Esthetician

Impact: Enhancing personal appearance and well-being

Provides skincare treatments to face and body to enhance an individual's appearance, including electrology and laser hair removal services.

What the day looks like

People interaction
Extensive
Team vs solo
20% Team / 80% Solo
Client facing
Always
Impact visibility
High
Travel
Minimal
Schedule flexibility
Flexible
Remote work
On-site Only
Typical work hours
35-40 hours/week
Stress level
Low

At a glance

Median salary
$45,330
Entry-level
$27,600
Senior
$58,730
Growth by 2033
7% (Much faster than average)
Demand
Growing Fast
Freelance potential
High
Salary growth potential
Moderate to 112% growth from entry to senior
Typical student debt
$5,000 - $15,000

Skills you'll use

Hard skills

  • Skin Analysis
  • Facial Treatments
  • Hair Removal
  • Chemical Peels
  • Infection Control

Soft skills

  • Active Listening
  • Speaking
  • Service Orientation
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Time Management

Technical complexity: Moderate

How to get there

Minimum education
Certificate or Vocational Training
Licensing
Yes
Years to mid-career
3-5 years
Years to senior
7-10 years
Career switching
Moderate

Where this career leads

How people arrive here

    Where you can go from here

      Typical progression

      1. Esthetician
      2. Senior Esthetician
      3. Spa Manager
      4. Spa Owner

      Future outlook

      Automation probability
      10% to low risk due to hands-on physical nature and interpersonal interaction
      AI disruption risk
      Low
      Demand trend
      Growing Fast

      How people feel about it

      Overall satisfaction
      3.8/10
      Meaning
      3.5/10
      Work-life balance
      4/10
      Prestige
      5.5/10
      Social perception
      High

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