How much does a hair dryer cost to run?
$2.15 a month
- A day of use
- $0.07
- An hour of running
- $0.28
- A year
- $25.77
1,540 W, 15 minutes a day, at the US average of 18.3¢ per kWh (EIA, June 2026). How we calculate this
Change the watts, hours or rate
What it costs at other usage levels
| Use | A day | A month | A year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 minutes a day typical | $0.07 | $2.15 | $25.77 |
| 1 hour a day | $0.28 | $8.59 | $103.09 |
| 2 hours a day | $0.56 | $17.18 | $206.18 |
| 4 hours a day | $1.13 | $34.36 | $412.36 |
| 8 hours a day | $2.26 | $68.73 | $824.71 |
| 24 hours a day | $6.78 | $206.18 | $2,474.14 |
Models range from 1,200 W to 1,875 W (Virginia Cooperative Extension). We use 1,540 W, the middle of that range.
Ways to spend less
- Towel-dry first so the dryer runs for less time.
- Use the lower heat setting; the heating element is most of the power.
- Clean the intake filter so air flows freely.
What a hair dryer costs to run in every state
| Rank | State | Rate | A month | A year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | 13.1¢ | $1.54 | $18.42 |
| 2 | Nebraska | 13.3¢ | $1.55 | $18.62 |
| 3 | Utah | 13.4¢ | $1.57 | $18.79 |
| 4 | Louisiana | 13.5¢ | $1.58 | $18.96 |
| 5 | Tennessee | 14.1¢ | $1.65 | $19.77 |
| 6 | Arkansas | 14.1¢ | $1.65 | $19.84 |
| 7 | North Dakota | 14.1¢ | $1.65 | $19.84 |
| 8 | Kentucky | 14.3¢ | $1.67 | $20.04 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | 14.3¢ | $1.68 | $20.14 |
| 10 | Idaho | 14.4¢ | $1.68 | $20.19 |
| 11 | North Carolina | 14.7¢ | $1.73 | $20.71 |
| 12 | Mississippi | 14.9¢ | $1.74 | $20.91 |
| 13 | Washington | 14.9¢ | $1.75 | $20.95 |
| 14 | New Mexico | 15.1¢ | $1.76 | $21.16 |
| 15 | Florida | 15.1¢ | $1.77 | $21.22 |
| 16 | Montana | 15.1¢ | $1.77 | $21.28 |
| 17 | Arizona | 15.2¢ | $1.78 | $21.33 |
| 18 | Wyoming | 15.2¢ | $1.78 | $21.42 |
| 19 | South Dakota | 15.4¢ | $1.80 | $21.58 |
| 20 | West Virginia | 15.5¢ | $1.81 | $21.71 |
| 21 | South Carolina | 15.6¢ | $1.82 | $21.85 |
| 22 | Kansas | 15.7¢ | $1.84 | $22.08 |
| 23 | Iowa | 15.9¢ | $1.87 | $22.39 |
| 24 | Texas | 15.9¢ | $1.87 | $22.40 |
| 25 | Missouri | 16.2¢ | $1.90 | $22.79 |
| 26 | Oregon | 16.3¢ | $1.91 | $22.93 |
| 27 | Georgia | 16.4¢ | $1.92 | $22.99 |
| 28 | Alabama | 16.4¢ | $1.92 | $23.05 |
| 29 | Colorado | 17.1¢ | $2.01 | $24.07 |
| 30 | Virginia | 17.2¢ | $2.02 | $24.20 |
| 31 | Indiana | 17.5¢ | $2.05 | $24.61 |
| 32 | Minnesota | 17.5¢ | $2.05 | $24.62 |
| 33 | Ohio | 19.2¢ | $2.25 | $26.97 |
| 34 | Delaware | 19.3¢ | $2.26 | $27.11 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | 19.6¢ | $2.29 | $27.49 |
| 36 | Illinois | 19.9¢ | $2.33 | $27.95 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | 21.7¢ | $2.54 | $30.54 |
| 38 | Maryland | 21.8¢ | $2.56 | $30.69 |
| 39 | Michigan | 23.0¢ | $2.69 | $32.31 |
| 40 | Connecticut | 24.3¢ | $2.85 | $34.18 |
| 41 | District of Columbia | 24.4¢ | $2.86 | $34.27 |
| 42 | Vermont | 24.4¢ | $2.86 | $34.34 |
| 43 | New Jersey | 25.0¢ | $2.92 | $35.06 |
| 44 | New Hampshire | 27.0¢ | $3.16 | $37.96 |
| 45 | Alaska | 28.2¢ | $3.30 | $39.64 |
| 46 | Rhode Island | 29.2¢ | $3.42 | $41.08 |
| 47 | New York | 29.5¢ | $3.45 | $41.44 |
| 48 | Maine | 29.6¢ | $3.47 | $41.58 |
| 49 | Massachusetts | 29.6¢ | $3.47 | $41.61 |
| 50 | California | 34.7¢ | $4.07 | $48.82 |
| 51 | Hawaii | 52.7¢ | $6.17 | $74.08 |
Questions
How much does it cost to run a hair dryer per hour?
About $0.28 an hour. A hair dryer at 1,540 W uses 1.54 kWh per hour, and at the US average of 18.3¢ per kWh that comes to $0.28.
How much does a hair dryer add to your electric bill?
Used 15 minutes a day, about $2.15 a month, or $25.77 a year.
How much does it cost to run a hair dryer 24 hours a day?
Running nonstop, a hair dryer would use 37.0 kWh a day and cost $6.78 a day, or $206.18 over an average month.
How many watts does a hair dryer use?
Models range from 1,200 W to 1,875 W (Virginia Cooperative Extension). We use 1,540 W, the middle of that range. Check the label on yours: cost scales directly with watts, so a 20% lower wattage means a 20% lower bill.
Which state is cheapest to run a hair dryer in?
Nevada, at 13.1¢ per kWh: $1.54 a month. The most expensive is Hawaii at 52.7¢ per kWh: $6.17 a month. Same appliance, same hours; only the rate differs.
Sources
- Virginia Cooperative Extension: Estimating appliance and home electronic energy use (reproduces U.S. Department of Energy sample wattages)
- Penn State EGEE 102: Typical range of power consumption (wattage)
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A: average price of electricity to ultimate customers, residential, June 2026 Figures transcribed from republications of this table on September 26, 2026; pending direct verification from the EIA API.
Usage assumptions (hours a day, season) are ours and listed on the methodology page. Found an error? Tell us.