SOC 39-5094 · May 2025
Esthetician Salary
Estheticians in the US earn a median of $45,330 a year ($24.93 an hour on average), according to the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Average Esthetician pay climbed from $38,970 in 2019 to $51,850 in 2025, a +33.1% change in 6 years.
Median annual
$45,330
Half of all Estheticians in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release.
Wage trend
+33.1% since 2019 · +6.5% YoY
Hourly
$24.93
Job growth 2025-35
+8.8%
US workers
72,890
BLS series
Annual median wage for Skincare Specialists in All Industries in the United States
Salary range
From entry to top decile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Estheticians is $29,580 – $82,050.
Percentile distribution
USD · annual
10th
$29,580
25th
$36,040
Median
$45,330
75th
$59,700
90th
$82,050
Percentile bands
Where your pay would sit
Percentile bands
Annual wages at each point of the BLS distribution for Estheticians. Where you sit depends on experience, employer, location and credentials.
| Percentile | What it means | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10% earn less. Common for new entrants | $29,580 |
| 25th percentile | A quarter earn less | $36,040 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $45,330 |
| 75th percentile | A quarter earn more | $59,700 |
| 90th percentile | 10% earn more. Often senior or specialist staff | $82,050 |
Geography
Esthetician pay by state
Estheticians earn the most in Washington ($79,320, +75% against the national median) and the least in Idaho ($34,130). BLS publishes a May 2025 estimate for this occupation in 49 of 51 states and D.C.
National median
$45,330
Highest-paying states for estheticians
| State | Annual median | vs national | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $79,320 | +75% | 2,200 |
| D.C. | $77,480 | +71% | 200 |
| Wyoming | $62,400 | +38% | 100 |
| Montana | $58,500 | +29% | 280 |
| Nebraska | $58,420 | +29% | 550 |
| North Dakota | $58,160 | +28% | 190 |
| Maine | $55,850 | +23% | 260 |
| Colorado | $54,500 | +20% | 1,510 |
| Oregon | $52,110 | +15% | 1,070 |
| Delaware | $50,820 | +12% | 130 |
All 49 states, highest to lowest
| State | Annual median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $79,320 | 2,200 |
| D.C. | $77,480 | 200 |
| Wyoming | $62,400 | 100 |
| Montana | $58,500 | 280 |
| Nebraska | $58,420 | 550 |
| North Dakota | $58,160 | 190 |
| Maine | $55,850 | 260 |
| Colorado | $54,500 | 1,510 |
| Oregon | $52,110 | 1,070 |
| Delaware | $50,820 | 130 |
| Arizona | $50,470 | 1,710 |
| Texas | $49,250 | 6,160 |
| Georgia | $48,660 | 2,230 |
| Massachusetts | $47,310 | 1,360 |
| New Mexico | $47,230 | 370 |
| New Hampshire | $46,890 | 430 |
| Maryland | $46,590 | 1,130 |
| Wisconsin | $46,220 | 1,190 |
| New Jersey | $45,870 | 2,660 |
| Kansas | $45,760 | 420 |
| Utah | $45,490 | 1,160 |
| Illinois | $45,330 | 2,960 |
| Michigan | $45,240 | 1,510 |
| Missouri | $45,200 | 1,390 |
| Indiana | $44,450 | 1,120 |
| Minnesota | $44,430 | 920 |
| Rhode Island | $43,880 | 120 |
| Florida | $43,880 | 5,270 |
| Connecticut | $43,680 | 660 |
| Pennsylvania | $43,620 | 2,560 |
| New York | $42,910 | 3,510 |
| Alaska | $41,240 | 120 |
| Mississippi | $41,160 | 320 |
| South Carolina | $39,670 | 1,210 |
| Virginia | $39,350 | 1,970 |
| Alabama | $39,260 | 590 |
| Ohio | $39,150 | 1,700 |
| North Carolina | $39,120 | 2,680 |
| California | $38,770 | 11,360 |
| Nevada | $38,660 | 1,540 |
| Kentucky | $38,580 | 830 |
| South Dakota | $38,230 | 150 |
| West Virginia | $38,030 | 80 |
| Oklahoma | $37,340 | 680 |
| Iowa | $37,080 | 710 |
| Louisiana | $36,890 | 600 |
| Tennessee | $36,590 | 1,710 |
| Arkansas | $36,520 | 340 |
| Idaho | $34,130 | 720 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates, May 2025, all industries.
What affects this salary
Pay drivers for Estheticians
Skincare specialists (BLS SOC 39-5094) provide skin treatments including facials, body treatments, hair removal, and chemical peels. The role requires a state-administered license following completion of an esthetician program (typically 600–1,200 hours). Medical-spa, dermatology-office, and high-end-resort estheticians typically pay above day-spa estheticians. Tip income and product commissions are excluded from OEWS figures.
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $29,580 – $82,050. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.
Geography matters. The best-paying states for this role are Washington, D.C. and Wyoming. Pay in Washington runs 2.3 times the level in Idaho, before any adjustment for cost of living.
Getting in. BLS lists the typical entry-level education as postsecondary nondegree award, and projects about 14,200 openings a year over 2025-35. Employment is projected to grow 8.8% over the same period, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked
What is the average Esthetician salary in the US?
How much does a Esthetician make an hour?
How much do Estheticians make at the low and high end?
Which state pays Estheticians the most?
Is the average Esthetician salary higher than the median?
Is Esthetician a growing career?
Open positions
Open Esthetician roles hiring now
Browse current Esthetician listings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, filtered to your role.
Source & methodology
Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 39-5094. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Job growth, annual openings and typical education are from the BLS Employment Projections program, 2025-35; see the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.