187 metro areas

Nail Technician Salary by City (2026)

Nail technicians earn the most in Omaha, NE-IA, an average of $65,810 a year, against $38,570 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in Omaha, NE-IA ($71,600 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.

US average (mean): $38,570BLS OEWS, May 2025
Highest-paying city: $65,810Omaha, NE-IA
Best after cost of living: $71,600Omaha, NE-IA
Metro areas: 187With their own estimate

Top cities

Highest-paying cities for nail technicians

Mean annual wage

Top 10 metro areas

Omaha, NE-IA$65,810
Portland, ME$59,490
Grand Forks, ND-MN$58,120
Seattle, WA$53,580
Fairbanks, AK$50,290
Reno, NV$49,800
Portland, OR-WA$49,460
Bend, OR$48,820
Salem, OR$48,800
Gulfport, MS$48,630

Top 10 metro areas by mean wage for nail technicians
Item	Value
Omaha, NE-IA	$65,810
Portland-South Portland, ME	$59,490
Grand Forks, ND-MN	$58,120
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$53,580
Fairbanks-College, AK	$50,290
Reno, NV	$49,800
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$49,460
Bend, OR	$48,820
Salem, OR	$48,800
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS	$48,630

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025

At national-average prices

Mean wage ÷ BEA price level

Omaha, NE-IA$65,810 nominal$71,600
Grand Forks, ND-MN$58,120 nominal$67,060
Portland, ME$59,490 nominal$58,400
Gulfport, MS$48,630 nominal$54,030
Hattiesburg, MS$47,110 nominal$53,760
Canton, OH$47,360 nominal$52,970
Rapid City, SD$44,930 nominal$50,390
Reno, NV$49,800 nominal$49,300
Sioux Falls, SD-MN$44,620 nominal$49,230
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN$45,800 nominal$49,210

Top 10 metro areas by price-adjusted mean wage for nail technicians
Item	Value
Omaha, NE-IA	$71,600
Grand Forks, ND-MN	$67,060
Portland-South Portland, ME	$58,400
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS	$54,030
Hattiesburg, MS	$53,760
Canton-Massillon, OH	$52,970
Rapid City, SD	$50,390
Reno, NV	$49,300
Sioux Falls, SD-MN	$49,230
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	$49,210

Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024

Every city

Nail Technician salary in every metro area

Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.

