Manicurists and Pedicurists
Manicurists and Pedicurists (SOC 39-5092) earn a median $35,760 a year ($17.19 an hour) in the United States, with 152,770 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Hawaii.
What manicurists and pedicurists do
Manicurists and pedicurists clean and shape fingernails and toenails, and they may polish or decorate them. Preparation can mean soaking the nails in soapy water, working with swabs, files, and orange sticks, taking off old polish with remover, and softening cuticles with water and oil before pushing them back with a cuticle knife and trimming with scissors or nippers. They shape and smooth nail ends with scissors, files, or emery boards, and use rotary abrasive wheels on nails or artificial extensions. They then brush on an undercoat and clear or colored polish. Between clients they clean and sanitize tools and the work environment, keep supply inventories, and record the services each client received. Titles listed include fingernail sculptor, fingernail technician, and licensed nail technician. Hairdressers and cosmetologists, who offer nail care among many services, are a separate code.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the usual education level (about 49 percent).
Also called: Fingernail Former, Fingernail Sculptor, Fingernail Sculpturer, Fingernail Technician, Licensed Nail Technician (Licensed Nail Tech).
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.90 | $16.35 | $17.19 | $20.03 | $24.10 | $18.54 | 152,770 |
| Annual | $28,920 | $34,010 | $35,760 | $41,650 | $50,140 | $38,570 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where manicurists and pedicurists earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $14.00 | $14.86 | $29.23 | $30.05 | $38.33 | $25.11 | 40 | 0.06 | 0.06 |
| Annual | $29,120 | $30,910 | $60,790 | $62,510 | $79,730 | $52,220 | ||||
| Nebraska | Hourly | $13.98 | $16.09 | $27.37 | $39.72 | $48.37 | $29.12 | 310 | 0.30 | 0.31 |
| Annual | $29,070 | $33,460 | $56,940 | $82,610 | $100,610 | $60,560 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $18.59 | $22.26 | $23.99 | $27.94 | $30.50 | $24.86 | 5,570 | 1.57 | 1.60 |
| Annual | $38,660 | $46,310 | $49,900 | $58,120 | $63,430 | $51,700 | ||||
| Maine | Hourly | $17.69 | $22.22 | $23.34 | $36.48 | $39.18 | $26.89 | 200 | 0.31 | 0.31 |
| Annual | $36,800 | $46,220 | $48,540 | $75,880 | $81,490 | $55,930 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $13.47 | $18.55 | $23.02 | $27.43 | $28.66 | $22.94 | 180 | 0.56 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $28,020 | $38,570 | $47,890 | $57,060 | $59,620 | $47,720 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $16.75 | $17.06 | $17.61 | $19.03 | $22.72 | $19.10 | 39,210 | 2.15 | 2.19 |
| Annual | $34,840 | $35,480 | $36,630 | $39,590 | $47,260 | $39,730 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $15.50 | $16.38 | $16.66 | $16.80 | $17.18 | $16.96 | 19,710 | 2.03 | 2.07 |
| Annual | $32,240 | $34,070 | $34,660 | $34,930 | $35,730 | $35,280 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $15.49 | $15.49 | $17.49 | $17.91 | $18.94 | $17.88 | 11,520 | 2.69 | 2.74 |
| Annual | $32,220 | $32,220 | $36,370 | $37,260 | $39,390 | $37,190 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $9.86 | $10.34 | $13.46 | $15.95 | $21.10 | $14.21 | 9,610 | 1.59 | 1.61 |
| Annual | $20,520 | $21,510 | $27,990 | $33,180 | $43,890 | $29,550 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $18.59 | $22.26 | $23.99 | $27.94 | $30.50 | $24.86 | 5,570 | 1.57 | 1.60 |
| Annual | $38,660 | $46,310 | $49,900 | $58,120 | $63,430 | $51,700 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Portland-South Portland, ME | Hourly | $19.80 | $22.56 | $28.54 | $39.18 | $39.21 | $28.60 | 130 | 0.46 | 0.47 |
| Annual | $41,180 | $46,920 | $59,350 | $81,490 | $81,550 | $59,490 | ||||
