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Career

Manicurists and Pedicurists

Typical education: High school diplomaLower pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Clean and shape customers' fingernails and toenails. May polish or decorate nails.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $35,760 Median per year · $17.19/hr Most earn $28,920–$50,140

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Apply undercoat and clear or colored polish onto nails with brush.
  • Use rotary abrasive wheels to shape and smooth nails or artificial extensions.
  • Prepare nail cuticles with water and oil, using cuticle knives to push back cuticles and scissors or nippers to trim cuticles.
  • Advise clients on nail care and use of products and colors.
  • Extend nails using powder, solvent, and paper forms attached to tips of customers' fingers to support and shape artificial nails.
  • Roughen surfaces of fingernails, using abrasive wheel.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
9% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 21,900 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Personal care services75.7%
  • Self-employed (their own business)23.1%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 3 months

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 1 to 3 monthsEntry-level

Manicurist and pedicurist is an entry-level job you can start soon after high school. Most people need a few months of training or on-the-job learning, plus a license in many states, before they work on their own.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finish high school and build basic skills in communication, customer service, and art or design, which help with nail shaping and nail art.

  2. Nail technician training program

    A few months

    Learn nail care, sanitation, and safety in a state-approved training program or course. Many states require this training and a license before you can work, so check your state's rules.

  3. Entry-level salon work or on-the-job training

    1-3 months

    Practice with real clients under an experienced technician, which builds speed, technique, and the confidence to serve customers on your own.

  4. Manicurist and Pedicurist

    Ongoing

    Clean, shape, and polish customers' fingernails and toenails, and offer nail art or care services at a salon or spa.

Where it can lead

  1. Skincare Specialist

    1-3 months of experience first

    You would learn facial and skin treatments, which builds on your client care and sanitation skills and can lead to a broader spa role.

  2. Makeup Artist

    1-2 years of experience first

    With more experience and a portfolio, you could move into makeup work for events, theater, or performance, which requires strong artistic skills and often client networking.

  3. Salon Manager

    Several years of salon experience of experience first

    After building experience and a client base, you could take on scheduling, staff supervision, and business operations for a salon.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take art, design, or family and consumer sciences classesThese classes build steady hands, color sense, and basic health and safety knowledge that matter for nail work.
  • Get a part-time job in customer-facing retail or food serviceWorking with the public teaches you to communicate, listen, and keep customers happy, which is central to salon work.
  • Practice nail care and nail art at homeRegular practice on yourself and willing friends builds technique and gives you examples to show later.
  • Volunteer at a community event or salonHelping with a local event or shadowing at a salon, if one allows it, shows you what the job is really like day to day.
  • Learn basic health and sanitation habitsKeeping tools clean and following hygiene rules is a core part of this job, and good habits now will make training easier.

In college

  • Enroll in a state-approved nail technician programCommunity colleges and cosmetology schools often offer these programs, which prepare you for the license many states require.
  • Take business or marketing basicsKnowing how to price services, manage appointments, and promote yourself helps if you plan to work independently or open your own nail business.
  • Work part-time in a salon as a receptionist or assistantYou will learn how salons run, meet clients, and see experienced technicians at work.
  • Build a portfolio on social media or in a photo albumShowing your nail work with clear photos helps you attract clients and stand out to salon employers.
  • Take a course in sanitation or first aid if your school offers oneHealth and safety knowledge is a must for protecting clients and yourself in a salon setting.

Tips for getting started

  • Check your state's licensing rules early, since requirements for nail technicians vary and affect how and where you can train.
  • Practice nail shaping and nail art on friends or family, and keep a simple photo portfolio to show future employers or clients.
  • Ask a local salon if you can shadow or work a part-time reception or assistant job to learn the work environment before committing to training.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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