Nail Technician pay in every metro area with a BLS estimate
#	Metro area	Mean	Entry (Level I)	Experienced (Level IV)	At US prices
1	Omaha, NE-IA	$65,810	$32,070	$82,430	$71,600
2	Portland, ME	$59,490	$43,660	$67,290	$58,400
3	Grand Forks, ND-MN	$58,120	$32,970	$70,510	$67,060
4	Seattle, WA	$53,580	$42,890	$58,840	$48,210
5	Fairbanks, AK	$50,290	$34,760	$57,950	$48,730
6	Reno, NV	$49,800	$35,920	$56,620	$49,300
7	Portland, OR-WA	$49,460	$36,320	$55,950	$46,920
8	Bend, OR	$48,820	$34,360	$55,930	$47,120
9	Salem, OR	$48,800	$35,090	$55,540	$47,080
10	Gulfport, MS	$48,630	$27,660	$58,970	$54,030
11	Kennewick, WA	$47,780	$40,210	$51,520	$47,740
12	Spokane, WA	$47,610	$38,560	$52,080	$47,450
13	Canton, OH	$47,360	$27,620	$57,100	$52,970
14	Anchorage, AK	$47,150	$33,990	$53,620	$44,730
15	Hattiesburg, MS	$47,110	$27,270	$56,890	$53,760
16	Las Vegas, NV	$46,400	$32,260	$53,350	$46,300
17	Medford, OR	$46,360	$34,590	$52,170	$45,710
18	San Jose, CA	$45,860	$39,120	$49,190	$41,530
19	Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	$45,800	$30,950	$53,100	$49,210
20	Boulder, CO	$45,680	$34,860	$51,000	$43,420
21	Detroit, MI	$45,070	$30,310	$52,350	$44,940
22	Rapid City, SD	$44,930	$34,860	$49,880	$50,390
23	Mount Vernon, WA	$44,680	$38,290	$47,800	$43,610
24	Sioux Falls, SD-MN	$44,620	$34,320	$49,690	$49,230
25	Naples, FL	$44,450	$31,050	$51,040	$43,070
26	Denver, CO	$44,410	$33,130	$49,980	$41,980
27	Grand Rapids, MI	$44,300	$30,310	$51,210	$46,370
28	Raleigh, NC	$44,240	$24,810	$53,810	$45,070
29	Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV	$43,580	$34,690	$47,940	$40,020
30	Rochester, MN	$43,560	$32,280	$49,110	$47,960
31	Yakima, WA	$43,510	$37,320	$46,550	$45,540
32	Lansing, MI	$43,430	$30,390	$49,860	$45,720
33	Charlottesville, VA	$43,390	$30,910	$49,520	$43,760
34	Ann Arbor, MI	$43,280	$29,990	$49,820	$42,900
35	Akron, OH	$42,560	$27,290	$50,070	$45,580
36	Punta Gorda, FL	$42,560	$29,600	$48,920	$42,340
37	Charlotte, NC-SC	$42,450	$27,040	$50,020	$43,610
38	San Diego, CA	$42,370	$35,650	$45,680	$37,870
39	Cape Coral, FL	$42,310	$29,330	$48,710	$41,340
40	Harrisonburg, VA	$42,020	$31,030	$47,420	$44,280
41	Tampa, FL	$41,850	$29,740	$47,800	$41,480
42	Fort Collins, CO	$41,830	$32,720	$46,320	$41,360
43	Napa, CA	$41,830	$35,960	$44,700	$37,160
44	Springfield, MO	$41,830	$30,760	$47,280	$47,220
45	Columbus, OH	$41,640	$28,390	$48,150	$43,620
46	North Port, FL	$41,520	$29,620	$47,380	$40,540
47	Minot, ND	$41,480	$27,770	$48,210	$47,660
48	Jacksonville, FL	$41,430	$28,700	$47,720	$41,640
49	Port St. Lucie, FL	$41,370	$28,790	$47,570	$41,280
50	Sheboygan, WI	$41,350	$26,850	$48,510	$43,980
51	St. Louis, MO-IL	$41,290	$29,620	$47,030	$43,420
52	Santa Rosa, CA	$41,250	$36,690	$43,470	$38,270
53	Asheville, NC	$41,160	$25,330	$48,960	$42,650
54	Cleveland, OH	$41,120	$27,060	$48,050	$43,780
55	Miami, FL	$41,060	$29,520	$46,760	$35,970
56	San Francisco, CA	$41,060	$36,230	$43,450	$35,520
57	San Luis Obispo, CA	$41,000	$35,340	$43,780	$37,750
58	Vallejo, CA	$41,000	$34,940	$43,970	$37,800
59	Greenville, NC	$40,960	$26,190	$48,240	$46,330
60	Mankato, MN	$40,890	$31,740	$45,410	$44,960
61	Chicago, IL-IN	$40,790	$31,050	$45,570	$39,370
62	Orlando, FL	$40,770	$28,700	$46,700	$40,200
63	Salinas, CA	$40,730	$35,480	$43,310	$37,350
64	Greeley, CO	$40,580	$31,740	$44,950	$40,510
65	Colorado Springs, CO	$40,210	$31,370	$44,550	$39,930
66	Phoenix, AZ	$40,160	$32,820	$43,760	$38,870
67	Santa Maria, CA	$40,080	$35,240	$42,470	$36,840
68	Bloomington, IL	$40,060	$32,430	$43,830	$42,830
69	Baltimore, MD	$39,920	$33,700	$42,990	$38,210
