what I actually do. Pull this up on your phone's calculator—it takes two minutes.

Step 1: Pick your time frame

I recommend looking at the last 3 months. One month can be weird (holidays, cancellations, that random week you were sick). Three months gives you a real picture.

Step 2: Add up your total service revenue

This includes everything: cuts, color, treatments, styling. Add in retail if you want a total ticket number, but I like keeping service revenue separate so I can see what my chair time actually earns.

Step 3: Count your total client visits

Not unique clients—total appointments. If Sarah came in three times, that's three visits.

Step 4: Divide

Total revenue ÷ total visits = your average client ticket.

Write this number down. Seriously. Put it somewhere you'll see it.

What's a "Good" Average Client Ticket?

I hate giving generic numbers because pricing varies wildly by market, specialty, and clientele. But here's a general reality check:

• Under $75: Unless you're doing express services only, you're probably undercharging

• $100-150: Solid range for many markets, but there's likely room to grow

• $150-250: This is where most successful suite owners land

• $250+: You're either in a high-cost-of-living market, specialize in color/extensions, or you've built serious demand

  
  

The "right" number is one that lets you hit your income goals while covering your suite expenses and actually paying yourself.

Planning Your Move to a Suite? Here's the Math That Matters

If you're thinking about transitioning to your own salon suite, your average ticket becomes even more critical. Here's the reality check I wish someone had given me:

Know your minimum before you sign a lease. Add up your projected monthly expenses—suite rent, insurance, products, software, marketing. Divide that by your average ticket. That's the minimum number of clients you need just to break even. Can you hit that number consistently?

Higher tickets = more breathing room. A $200 average ticket means you need half as many clients as someone with a $100 ticket to make the same money. When you're covering your own overhead, that difference is everything.

Build your ticket before you build your suite. If your current average is low, work on increasing it while you're still in a lower-risk environment. It's a lot easier to experiment with pricing and services when you don't have rent due on the 1st.

The Real Question: How Do You Increase Your Average

Ticket?

This is where it gets good. Because once you know your number, you can actually move it.

Service menu analysis: What services are your clients NOT booking? What are you NOT offering? Extensions, treatments, and specialty color are usually the biggest ticket boosters.

Pricing adjustments: When's the last time you raised prices? If it's been over a year, you're overdue. Inflation doesn't wait for you to feel "ready."

Booking strategies: Are you booking color clients for maintenance appointments before they leave? Are you creating service packages that bundle treatments with color?

Retail attachment: I'm not saying become a pushy salesperson. But if you're using products on clients and not offering them for take-home, you're leaving money in their pockets.

Track It Monthly (Here's Your Homework)

Here's what I want you to do this week:

1. Pull up your booking software (or your payment records if you're old school)

2. Calculate your average ticket for the last 3 months

3. Write that number down

4. Set a reminder to recalculate it on the 1st of every month

   
   

That's it. You can't improve what you don't measure.

This isn't about becoming obsessed with numbers. It's about running your business like a business so you can keep doing the creative work you love without stressing about money.

Because here's what I've learned after 20 years behind the chair: the stylists who track their numbers aren't "selling out." They're the ones who actually get to do this long-term.

Quick Reference: Average Client Ticket Formula

Basic Formula: Total Revenue ÷ Number of Client Visits = Average Client Ticket

Service-Only Formula: Total Service Revenue ÷ Number of Client Visits = Average Service Ticket

With Retail: (Total Service Revenue + Total Retail Sales) ÷ Number of Client Visits = Total Average Ticket

Ready to dig deeper into the numbers that actually matter for your salon suite business? STUDIO Academy covers pricing strategy, service menu optimization, and all the business fundamentals they never taught you in cosmetology school—whether you're already running your own suite or planning your transition to independence.