| Omaha, NE-IA | Hourly | $13.50 | $17.70 | $28.18 | $48.37 | $48.37 | $31.64 | 230 | 0.46 | 0.46 |
| Annual | $28,080 | $36,820 | $58,620 | $100,610 | $100,610 | $65,810 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $18.82 | $23.75 | $24.42 | $28.87 | $30.66 | $25.76 | 3,610 | 1.73 | 1.76 |
| Annual | $39,140 | $49,400 | $50,800 | $60,040 | $63,770 | $53,570 | ||||
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | Hourly | $14.66 | $16.20 | $23.70 | $36.70 | $38.44 | $27.94 | 30 | 0.67 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $30,500 | $33,690 | $49,290 | $76,340 | $79,950 | $58,120 | ||||
| Fairbanks-College, AK | Hourly | $13.66 | $18.59 | $23.07 | $27.37 | $37.85 | $24.18 | 40 | 1.04 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $28,410 | $38,660 | $47,990 | $56,920 | $78,720 | $50,290 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $15.50 | $16.52 | $16.78 | $17.57 | $18.16 | $17.49 | 24,390 | 2.57 | 2.62 |
| Annual | $32,240 | $34,360 | $34,910 | $36,550 | $37,780 | $36,380 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $16.98 | $17.38 | $17.58 | $18.07 | $18.35 | $18.47 | 15,050 | 2.40 | 2.44 |
| Annual | $35,320 | $36,150 | $36,570 | $37,580 | $38,170 | $38,410 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $10.24 | $10.60 | $15.00 | $15.99 | $17.15 | $14.33 | 7,320 | 2.53 | 2.57 |
| Annual | $21,300 | $22,040 | $31,200 | $33,270 | $35,670 | $29,810 | ||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | $16.58 | $16.78 | $16.92 | $20.71 | $22.43 | $19.14 | 4,750 | 2.77 | 2.82 |
| Annual | $34,480 | $34,900 | $35,200 | $43,090 | $46,640 | $39,810 | ||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | $16.90 | $17.36 | $17.63 | $23.00 | $26.62 | $20.37 | 4,180 | 2.72 | 2.77 |
| Annual | $35,150 | $36,120 | $36,670 | $47,840 | $55,360 | $42,370 | ||||
Top industries employing manicurists and pedicurists
Personal Care Services employ 98.5% of manicurists and pedicurists nationally (150,470 jobs) at a median $35,750 a year ($17.19 an hour), followed by Traveler Accommodation (0.8%) and Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (0.3%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Care Services NAICS 812100 | 150,470 | 98.5% | $35,750 | $17.19 |
| Traveler Accommodation NAICS 721100 | 1,150 | 0.8% | $39,190 | $18.84 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries NAICS 713900 | 400 | 0.3% | $38,520 | $18.52 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | 50 | under 0.1% | $47,150 | $22.67 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (152,770). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $29,210 for manicurists and pedicurists in May 2021 and $35,760 in May 2025, with employment of 120,540 and 152,770.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $29,210 | $14.05 | 120,540 |
| May 2022 | $31,130 | $14.97 | 138,020 |
| May 2023 | $34,250 | $16.47 | 144,810 |
| May 2024 | $34,660 | $16.66 | 147,820 |
| May 2025 | $35,760 | $17.19 | 152,770 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
50 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii profile | $29.23 | $60,790 | $29,120 | $79,730 | 40 | 0.06 | 0.06 |
| 2 | Nebraska profile | $27.37 | $56,940 | $29,070 | $100,610 | 310 | 0.30 | 0.31 |
| 3 | Washington profile | $23.99 | $49,900 | $38,660 | $63,430 | 5,570 | 1.57 | 1.60 |
| 4 | Maine profile | $23.34 | $48,540 | $36,800 | $81,490 | 200 | 0.31 | 0.31 |
| 5 | Alaska profile | $23.02 | $47,890 | $28,020 | $59,620 | 180 | 0.56 | 0.57 |
| 6 | Oregon profile | $22.16 | $46,080 | $35,230 | $77,420 | 2,210 | 1.12 | 1.14 |
| 7 | Iowa profile | $21.84 | $45,420 | $15,800 | $58,150 | 190 | 0.12 | 0.12 |
| 8 | Kentucky profile | $21.79 | $45,310 | $31,480 | $65,430 | 240 | 0.12 | 0.12 |
| 9 | South Dakota profile | $21.79 | $45,310 | $34,280 | $54,850 | 250 | 0.55 | 0.55 |
| 10 | Nevada profile | $20.14 | $41,880 | $30,000 | $78,300 | 1,020 | 0.66 | 0.67 |
