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.
Manicurist and Pedicurist Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
Manicurists and Pedicurists earn a median of $35,760 per year ($17.19/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 7.0% through 2034, with about 24,800 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
SOC 39-5092Personal Care and ServiceLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $35,760
- Projected growth
- +7.0%
- Openings a year
- 24,800
- Typical education
- Certificate
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Manicurist, Nail Technician (Nail Tech), Pedicurist.
How much do Manicurists and Pedicurists make?
10th percentile$28,920
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$34,010
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$35,760
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$41,650
Upper quartile
90th percentile$50,140
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $35,760 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $17.19/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $38,570 |
| People employed | 152,770 |
Versus all US occupations
At $35,760, Manicurists and Pedicurists earn 30% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $15,220 a year.
Versus personal care and service occupations
Inside the Personal Care and Service group, where the middle occupation pays $38,120, this is 6% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $50,140 or more while the bottom 10% earn $28,920, a gap of 1.7×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 4% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Hawaii posts the highest raw median ($60,790), but once local prices are taken into account Nebraska leads at $63,194 in national-average dollars.
Which states pay Manicurists and Pedicurists the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $60,790 | $55,288 | 40 |
| Nebraska | $56,940 | $63,194 | 310 |
| Washington | $49,900 | $46,630 | 5,570 |
| Maine | $48,540 | $50,015 | 200 |
| Alaska | $47,890 | $46,786 | 180 |
| Oregon | $46,080 | $44,582 | 2,210 |
| Iowa | $45,420 | $51,754 | 190 |
| Kentucky | $45,310 | $50,256 | 240 |
| South Dakota | $45,310 | $51,148 | 250 |
| Nevada | $41,880 | $41,889 | 1,020 |
Is Manicurist and Pedicurist a growing career?
Manicurists and Pedicurists7.0%
All US occupations3.1%
+7.0% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Manicurists and Pedicurists to change 7.0% over 2024–2034, roughly 2.3× the 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 14,700 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 24,800 openings are projected each year, 11.8% of the 210,100 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
The projected increase in employment reflects demand for nail services, such as mini-sessions (quick manicures at a low cost) and mobile manicures and pedicures (nail services offered outside of the salon).
The desire among many women and a growing number of men to lead a healthier lifestyle through better grooming and wellness is expected to result in higher employment for manicurists and pedicurists.
Considered a low-cost luxury service, manicures and pedicures will continue to be in demand by individuals at all income levels.
How to become a Manicurist and Pedicurist
Manicurists and pedicurists must complete a state-approved cosmetology or nail technician program and then pass a state exam for licensure.
| Typical entry-level education | Postsecondary nondegree award |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Little or no preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | None |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as manicurists and pedicurists.
- High School Diploma49.2%
- Less than a High School Diploma35.8%
- Post-Secondary Certificate14.8%
- Some College Courses0.3%
What does a Manicurist and Pedicurist do?
Clean and shape customers' fingernails and toenails. May polish or decorate nails.
Manicurists and pedicurists clean, shape, and beautify fingernails and toenails.
Day-to-day tasks
- Clean and sanitize tools and work environment.
- Apply undercoat and clear or colored polish onto nails with brush.
- Shape and smooth ends of nails, using scissors, files, or emery boards.
- Prepare customers' nails in soapy water, using swabs, files, and orange sticks.
- Remove previously applied nail polish, using liquid remover and swabs.
- Assess the condition of clients' hands, remove dead skin, and massage hands.
- Advise clients on nail care and use of products and colors.
- Prepare nail cuticles with water and oil, using cuticle knives to push back cuticles and scissors or nippers to trim cuticles.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Where manicurists and pedicurists work
| Personal care services | 71% |
|---|---|
| Self-employed workers | 28% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Active Listening3.0/5
- Speaking3.0/5
- Reading Comprehension2.8/5
- Active Learning2.8/5
- Monitoring2.6/5
- Critical Thinking2.5/5
- Writing2.1/5
- Learning Strategies2.1/5
Transferable skills
- Social Perceptiveness3.0/5
- Service Orientation3.0/5
- Coordination2.8/5
- Time Management2.8/5
- Persuasion2.6/5
- Negotiation2.5/5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.4/5
- Complex Problem Solving2.3/5
Tools and software
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Customer relationship management CRM software
- Data base user interface and query software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Manicurist and Pedicurist?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary5.6
Investigative1.3
Artistic2.3
Socialprimary3.1
Enterprising2.4
Conventionalprimary3.7
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
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.
Manicurist and Pedicurist: frequently asked questions
How much do Manicurists and Pedicurists make?
Manicurists and Pedicurists earn a median of $35,760 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 30% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $17.19/hr. The middle half earn between $34,010 and $41,650. The top 10% earn $50,140 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Manicurist and Pedicurist?
Not a degree, but you do need credentialled training: BLS lists a postsecondary non-degree award (a certificate or licence programme) as the typical entry route for Manicurists and Pedicurists. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 49.2% hold high school diploma.
Is Manicurist and Pedicurist a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 7.0% over 2024–2034, more than double the 3.1% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 24,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Manicurist and Pedicurist do?
Manicurists and pedicurists clean, shape, and beautify fingernails and toenails. A core O*NET task: clean and sanitize tools and work environment. Employers most often ask for Office suite software, Spreadsheet software, Web page creation and editing software.
Which states pay Manicurists and Pedicurists the most?
The highest state medians for Manicurists and Pedicurists are Hawaii ($60,790), Nebraska ($56,940), Washington ($49,900) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Nebraska moves to the top at $63,194.
What personality type suits a Manicurist and Pedicurist?
O*NET scores Manicurists and Pedicurists highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Social interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISFJ, ISTJ, ESTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.