Ask what the client wants
Ask the client how long they want their nails, which shape, and what color before you begin.
Career profile
Nail Technician
Manicurists and pedicurists shape, care for, and decorate the nails on people's hands and feet.
Each client chooses a shape and a color, and you carry out that choice with careful, precise work on each nail in turn.
A day in the life
File edges, then brush polish
File the edges smooth, then steady a tiny brush to lay down an even coat of polish.
Massage feet during a pedicure
During a pedicure, you rub moisturizer into the client's feet and massage them because the service includes it.
Disinfect tools and the station
Clean and disinfect your tools and work area before the next client so the station is ready.
Quick facts
Approved training + license
United States
$17.19/hour
United States · May 2025
9% projected growth
United States · 2025–2035
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
Approved training + licenseState rules determine your training and licensing requirements.
Pay
$17.19/hourNational median for manicurists and pedicurists.
Outlook
9% projected growthAbout 21,900 openings yearly, including replacements for people leaving the occupation.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You enjoy making tiny details look consistent.
- You can listen closely while concentrating on your hands.
- You find satisfaction in repeating a careful process.
Things to weigh
- Repeated filing and leaning over clients can strain your body. Glues, polish, and removers also bring chemical exposure.
- Evenings and weekends are common working times.
Where AI may help
Appointment software can organize bookings and client records.
What people still lead
You still handle nails, judge the finish, and respond to the client's preferences.
What we can’t predict yet
As booking becomes more automated, how much time it frees for client care will depend on how salons schedule the work.
Pay in context
Earnings
Compare both the hourly rate and the hours offered when you consider a job.
The middle and the spread
The median was $17.19 an hour, or $35,760 annualized. The 10th and 90th percentiles were $13.90 and $24.10 an hour; these are wage boundaries, not beginner and experienced rates.
What those figures include
Reported tips and commissions are included. Self-employed earnings are excluded, and fewer working hours mean a smaller annual total at the same hourly rate.
Personal care workplaces
The personal care services industry median was $17.19 an hour. This is not a separate rate for spas or nail salons.
Getting started
Complete an approved nail program
- What the route involves
- Study nail services in a licensed school. Texas, for example, requires a 600-hour manicurist course.
- What it can lead to
- Completing Texas training makes you eligible for written and practical exams. Passing them is required for the license.
- What to check
- Texas applicants must be at least 17 and complete the application and background review. School completion alone is not a license.
Train through an approved apprenticeship
Paid
- What the route involves
- In Washington, learn with an approved trainer in a state-approved salon apprenticeship and receive compensation.
- What it can lead to
- Completing the approved program fulfills the training route toward examination and a manicurist license.
- What to check
- Washington licensure also requires being at least 17, passing the licensing examination, applying, and paying the fee. Confirm program requirements and openings before committing.
Check your state licensing agency before choosing training; accepted routes differ.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization.
Get consistent
Build reliable shaping, polishing, and station-cleaning habits.
Expand your techniques
Develop artificial-nail and detailed decoration skills.
Run a salon
Ownership adds ordering supplies, managing inventory, and hiring staff.
Where you can work
A salon as an employee
The owner or receptionist may arrange appointments, set prices, and provide tools. You work within that shared setup.
- Indoors
- Physical demands
An independently rented station
Running your own business within a salon can mean buying supplies, setting prices, and managing your own clients and appointments.
- Indoors
- Physical demands
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
Draw ten fingernail-sized outlines on paper. Use colored pencils to repeat one design across them, then compare the edges and spacing. Notice whether you enjoy the concentration needed to make each one consistent.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Manicurists and Pedicurists. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- O*NET OnLine. 39-5092.00 — Manicurists and Pedicurists. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- O*NET OnLine / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. National Wages: 39-5092.00 — Manicurists and Pedicurists. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: Frequently Asked Questions. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Health Hazards in Nail Salons. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Apply for a Manicurist License. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Washington State Legislature. RCW 18.16.020 — Definitions. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Washington State Legislature. RCW 18.16.100 — Issuance of licenses—Requirements. Accessed 2026-10-03.