Salary and Outlook
According to the US Department of Labor, there are 163,600 people employed as manicurists and pedicurists in
the United States.
The median annual salary is $29,210.
Entry level employees earn approximately $22,290 per year and senior employees earn approximately $38,820
per year.
Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.
Job Duties
- Schedule client appointments and accept payments.
- Assess the condition of clients' hands, remove dead skin, and massage hands.
- Roughen surfaces of fingernails, using abrasive wheel.
- Advise clients on nail care and use of products and colors.
- Treat nails to repair or improve strength and resilience by wrapping.
- Use rotary abrasive wheels to shape and smooth nails or artificial extensions.
- Clean and sanitize tools and work environment.
- Apply undercoat and clear or colored polish onto nails with brush.
- Maintain supply inventories and records of client services.
- Shape and smooth ends of nails, using scissors, files, or emery boards.
- Prepare nail cuticles with water and oil, using cuticle knives to push back cuticles and scissors or nippers to trim cuticles.
- Prepare customers' nails in soapy water, using swabs, files, and orange sticks.
- Remove previously applied nail polish, using liquid remover and swabs.
- Extend nails using powder, solvent, and paper forms attached to tips of customers' fingers to support and shape artificial nails.
- Polish nails, using powdered polish and buffer.
- Whiten underside of nails with white paste or pencils.
- Promote and sell nail care products.
- Decorate clients' nails by piercing or attaching ornaments or designs.