| 11 | Missouri profile | $18.80 | $39,100 | $28,600 | $55,240 | 1,630 | 0.56 | 0.57 |
| 12 | West Virginia profile | $18.40 | $38,260 | $27,470 | $48,670 | 120 | 0.17 | 0.17 |
| 13 | Florida profile | $18.19 | $37,840 | $28,730 | $59,940 | 4,470 | 0.45 | 0.46 |
| 14 | Maryland profile | $17.93 | $37,300 | $34,280 | $48,370 | 2,080 | 0.75 | 0.77 |
| 15 | Mississippi profile | $17.94 | $37,300 | $21,750 | $82,040 | 520 | 0.45 | 0.45 |
| 16 | Colorado profile | $17.84 | $37,110 | $32,030 | $64,590 | 3,970 | 1.38 | 1.41 |
| 17 | Illinois profile | $17.81 | $37,050 | $31,200 | $48,840 | 2,470 | 0.41 | 0.41 |
| 18 | Michigan profile | $17.74 | $36,890 | $27,740 | $65,880 | 1,020 | 0.23 | 0.24 |
| 19 | Wisconsin profile | $17.63 | $36,680 | $20,950 | $54,400 | 2,350 | 0.80 | 0.81 |
| 20 | California profile | $17.61 | $36,630 | $34,840 | $47,260 | 39,210 | 2.15 | 2.19 |
| 21 | Virginia profile | $17.61 | $36,630 | $29,370 | $59,430 | 4,230 | 1.03 | 1.05 |
| 22 | District of Columbia profile | $17.61 | $36,620 | $36,400 | $50,620 | ** | ** | ** |
| 23 | New Jersey profile | $17.49 | $36,370 | $32,220 | $39,390 | 11,520 | 2.69 | 2.74 |
| 24 | Indiana profile | $17.38 | $36,140 | $21,580 | $46,740 | 510 | 0.16 | 0.16 |
| 25 | Minnesota profile | $17.33 | $36,040 | $27,550 | $47,800 | 3,260 | 1.11 | 1.13 |
| 26 | Ohio profile | $17.11 | $35,590 | $26,650 | $53,260 | 3,680 | 0.66 | 0.67 |
| 27 | Massachusetts profile | $17.06 | $35,470 | $33,510 | $46,210 | 4,660 | 1.28 | 1.30 |
| 28 | Arizona profile | $16.97 | $35,290 | $30,800 | $51,740 | 2,440 | 0.75 | 0.77 |
| 29 | New Hampshire profile | $16.87 | $35,100 | $29,410 | $56,900 | 490 | 0.72 | 0.73 |
| 30 | Idaho profile | $16.78 | $34,910 | $25,150 | $51,440 | 160 | 0.19 | 0.19 |
| 31 | Rhode Island profile | $16.78 | $34,910 | $31,200 | $43,880 | ** | ** | ** |
| 32 | Tennessee profile | $16.74 | $34,810 | $20,450 | $57,340 | 1,200 | 0.37 | 0.37 |
| 33 | North Carolina profile | $16.70 | $34,740 | $22,150 | $73,260 | 1,900 | 0.39 | 0.39 |
| 34 | Connecticut profile | $16.69 | $34,720 | $34,010 | $44,860 | 4,490 | 2.65 | 2.69 |
| 35 | New York profile | $16.66 | $34,660 | $32,240 | $35,730 | 19,710 | 2.03 | 2.07 |
| 36 | Texas profile | $16.37 | $34,040 | $18,950 | $48,510 | 5,340 | 0.38 | 0.39 |
| 37 | South Carolina profile | $16.26 | $33,810 | $18,450 | $62,550 | 710 | 0.31 | 0.31 |
| 38 | Montana profile | $16.18 | $33,660 | $26,690 | $43,880 | 110 | 0.22 | 0.22 |
| 39 | North Dakota profile | $16.07 | $33,430 | $30,560 | $76,120 | 270 | 0.63 | 0.64 |
| 40 | Oklahoma profile | $15.06 | $31,330 | $22,290 | $50,620 | 480 | 0.28 | 0.29 |
| 41 | Delaware profile | $15.00 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $38,060 | 780 | 1.60 | 1.63 |
| 42 | Kansas profile | $14.87 | $30,930 | $21,320 | $44,820 | 1,510 | 1.05 | 1.07 |
| 43 | Alabama profile | $14.57 | $30,300 | $21,160 | $57,370 | 920 | 0.43 | 0.44 |
| 44 | Utah profile | $13.85 | $28,820 | $20,410 | $42,540 | 1,150 | 0.66 | 0.67 |
| 45 | Louisiana profile | $13.55 | $28,170 | $18,190 | $45,860 | 2,210 | 1.14 | 1.16 |
| 46 | Pennsylvania profile | $13.46 | $27,990 | $20,520 | $43,890 | 9,610 | 1.59 | 1.61 |
| 47 | Arkansas profile | $13.31 | $27,690 | $23,930 | $49,060 | 230 | 0.18 | 0.18 |
| 48 | Georgia profile | $12.94 | $26,910 | $21,390 | $56,640 | 1,710 | 0.35 | 0.36 |
| 49 | New Mexico profile | $12.37 | $25,720 | $25,720 | $52,950 | ** | ** | ** |
| – | Vermont profile | * | * | * | * | 100 | 0.33 | 0.33 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (39-5090), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Personal Care and Service Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 39-5092 Manicurists and Pedicurists.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 39-5092, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 39-5092.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.