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What You Need to Know About Manicurist or Pedicurist
Occupation Description Clean and shape customers’ fingernails and toenails. May polish or decorate nails.
Life As a Manicurist or Pedicurist: What Do They Do?
- Assess the condition of clients’ hands, remove dead skin, and massage hands.
- Shape and smooth ends of nails, using scissors, files, or emery boards.
- Remove previously applied nail polish, using liquid remover and swabs.
- Prepare nail cuticles with water and oil, using cuticle knives to push back cuticles and scissors or nippers to trim cuticles.
- Promote and sell nail care products.
- Roughen surfaces of fingernails, using abrasive wheel.
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Manicurist or Pedicurist Required Skills
When polled, Manicurists and Pedicurists say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Types of Manicurist or Pedicurist Jobs
- Fingernail Technician
- Pedicurist
- Fingernail Sculptor
- Nail Artist
- Fingernail Sculpturer
Job Opportunities for Manicurists and Pedicurists
In the United States, there were 126,300 jobs for Manicurist or Pedicurist in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 13.2% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 16,700 new jobs for Manicurist or Pedicurist by 2026. There will be an estimated 16,600 positions for Manicurist or Pedicurist per year.
The states with the most job growth for Manicurist or Pedicurist are Washington, New Jersey, and Tennessee. Watch out if you plan on working in Kansas, Maine, or Kentucky. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Manicurist or Pedicurist Average Salary
Manicurists and Pedicurists make between $19,700 and $33,490 a year.
Manicurists and Pedicurists who work in New Hampshire, Montana, or Wisconsin, make the highest salaries.
How much do Manicurists and Pedicurists make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $24,500 |
| Alaska | $24,670 |
| Arizona | $26,640 |
| Arkansas | $29,970 |
| California | $26,260 |
| Colorado | $30,180 |
| Connecticut | $24,910 |
| Delaware | $24,900 |
| District of Columbia | $32,400 |
| Florida | $27,170 |
| Georgia | $30,430 |
| Hawaii | $28,360 |
| Idaho | $32,870 |
| Illinois | $23,740 |
| Indiana | $27,000 |
| Iowa | $34,010 |
| Kansas | $25,190 |
| Kentucky | $26,660 |
| Louisiana | $22,040 |
| Maine | $23,540 |
| Maryland | $24,670 |
| Massachusetts | $27,570 |
| Michigan | $27,350 |
| Minnesota | $37,170 |
| Mississippi | $24,140 |
| Missouri | $25,150 |
| Montana | $29,880 |
| Nebraska | $24,480 |
| Nevada | $22,900 |
| New Hampshire | $34,160 |
| New Jersey | $24,520 |
| New York | $24,970 |
| North Carolina | $23,680 |
| North Dakota | $29,910 |
| Ohio | $26,290 |
| Oklahoma | $24,360 |
| Oregon | $27,440 |
| Pennsylvania | $21,230 |
| Rhode Island | $25,420 |
| South Carolina | $32,490 |
| Tennessee | $24,350 |
| Texas | $24,190 |
| Utah | $27,550 |
| Virginia | $24,050 |
| Washington | $31,460 |
| West Virginia | $22,120 |
| Wisconsin | $29,670 |
| Wyoming | $22,100 |
What Tools & Technology do Manicurists and Pedicurists Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Manicurists and Pedicurists may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Customer information databases
- Appointment-Plus
- DaySmart Software Salon Iris
How to Become a Manicurist or Pedicurist
Individuals working as a Manicurist or Pedicurist have obtained the following education levels:
How Long Does it Take to Become a Manicurist or Pedicurist?
Where Manicurists and Pedicurists Are Employed
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
References:
Image Credit: Tiffany Bumgardner via Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license
More about our data sources and methodologies.