Skincare Specialists
Skincare Specialists (SOC 39-5094) earn a median $45,330 a year ($21.79 an hour) in the United States, with 72,890 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What skincare specialists do
Skincare specialists give treatments to the face and body to improve a person's appearance, and the code includes electrologists and laser hair removal specialists. They examine a client's skin, using magnifying lamps or visors when needed, to assess its condition, then cleanse it with water, creams, or lotions. They treat facial skin with specialized methods and products such as peels and masks, and can do simple extractions to remove blackheads. Specialists decide which products or colors will help a client's skin, teach clients how to clean and care for it, and recommend routines. They sterilize equipment, clean work areas, and record each client's needs, preferences, and services. Aesthetician, clinical esthetician, and brow waxing expert are among the titles listed, and O*NET also lists an aesthetic registered nurse injector. The aim of the treatments is appearance, not diagnosis or treatment of disease.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the usual education level (about 39 percent).
Also called: Aesthetic RN Injector (Aesthetic Registered Nurse Injector), Aesthetician, Beautician, Beauty Therapist, Brow Waxing Expert.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $14.22 | $17.33 | $21.79 | $28.70 | $39.45 | $24.93 | 72,890 |
| Annual | $29,580 | $36,040 | $45,330 | $59,700 | $82,050 | $51,850 | ||
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 skincare specialists 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 | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $23.38 | $28.68 | $38.13 | $45.80 | $57.23 | $39.95 | 2,200 | 0.62 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $48,620 | $59,660 | $79,320 | $95,260 | $119,040 | $83,090 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $27.72 | $27.72 | $37.25 | $56.10 | $58.04 | $40.26 | 200 | 0.29 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $57,660 | $57,660 | $77,480 | $116,680 | $120,730 | $83,730 | ||||
| Wyoming | Hourly | $18.99 | $23.49 | $30.00 | $30.29 | $39.32 | $28.09 | 100 | 0.34 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $39,490 | $48,870 | $62,400 | $62,990 | $81,790 | $58,430 | ||||
| Montana | Hourly | $16.89 | $22.50 | $28.13 | $36.56 | $46.53 | $31.00 | 280 | 0.54 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $35,130 | $46,800 | $58,500 | $76,040 | $96,780 | $64,470 | ||||
| Nebraska | Hourly | $21.30 | $23.70 | $28.09 | $33.07 | $58.77 | $31.38 | 550 | 0.54 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $44,300 | $49,300 | $58,420 | $68,790 | $122,250 | $65,260 | ||||
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 | $16.66 | $17.45 | $18.64 | $26.02 | $37.10 | $24.00 | 11,360 | 0.62 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $34,650 | $36,290 | $38,770 | $54,110 | $77,160 | $49,910 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $13.17 | $18.37 | $23.68 | $33.07 | $40.47 | $26.79 | 6,160 | 0.44 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $27,390 | $38,210 | $49,250 | $68,780 | $84,180 | $55,720 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $13.40 | $17.11 | $21.10 | $30.12 | $40.38 | $24.79 | 5,270 | 0.53 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $27,860 | $35,600 | $43,880 | $62,650 | $83,990 | $51,570 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $16.11 | $17.68 | $20.63 | $30.42 | $37.29 | $24.50 | 3,510 | 0.36 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $33,510 | $36,780 | $42,910 | $63,280 | $77,550 | $50,960 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $15.00 | $19.39 | $21.79 | $22.77 | $30.73 | $23.32 | 2,960 | 0.49 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $40,340 | $45,330 | $47,360 | $63,920 | $48,500 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | Hourly | $22.98 | $32.08 | $43.75 | $43.75 | $62.11 | $43.58 | 160 | 0.64 | 1.37 |
