Aveda Institute Salons Hair Color Prices

Every published amount we could verify

Everything below was published by a source listed at the foot of this page. Grouping matters: 12 of these 14 lines are actual services and the rest are add-ons, plans or policy charges that should never be averaged together.

Published prices change without warning. The date at the top indicates how recently this was checked.

Market ranges: what everyone else charges

None of these figures belongs to a brand on this page. They describe the wider market, which is what you need in order to judge a quote rather than just accept it.

National planning ranges. A quote outside these bands is not automatically wrong - check what is included before judging it.

What all-over single-process colour costs in your metro tier

Location is usually the largest single variable. The national median for all-over single-process colour is $105; the same appointment can land near $74 in a small market and $184 in a top-tier metro. That is a 2.5× spread on an identical service name.

Your own market may sit between tiers. The point is the 2.5x spread, not the exact figure in any one row.

Where the extra money goes

Every one of these is optional in the sense that you can refuse it — but only if you know it is coming before you are in the chair.

• Service complexity+$20–$60

  Advanced colour may be restricted to senior students.

• Student versus instructor+$15–$50

  Instructor-led work costs more than a student appointment.

• Appointment lengthaffects time, not the menu price

  Student services are supervised and run longer.

• Product charge+$10–$30

  Some schools bill product separately from labour.

Related cost breakdowns: Creative Hair Color Cost, Ombre Hair Color Cost and Permanent Hair Color Cost.

What all-over single-process colour costs you over annually

A single $105 appointment is easy to justify. Maintained every 6-7 weeks, all-over single-process colour becomes a $1,008 annual commitment at the national median — and that is the number worth deciding on.

Gratuity is included at 20% because it is effectively compulsory. Strip it out if you budget gratuity on a separate line.

The cheapest lever is nearly always stretching the cadence, not finding a lower-priced provider. Moving from 8 visits per year to 6 saves about $252 annually — usually more than switching salons would.

Gratuity, converted from percentages into money

Two rules do most of the work: tip on the service before tax, and tip the person who performed it.

• On a package or prepaid series, tip each visit on the value of that visit rather than once on the whole package.
• A late-cancellation charge buys you nothing. It is not tipped.
• Holiday tipping is a separate norm from per-visit tipping and is usually a one-off larger amount.
• Tip the same on a redo as on the original if the redo was not the provider's fault - and speak to management rather than the provider if it was.

Avoid these before you book

These recur constantly in pricing disputes. Every one is avoided by asking once asked before the service starts rather than after.

1. 1Assuming every service is available

   Advanced colour is frequently restricted to senior students.

2. 2Booking a student appointment on a tight schedule

   Supervised services run considerably longer.

If you want the policy detail behind these: Hair Color Aftercare and Prepare For Hair Color.

Exactly what to ask when you book

Read these out. It takes under two minutes and they are the gap between a quote and a surprise. Save the last one for emphasis — a written quote settles any dispute at checkout.

1. "Is there a first-visit offer or a package rate I should know about?"
2. "If I join the membership today, is there an enrolment or annual fee on top?"
3. "What is the precise price for all-over single-process colour at my hair length and density?"
4. "What add-ons do you normally recommend for this service, and what does each cost?"
5. "Is removal of my existing product included, or is it a separate charge?"
6. "If this runs longer than booked, does the price change?"
7. "Is a shampoo, blow-dry or finish included in that price, or billed separately?"

At checkout: check the itemised total against the quote before paying. Corrections are straightforward at the desk and nearly impossible afterwards.

The sensible total, worked through

Work it forwards once and you will never be caught out again. A $71 service does not cost $71.

An illustration built from the ranges on this page. Your tax rate and add-on choices will differ.

The rule of thumb: add roughly 54% to any menu price for all-over single-process colour to get your sensible out-the-door number.

Swap in your own base price and work this out for your precise service.

Your other options, and when each wins

Price is not generally the deciding factor. Line up the inclusions first — what is actually included — then compare the number.

What people want to know before booking

Sources and how we checked them

Every published figure above traces to one of these. Where a source describes a single location or a time-limited offer, that scope stays attached to the number rather than being generalised.

1. Official U.S. brand websiteBrand identity, service scope, location/booking model and official-source gate · updated 2026
2. Hair dye and relaxer safety guidancePatch tests, scalp condition and timing after chemical services · updated 2026
3. Hair dyes official safety guidancePatch tests, allergy risk and eye-area restrictions · updated 2026
4. Hair smoothing and formaldehydeFormaldehyde exposure and smoothing-service safety · updated 2026

Found an error? Report it here - corrections are logged and dated.