Finding an average salary for an esthetician can be hard to do. Comparing their salary in one state to another is especially difficult because of the huge discrepancy in cost of living across the country. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does release a number of reports regarding the esthetician salary statistics by state, but that report only goes up to 2010. The BLS reports the median earnings for an esthetician (as well as other beauty salon workers) based on a national scale are $27,300 per year or $13.39 per hour which is approximately $9.36 per hour less than a hairstylist.
The average salary for an esthetician is anywhere from $25,000 to $40,000 per year.
Average salary for esthetician
If you are considering a career as an esthetician, the first thing you may be wondering is: how much can I expect to make? As with any job, your compensation will depend on many factors, including where you live and whether you work in a salon or own your own spa or business. You’ll also need to think about the services you offer and the value of those services in your area. In this post we’ll take a look at what these factors mean for your salary and show you how these numbers compare to other similar jobs.
As of this writing, the national average annual salary for an esthetician is $37,678.
As of this writing, the national average annual salary for an esthetician is $37,678. This number comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS also provides a figure for what they call an “estimated hourly wage” which is $16.73 per hour and a figure for what they call an “average weekly pay” which is $598.58 per week.
The BLS does not provide a breakdown of how many hours it takes to earn the median annual salary but we can make an educated guess that it would take about 40 hours per week at your typical 40-hour work week to earn that amount each year.
The highest paying states for estheticians are New York and Nevada, but your salary depends on where you work and what kind of services you offer.
The highest paying states for estheticians are New York and Nevada, but your salary depends on where you work and what kind of services you offer.
Estheticians can earn more in New York and Nevada than other states because they have a higher cost of living than other states. Estheticians also can earn more in certain cities in New York and Nevada than other cities because those areas have a higher population density.
Estheticians who offer higher level services will be able to charge more money, which could result in earning up to $300 per hour.
The average hourly wage for an esthetician in one of the top-paying states is $40.04.
Top-Paying States
The average hourly wage for an esthetician in one of the top-paying states is $40.04. The top-paying states are:
- Connecticut: $37.92
- California: $38.82
- New York: $39.20
Lowest Paying States
The lowest paying states are:
- West Virginia: $27.79
- Maine ($29); Montana ($31) and North Dakota ($32).
The median annual wage for an esthetician in one of the top-paying states is $83,270.
The median annual wage for an esthetician in one of the top-paying states is $83,270. The middle value can be interpreted as the average, so half of all estheticians make more than this amount and half make less. This is a good salary, but it’s not the highest one you can earn as an esthetician.
For example, if you were to move out to California or Washington state, where the cost of living is higher than many other parts of the country (and salaries tend to go up with it), then your pay would increase along with everything else (except perhaps taxes!).
The lowest-paying state for estheticians is Mississippi, which has an average annual salary of $20,750 and an average hourly wage of $10.00.
Mississippi is the lowest-paying state for estheticians, with an average annual salary of $20,750 and an average hourly wage of $10.00.
The second-lowest paying state is Alabama, where estheticians earn an average annual salary of $21,150 and an average hourly wage of $10.03.
The third lowest-paying state is South Carolina, which has an average annual salary of $22,050 and an average hourly wage of $10.06
For most estheticians, location matters most when it comes to pay scale.
For most estheticians, location matters most when it comes to pay scale. Estheticians in New York City can make more than double what their counterparts in Houston make. And the same goes for other states and cities across the country.
- For example, in 2018:
- An esthetician working in Las Vegas made an average salary of $36,000 (with a median salary of $28,000).
- An esthetician working in Baltimore made an average salary of $29,000 (with a median salary of $27,000).
Conclusion
The average salary for an esthetician will vary based on many factors, including location and the services they provide. Estheticians can expect to earn an average of $37,678 per year nationwide. New York is a top-paying state for estheticians with an average annual salary of $46,420; Nevada is close behind with an average annual salary of $45,330. On the other hand, Mississippi is one of the lowest-paying states for estheticians at just over half that rate: $20,750 per year.