| Annual | $47,800 | $66,720 | $91,000 | $91,000 | $129,190 | $90,650 | ||||
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | Hourly | $23.62 | $32.53 | $39.18 | $52.08 | $87.00 | $48.56 | 90 | 0.73 | 1.55 |
| Annual | $49,120 | $67,650 | $81,490 | $108,330 | $180,960 | $101,000 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $24.90 | $31.94 | $38.71 | $45.94 | $66.90 | $41.42 | 1,330 | 0.64 | 1.36 |
| Annual | $51,800 | $66,440 | $80,510 | $95,550 | $139,160 | $86,140 | ||||
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | Hourly | $23.34 | $25.76 | $36.79 | $40.50 | $48.06 | $35.89 | 80 | 0.65 | 1.38 |
| Annual | $48,550 | $53,580 | $76,520 | $84,240 | $99,970 | $74,640 | ||||
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | Hourly | $23.88 | $27.22 | $36.53 | $48.02 | $54.01 | $37.02 | 40 | 0.46 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $49,670 | $56,620 | $75,970 | $99,870 | $112,340 | $77,000 | ||||
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 | $16.97 | $17.74 | $22.35 | $28.97 | $37.29 | $25.32 | 4,600 | 0.49 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $35,290 | $36,900 | $46,490 | $60,260 | $77,550 | $52,670 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $16.66 | $17.25 | $18.06 | $21.10 | $40.41 | $22.81 | 4,500 | 0.72 | 1.53 |
| Annual | $34,650 | $35,890 | $37,560 | $43,880 | $84,060 | $47,430 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $15.00 | $19.39 | $21.79 | $22.24 | $28.45 | $23.05 | 2,720 | 0.60 | 1.29 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $40,340 | $45,330 | $46,260 | $59,170 | $47,950 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $19.05 | $20.54 | $25.17 | $28.21 | $38.94 | $29.21 | 1,920 | 0.81 | 1.72 |
| Annual | $39,630 | $42,710 | $52,350 | $58,670 | $80,980 | $60,750 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $15.71 | $22.15 | $24.67 | $24.77 | $31.17 | $24.98 | 1,720 | 0.60 | 1.27 |
| Annual | $32,670 | $46,080 | $51,320 | $51,510 | $64,830 | $51,960 | ||||
Top industries employing skincare specialists
Personal Care Services employ 73.2% of skincare specialists nationally (53,350 jobs) at a median $43,880 a year ($21.10 an hour), followed by Offices of Physicians (8.7%) and Offices of Other Health Practitioners (5.4%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Care Services NAICS 812100 | 53,350 | 73.2% | $43,880 | $21.10 |
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | 6,360 | 8.7% | $51,590 | $24.81 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | 3,920 | 5.4% | $49,590 | $23.84 |
| Health and Personal Care Retailers NAICS 456100 | 3,530 | 4.8% | $41,910 | $20.15 |
| Traveler Accommodation NAICS 721100 | 2,650 | 3.6% | $45,240 | $21.75 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (72,890). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $37,300 for skincare specialists in May 2021 and $45,330 in May 2025, with employment of 50,580 and 72,890.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $37,300 | $17.93 | 50,580 |
| May 2022 | $38,060 | $18.30 | 61,990 |
| May 2023 | $43,200 | $20.77 | 65,270 |
| May 2024 | $41,560 | $19.98 | 70,240 |
| May 2025 | $45,330 | $21.79 | 72,890 |
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 | Washington profile | $38.13 | $79,320 | $48,620 | $119,040 | 2,200 | 0.62 | 1.32 |
| 2 | District of Columbia profile | $37.25 | $77,480 | $57,660 | $120,730 | 200 | 0.29 | 0.61 |
| 3 | Wyoming profile | $30.00 | $62,400 | $39,490 | $81,790 | 100 | 0.34 | 0.72 |
| 4 | Montana profile | $28.13 | $58,500 | $35,130 | $96,780 | 280 | 0.54 | 1.15 |
| 5 | Nebraska profile | $28.09 | $58,420 | $44,300 | $122,250 | 550 | 0.54 | 1.14 |
| 6 | North Dakota profile | $27.96 | $58,160 | $35,710 | $89,270 | 190 | 0.43 | 0.92 |
| 7 | Maine profile | $26.85 | $55,850 | $34,520 | $100,190 | 260 | 0.41 | 0.87 |
