Skincare Specialists
US occupation · SOC 39-5094
Job titles people report: Aesthetician, Clinical Esthetician, Electrologist, Esthetician, Facialist, Medical Esthetician, Skin Therapist, Skincare Specialist, Skincare Therapist, Spa Technician (Spa Tech)
Pay and outlook
- Median annual wage, May 2025
- $45,330
- Half earn more, half earn less
- Middle half earn
- $36,040 – $59,700
- 25th to 75th percentile
- People employed, May 2025
- 72,890
- Wage and salary jobs (OEWS)
- Projected change, 2025–35
- +8.8%
- Growing at twice the all-jobs rate or more (7%+)
- Openings a year (projected)
- 14,200
- New jobs plus replacing people who leave
- Typical education to enter
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- BLS
- All figures are for the United States as a whole. Pay varies a lot by state and city.
- Wages are for everyone working in the occupation in May 2025, at every career stage. They are not starting salaries or figures for new graduates.
- Growth and openings are BLS projections for 2025–35. They are estimates, not promises. Openings include jobs that open up when people retire or change occupation, not just new jobs.
What the work involves
Provide skincare treatments to face and body to enhance an individual's appearance. Includes electrologists and laser hair removal specialists.
Main tasks
- Sterilize equipment and clean work areas.
- Cleanse clients' skin with water, creams, or lotions.
- Demonstrate how to clean and care for skin properly and recommend skin-care regimens.
- Determine which products or colors will improve clients' skin quality and appearance.
- Keep records of client needs and preferences and the services provided.
- Treat the facial skin to maintain and improve its appearance, using specialized techniques and products, such as peels and masks.
- Examine clients' skin, using magnifying lamps or visors when necessary, to evaluate skin condition and appearance.
- Perform simple extractions to remove blackheads.
Description and tasks from the O*NET® 31.0 Database.
Getting in
- Typical education to enter (BLS)
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- O*NET Job Zone 3
- Medium preparation
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Interests it suits
The strongest of the six O*NET interest types for this occupation, highest first. The short glosses are ours.
- Realistic: hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
- Social: helping, teaching and caring for people
- Conventional: organising information, records and procedures
Fields of study that lead here
From the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk, which links 4 programmes to this occupation. A link means the programme prepares people for this kind of work. It doesn't mean the programme is required, or that it's the only route.
Fields
Our college matcher doesn't offer this field as a major, so we can't suggest colleges for it here.
Culinary, Entertainment, and Personal Services
- Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General
- Facial Treatment Specialist/Facialist
- Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist
- Master Aesthetician/Esthetician
Related careers
Related occupations from the O*NET database, in its order.
- Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
$35,790 median · +7.7% projected
- Shampooers
$32,600 median · +5.6% projected
- Massage Therapists
$58,450 median · +15.3% projected
- Dermatologists
$328,730 median · +6.8% projected
- Surgical Technologists
$64,650 median · +5% projected
- Barbers
$38,210 median · +3.3% projected
Sources
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CollegeMatcher has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET 31.0 Database · CC BY 4.0
Changes: we show the core tasks in the O*NET database with the highest importance ratings (up to eight, in that order), the top three O*NET interest types by score, and shortened Job Zone names. Titles, descriptions and task text are unchanged.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Projections, typical entry education and training: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Fields of study: NCES and BLS CIP 2020–SOC 2018 Crosswalk. All public domain. OEWS · Employment Projections · CIP–SOC crosswalk