70	Madison, WI	$39,920	$27,480	$46,050	$41,030
71	Hickory, NC	$39,890	$23,750	$47,840	$45,080
72	Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$39,870	$26,640	$46,380	$41,810
73	Davenport, IA-IL	$39,850	$26,960	$46,200	$44,740
74	Kenosha, WI	$39,830	$26,750	$46,280	$39,390
75	Riverside, CA	$39,810	$34,630	$42,350	$37,400
76	Oxnard, CA	$39,730	$35,070	$42,040	$35,940
77	Joplin, MO-KS	$39,620	$32,200	$43,280	$46,220
78	Pueblo, CO	$39,560	$32,930	$42,830	$43,110
79	Richmond, VA	$39,440	$29,760	$44,200	$40,300
80	Manchester, NH	$39,400	$27,890	$45,050	$37,290
81	Sandusky, OH	$39,330	$28,080	$44,870	$44,050
82	Boston, MA-NH	$39,310	$34,670	$41,600	$36,310
83	Virginia Beach, VA-NC	$39,310	$29,410	$44,200	$40,140
84	Racine, WI	$39,250	$25,940	$45,800	$40,900
85	Sebastian, FL	$39,250	$28,020	$44,780	$39,930
86	Dayton, OH	$39,190	$26,420	$45,490	$42,280
87	Grand Junction, CO	$39,100	$30,890	$43,140	$40,950
88	Traverse City, MI	$39,040	$31,720	$42,660	$41,810
89	Lakeland, FL	$39,000	$28,040	$44,410	$40,150
90	Barnstable Town, MA	$38,940	$33,880	$41,430	$39,590
91	Stockton, CA	$38,920	$34,780	$40,960	$37,040
92	Hagerstown, MD-WV	$38,900	$32,050	$42,270	$41,310
93	Pensacola, FL	$38,900	$28,000	$44,240	$39,810
94	Deltona, FL	$38,810	$28,270	$43,990	$39,060
95	Youngstown, OH	$38,810	$26,250	$45,010	$44,410
96	Winchester, VA-WV	$38,580	$29,330	$43,140	$40,000
97	Los Angeles, CA	$38,420	$35,630	$39,790	$33,830
98	Kansas City, MO-KS	$38,190	$26,770	$43,800	$41,270
99	Ocala, FL	$38,150	$27,600	$43,330	$40,060
100	Kingston, NY	$38,060	$32,530	$40,790	$37,790
101	Janesville, WI	$38,040	$25,960	$43,990	$40,600
102	Minneapolis, MN-WI	$38,000	$28,830	$42,520	$36,250
103	Sacramento, CA	$37,980	$34,570	$39,640	$35,610
104	Merced, CA	$37,840	$34,720	$39,370	$38,500
105	Eau Claire, WI	$37,790	$23,550	$44,820	$40,720
106	Hanford, CA	$37,750	$34,590	$39,330	$37,150
107	Redding, CA	$37,730	$34,320	$39,400	$37,470
108	Appleton, WI	$37,710	$26,710	$43,120	$40,800
109	El Centro, CA	$37,670	$34,440	$39,250	$39,580
110	Green Bay, WI	$37,560	$24,980	$43,760	$40,350
111	Bridgeport, CT	$37,540	$34,130	$39,230	$35,130
112	Hartford, CT	$37,480	$34,030	$39,190	$36,480
113	Springfield, IL	$37,400	$31,200	$40,460	$40,330
114	Worcester, MA	$37,400	$32,590	$39,770	$36,480
115	Milwaukee, WI	$37,340	$23,980	$43,910	$38,520
116	Austin, TX	$37,270	$25,980	$42,830	$38,010
117	Topeka, KS	$37,230	$28,640	$41,450	$41,920
118	Fresno, CA	$37,190	$34,530	$38,480	$36,400
119	Fond du Lac, WI	$37,130	$24,480	$43,370	$40,520
120	Visalia, CA	$37,070	$34,340	$38,400	$37,130
121	Waterbury, CT	$37,020	$34,010	$38,500	$37,100
122	Clarksville, TN-KY	$36,920	$24,070	$43,260	$40,600
123	Bakersfield, CA	$36,900	$34,440	$38,110	$36,580
124	Tucson, AZ	$36,860	$30,700	$39,890	$38,040
125	Knoxville, TN	$36,840	$22,530	$43,910	$39,800
126	New Haven, CT	$36,380	$34,010	$37,540	$34,790
127	New York, NY-NJ	$36,380	$33,570	$37,770	$32,320
128	Springfield, MA	$36,380	$31,510	$38,770	$37,870
129	Modesto, CA	$36,360	$34,670	$37,190	$34,930
130	Norwich, CT	$36,360	$34,010	$37,520	$36,200
131	Lake Havasu City, AZ	$36,340	$30,580	$39,170	$38,620
132	Dallas, TX	$36,250	$26,670	$40,980	$35,160
133	Toledo, OH	$36,230	$26,350	$41,100	$39,620
134	Charleston, SC	$35,980	$19,740	$43,990	$35,640
135	Houston, TX	$35,920	$25,210	$41,200	$36,420
136	Providence, RI-MA	$35,860	$31,280	$38,110	$35,240
137	Montgomery, AL	$35,760	$23,190	$41,930	$39,870
138	Kiryas Joel, NY	$35,610	$32,430	$37,190	$32,540
139	Johnson City, TN	$35,400	$21,030	$42,490	$40,260
140	Florence, SC	$35,340	$18,470	$43,640	$40,730
