A registered nurse who performs cosmetic treatments such as injectables, laser procedures, and skin care in medical aesthetics practices. BLS does not publish separate figures for registered nurses; it counts them within registered nurse (SOC 29-1141), whose median pay is $97,550 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 29-1141
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Aesthetic Nurse in four numbers
- Median pay
- $97,550a year, or $46.90/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $69KTop 10% $137K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.6%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5.6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5.6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 180,8003,465,400 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 20253.5M
- Projected 20353.7M
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 3.5M Projected 2035 3.7M - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school0.8%
- Certificate22.5%
- Associate's19.4%
- Bachelor's55.9%
- Master's1.4%
Highest education held by registered nurses Segment Value High school 0.8% Certificate 22.5% Associate's 19.4% Bachelor's 55.9% Master's 1.4%
Also advertised as: Cosmetic Nurse, Nurse Injector, Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist, CANS, Plastic Surgery Nurse.
Pay
How much do Registered Nurses make?
Every aesthetic nurse in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$97,550
Middle half earn $80,330 to $112,350
- 10th
- $68,940
- 25th
- $80,330
- 75th
- $112,350
- 90th
- $137,470
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $68,940 |
| 25th | $80,330 |
| Median | $97,550 |
| 75th | $112,350 |
| 90th | $137,470 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $97,550
- Median hourly wage
- $46.90/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $101,420
- People employed
- 3,379,720
Versus all US occupations
At $97,550, Registered Nurses earn 91% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $46,570 a year.
Versus healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
Inside the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical group, where the middle occupation pays $102,760, this is 5% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $137,470 or more while the bottom 10% earn $68,940, a gap of 2.0×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 70% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
California pays the most at $140,270, and still leads at $126,689 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Registered Nurses the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1California | $140,270 | $126,689 | 338,940 |
| 2Hawaii | $136,320 | $123,983 | 12,940 |
| 3Oregon | $129,010 | $124,815 | 39,730 |
| 4Washington | $124,200 | $116,061 | 69,260 |
| 5Alaska | $109,480 | $106,957 | 7,510 |
| 6New York | $109,440 | $101,408 | 205,810 |
| 7New Jersey | $106,500 | $97,882 | 92,680 |
| 8Massachusetts | $104,550 | $98,859 | 88,200 |
| 9Nevada | $103,670 | $103,692 | 27,070 |
| 10Connecticut | $102,740 | $99,160 | 40,110 |
Job outlook
Is Aesthetic Nurse a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.6% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | +5.6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Registered Nurses to change 5.6% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 194,700 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 180,800 openings are projected each year, 5.2% of the 3,465,400 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become an Aesthetic Nurse
Aesthetic nurses are registered nurses who gain clinical experience and then train in cosmetic procedures, often through manufacturer-sponsored and professional injector courses followed by supervised practice. State nursing boards set rules on which procedures nurses can perform and the level of supervision required.
The Plastic Surgical Nursing Certification Board offers the Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist (CANS) credential, which requires an RN license, practice hours in aesthetic nursing under qualified physicians, and an exam. The International Society of Plastic and Aesthetic Nurses provides education and practice standards.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as registered nurses.
- Bachelor's Degree55.9%
- Post-Secondary Certificate22.5%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree19.4%
- Master's Degree1.4%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)0.8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 55.9% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 22.5% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 19.4% |
| Master's Degree | 1.4% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 0.8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an Aesthetic Nurse do?
Aesthetic nurses provide nonsurgical cosmetic treatments under the direction of a physician or other supervising provider. They consult with clients about their goals, assess facial anatomy and skin, and perform procedures such as botulinum toxin injections, dermal fillers, chemical peels, microneedling, and laser and light treatments for hair removal, pigment, and skin texture.
They also educate clients on aftercare, recognize and manage complications such as vascular occlusion, take before and after photographs, and recommend skin care. In plastic surgery practices they may assist with surgical patients before and after procedures. Many build long-term relationships with repeat clients.
Day-to-day tasks
- Consult with clients about cosmetic goals and treatment options
- Assess facial anatomy and skin condition
- Administer botulinum toxin and dermal filler injections
- Perform laser, chemical peel, and microneedling treatments
- Recognize and manage treatment complications
- Take before and after photographs
- Educate clients on aftercare and skin care
- Document treatments, products, and lot numbers
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Aesthetic nurses work in medical spas, dermatology and plastic surgery practices, and cosmetic clinics. Work is appointment-based, often with evening and Saturday hours to suit clients. The setting is clean and calm compared to hospitals, but the role involves sales targets, client service, and building a following in some practices.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Writing3.8
- Monitoring3.8
- Active Learning3.5
- Learning Strategies3.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.9 |
| Writing | 3.8 |
| Monitoring | 3.8 |
| Active Learning | 3.5 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness4.1
- Coordination4.0
- Service Orientation4.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9
- Complex Problem Solving3.5
- Instructing3.3
- Time Management3.1
- Operations Monitoring3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.1 |
| Coordination | 4.0 |
| Service Orientation | 4.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.5 |
| Instructing | 3.3 |
| Time Management | 3.1 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Business intelligence and data analysis software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Medical software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Time accounting software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Aesthetic Nurse?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code SAE) built on O*NET's Registered Nurse profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Aesthetic Nurse |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 3 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 6 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Social5.7
- Conventional4.6
- Investigative4.6
- Realistic3.5
- Enterprising3.1
- Artistic2.6
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Aesthetic Nurse
O*NET related occupations
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
More healthcare practitioners and technical careers
Median annual pay, with registered nurses highlighted
- Anesthesiologist$391,490
- Physician Assistant$135,880
- Nurse Practitioner$132,300
- Physical Therapist$102,760
- Dental Hygienist$98,100
- Aesthetic Nurse$97,550
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographer$96,590
- Radiologic Technologist and Technician$80,110
- Surgical Technologist$64,650
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Anesthesiologist | $391,490 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 |
| Aesthetic Nurse | $97,550 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $96,590 |
| Radiologic Technologist and Technician | $80,110 |
| Surgical Technologist | $64,650 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Aesthetic Nurse appears on
Questions
Aesthetic Nurse: frequently asked questions
How much do Registered Nurses make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for registered nurses. It counts them within registered nurse, whose median pay is $97,550 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $80,330 and $112,350, and the top 10% earn $137,470 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Aesthetic Nurse?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Registered Nurses, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 55.9% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Aesthetic Nurse a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.6% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 180,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Aesthetic Nurse do?
Aesthetic nurses provide nonsurgical cosmetic treatments under the direction of a physician or other supervising provider. A typical task: consult with clients about cosmetic goals and treatment options. Employers most often ask for Business intelligence and data analysis software, Data base user interface and query software, Document management software.
Which states pay Registered Nurses the most?
The highest state medians for Registered Nurses are California ($140,270), Hawaii ($136,320), Oregon ($129,010) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an Aesthetic Nurse?
O*NET scores Registered Nurses highest on the Social, Conventional and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISFJ, ESFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.