| 8 | Colorado profile | $26.20 | $54,500 | $31,940 | $99,720 | 1,510 | 0.53 | 1.12 |
| 9 | Oregon profile | $25.05 | $52,110 | $35,900 | $105,660 | 1,070 | 0.55 | 1.17 |
| 10 | Delaware profile | $24.44 | $50,820 | $31,200 | $96,650 | 130 | 0.26 | 0.55 |
| 11 | Arizona profile | $24.27 | $50,470 | $38,650 | $103,950 | 1,710 | 0.53 | 1.13 |
| 12 | Texas profile | $23.68 | $49,250 | $27,390 | $84,180 | 6,160 | 0.44 | 0.93 |
| 13 | Georgia profile | $23.40 | $48,660 | $32,670 | $68,630 | 2,230 | 0.46 | 0.97 |
| 14 | Massachusetts profile | $22.75 | $47,310 | $36,610 | $60,320 | 1,360 | 0.37 | 0.80 |
| 15 | New Mexico profile | $22.71 | $47,230 | $30,010 | $90,770 | 370 | 0.42 | 0.90 |
| 16 | New Hampshire profile | $22.55 | $46,890 | $27,560 | $83,200 | 430 | 0.62 | 1.33 |
| 17 | Maryland profile | $22.40 | $46,590 | $35,580 | $79,940 | 1,130 | 0.41 | 0.87 |
| 18 | Wisconsin profile | $22.22 | $46,220 | $22,830 | $65,590 | 1,190 | 0.41 | 0.87 |
| 19 | New Jersey profile | $22.06 | $45,870 | $35,180 | $80,980 | 2,660 | 0.62 | 1.32 |
| 20 | Kansas profile | $22.00 | $45,760 | $28,880 | $65,180 | 420 | 0.29 | 0.62 |
| 21 | Utah profile | $21.87 | $45,490 | $26,810 | $62,990 | 1,160 | 0.67 | 1.43 |
| 22 | Illinois profile | $21.79 | $45,330 | $31,200 | $63,920 | 2,960 | 0.49 | 1.03 |
| 23 | Michigan profile | $21.75 | $45,240 | $28,810 | $77,940 | 1,510 | 0.34 | 0.73 |
| 24 | Missouri profile | $21.73 | $45,200 | $29,790 | $81,710 | 1,390 | 0.47 | 1.01 |
| 25 | Indiana profile | $21.37 | $44,450 | $24,440 | $66,670 | 1,120 | 0.35 | 0.75 |
| 26 | Minnesota profile | $21.36 | $44,430 | $23,990 | $79,520 | 920 | 0.31 | 0.67 |
| 27 | Florida profile | $21.10 | $43,880 | $27,860 | $83,990 | 5,270 | 0.53 | 1.13 |
| 28 | Rhode Island profile | $21.10 | $43,880 | $33,710 | $62,400 | 120 | 0.23 | 0.49 |
| 29 | Connecticut profile | $21.00 | $43,680 | $34,010 | $87,240 | 660 | 0.39 | 0.83 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania profile | $20.97 | $43,620 | $22,870 | $69,820 | 2,560 | 0.42 | 0.90 |
| 31 | New York profile | $20.63 | $42,910 | $33,510 | $77,550 | 3,510 | 0.36 | 0.77 |
| 32 | Alaska profile | $19.83 | $41,240 | $33,600 | $47,980 | 120 | 0.37 | 0.78 |
| 33 | Mississippi profile | $19.79 | $41,160 | $20,960 | $140,920 | 320 | 0.28 | 0.59 |
| 34 | South Carolina profile | $19.07 | $39,670 | $22,530 | $80,430 | 1,210 | 0.53 | 1.12 |
| 35 | Virginia profile | $18.92 | $39,350 | $31,530 | $67,520 | 1,970 | 0.48 | 1.02 |
| 36 | Alabama profile | $18.88 | $39,260 | $26,540 | $73,180 | 590 | 0.28 | 0.60 |
| 37 | Ohio profile | $18.82 | $39,150 | $28,350 | $74,030 | 1,700 | 0.31 | 0.65 |
| 38 | North Carolina profile | $18.81 | $39,120 | $25,570 | $96,660 | 2,680 | 0.54 | 1.16 |
| 39 | California profile | $18.64 | $38,770 | $34,650 | $77,160 | 11,360 | 0.62 | 1.33 |
| 40 | Nevada profile | $18.59 | $38,660 | $28,070 | $73,110 | 1,540 | 1.00 | 2.12 |
| 41 | Kentucky profile | $18.55 | $38,580 | $26,340 | $81,610 | 830 | 0.42 | 0.89 |
| 42 | South Dakota profile | $18.38 | $38,230 | $24,450 | $52,350 | 150 | 0.33 | 0.71 |
| 43 | West Virginia profile | $18.28 | $38,030 | $25,650 | $60,550 | 80 | 0.12 | 0.26 |
| 44 | Oklahoma profile | $17.95 | $37,340 | $22,140 | $77,020 | 680 | 0.40 | 0.84 |
| 45 | Iowa profile | $17.83 | $37,080 | $22,830 | $191,910 | 710 | 0.46 | 0.98 |
| 46 | Louisiana profile | $17.73 | $36,890 | $20,340 | $64,650 | 600 | 0.31 | 0.66 |
| 47 | Tennessee profile | $17.59 | $36,590 | $22,200 | $77,830 | 1,710 | 0.52 | 1.11 |
| 48 | Arkansas profile | $17.56 | $36,520 | $23,580 | $57,770 | 340 | 0.26 | 0.56 |
| 49 | Idaho profile | $16.41 | $34,130 | $21,630 | $55,560 | 720 | 0.84 | 1.80 |
| – | Hawaii profile | * | * | * | * | 140 | 0.23 | 0.49 |
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 39-5094 Skincare Specialists.
*- Wage 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 39-5094, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 39-5094.00, 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.