141	Memphis, TN-MS-AR	$35,340	$21,610	$42,100	$38,340
142	Greenville, SC	$35,300	$19,280	$43,200	$37,850
143	Syracuse, NY	$35,190	$32,240	$36,670	$36,760
144	Trenton, NJ	$35,190	$32,880	$36,320	$34,110
145	Fort Wayne, IN	$35,070	$25,020	$40,020	$37,880
146	Buffalo, NY	$34,820	$32,240	$36,090	$36,330
147	Dothan, AL	$34,550	$23,570	$39,960	$41,210
148	Atlantic City, NJ	$34,530	$32,260	$35,650	$34,930
149	Albany, NY	$34,340	$32,240	$35,380	$34,490
150	Vineland, NJ	$34,340	$32,220	$35,380	$35,780
151	Evansville, IN	$34,170	$20,880	$40,730	$37,330
152	San Antonio, TX	$34,090	$22,800	$39,640	$35,990
153	Binghamton, NY	$34,030	$32,240	$34,900	$36,650
154	Dover, DE	$34,030	$31,200	$35,420	$34,900
155	Tulsa, OK	$34,010	$27,080	$37,420	$38,120
156	Columbus, GA-AL	$33,970	$19,530	$41,060	$38,040
157	Allentown, PA-NJ	$33,920	$21,740	$39,940	$33,930
158	Hilton Head Island, SC	$33,720	$19,050	$40,930	$34,400
159	Daphne, AL	$33,240	$22,940	$38,310	$35,100
160	Rochester, NY	$33,180	$32,240	$33,650	$34,190
161	Lawrence, KS	$33,110	$23,170	$38,000	$36,690
162	Mobile, AL	$33,070	$21,170	$38,920	$37,540
163	Wichita, KS	$32,970	$24,190	$37,290	$37,070
164	Atlanta, GA	$32,860	$21,780	$38,330	$32,840
165	York, PA	$32,660	$20,740	$38,540	$34,020
166	Little Rock, AR	$32,450	$24,900	$36,150	$36,310
167	Harrisburg, PA	$31,990	$21,280	$37,270	$32,430
168	Lancaster, PA	$31,720	$21,130	$36,920	$32,280
169	Pittsburgh, PA	$31,260	$20,700	$36,460	$33,020
170	Scranton, PA	$31,120	$20,780	$36,190	$33,260
171	New Orleans, LA	$31,050	$20,680	$36,170	$33,530
172	State College, PA	$31,030	$19,410	$36,770	$32,070
173	Altoona, PA	$30,970	$20,680	$36,050	$34,600
174	Erie, PA	$30,870	$19,490	$36,460	$33,940
175	El Paso, TX	$30,580	$23,110	$34,260	$34,010
176	Baton Rouge, LA	$30,180	$22,590	$33,900	$33,250
177	Manhattan, KS	$30,180	$17,430	$36,460	$33,470
178	Salt Lake City, UT	$30,120	$21,220	$34,510	$29,860
179	Reading, PA	$29,850	$20,430	$34,510	$30,750
180	Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$29,810	$21,440	$33,950	$29,070
181	Lafayette, LA	$29,370	$18,950	$34,490	$33,680
182	Provo, UT	$29,080	$20,260	$33,400	$29,600
183	Shreveport, LA	$28,700	$19,680	$33,130	$33,860
184	Ogden, UT	$28,390	$19,840	$32,610	$28,290
185	Alexandria, LA	$28,020	$19,320	$32,300	$32,700
186	Monroe, LA	$28,000	$19,240	$32,300	$33,490
187	Augusta, GA-SC	$27,160	$21,200	$30,100	$29,550

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Method

About these numbers

Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.

Questions

Nail Technician salary by city: FAQ

Which city pays nail technicians the most?

Omaha, NE-IA, where the average (mean) wage is $65,810 a year, followed by Portland, ME ($59,490), Grand Forks, ND-MN ($58,120), Seattle, WA ($53,580). The national mean is $38,570 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Where do nail technicians earn the most after cost of living?

Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in Omaha, NE-IA ($71,600 at national prices, $65,810 nominal), Grand Forks, ND-MN ($67,060 at national prices, $58,120 nominal), Portland, ME ($58,400 at national prices, $59,490 nominal).

How much do nail technicians make in the biggest cities?

New York, NY-NJ: $36,380; Los Angeles, CA: $38,420; Chicago, IL-IN: $40,790; Dallas, TX: $36,250; Houston, TX: $35,920 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).

Where do nail technicians earn the least?

Of the 187 metro areas with their own estimate, Augusta, GA-SC has the lowest mean wage, $27,160. At local prices that is worth $29,550.