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Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist

Types of Degrees Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	3,722
Associate’s Degree	62
Master’s Degree	38,641

What Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist Majors Need to Know

Programs in Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• Sales and Marketing — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 2.8 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Service Orientation — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Speech Recognition — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.5 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.4 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Selling or Influencing Others	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.3 / 7
Scheduling Work and Activities	4.2 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.2 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.1 / 7
Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People	4 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Spa management software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist graduates include:

• Beautician
• Skincare Technician (Skincare Tech)
• Clinical Esthetician
• Facial Operator
• Master Esthetician
• Electrolysis Operator
• Brow Waxing Expert
• Waxing Specialist
• Spa Therapist
• Spa Technician (Spa Tech)
• Electrolysis Needle Operator
• Removal Technician (Removal Tech)
• Aesthetic RN Injector (Aesthetic Registered Nurse Injector)
• Aesthetician
• Skincare Specialist

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	39.1%
Postsecondary certificate	30.2%
Master’s degree	19.2%
Some college courses	8.8%
Post-doctoral training	2.6%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 98.9% of Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	42,284	98.9%
Men	454	1.1%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	16,416	38.4%
Asian	1,377	3.2%
Hispanic or Latino	12,992	30.4%
Black or African American	7,982	18.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	376	0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	220	0.5%
Two or More Races	1,862	4.4%
Race Unknown	1,393	3.3%
International Students	120	0.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$17,533
4 years	$20,210
5 years	$22,425

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $22,425 — roughly 28% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist graduates earn a median of $20,210 four years after completion — about 47% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services	136,936
Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General	55,875
Nail Technician/Specialist and Manicurist	14,442
Barbering/Barber	12,398
Facial Treatment Specialist/Facialist	2,901
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Arts, Other	2,497
Master Aesthetician/Esthetician	1,882
Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor	1,436
Hair Styling/Stylist and Hair Design	1,386
Salon/Beauty Salon Management/Manager	514
Make-Up Artist/Specialist	426
Electrolysis/Electrology and Electrolysis Technician	351

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.