Manicurists and Pedicurists

Median salary

$35,760

Average salary

$38,570

Employment

152,770

Projected growth

7% growth

Annual openings

24,800

Typical entry education

Postsecondary nondegree award

What Manicurists and Pedicurists Do

Clean and shape customers' fingernails and toenails. May polish or decorate nails.

See full salary breakdown & percentiles →

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience: None
On-the-job training: None
Self-employed: 28%

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

How Much Preparation Does This Take?

Job Zone 2 of 5

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Experience: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
Education: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Job training: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Source: O*NET Job Zones.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 3.4/5
English Languageimportance 2.6/5
Administration and Managementimportance 2.6/5
Personnel and Human Resourcesimportance 2.5/5
Sales and Marketingimportance 2.4/5
Production and Processingimportance 2.4/5
Mathematicsimportance 2.4/5
Psychologyimportance 2.3/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

Exposed to Contaminants4.7/5
Physical Proximity4.6/5
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions4.5/5
Contact With Others4.5/5
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.2/5
Spend Time Sitting4.0/5

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

Interpreters and Translators97% skill match
Childcare Workers97% skill match
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education97% skill match
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education96% skill match
Receptionists and Information Clerks96% skill match
Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks96% skill match
Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants96% skill match
Musicians and Singers96% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.0/5
Service Orientationimportance 3.0/5
Coordinationimportance 2.8/5
Time Managementimportance 2.8/5
Persuasionimportance 2.6/5
Negotiationimportance 2.5/5
Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 2.4/5
Complex Problem Solvingimportance 2.3/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Hot Technologies

Other Software Used

Aknaf ADVANTAGE Salon Software and Spa Software
Appointment Search
AppointmentQuest Online Appointment Scheduler
Customer information databases
DaySmart Software Appointment-Plus
DaySmart Software Salon Iris

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

Attention to Detail
Social Orientation
Dependability
Cooperation
Empathy
Optimism
Self-Control

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

RealisticHigh
ConventionalMedium
SocialMedium
EnterprisingLow
ArtisticLow
InvestigativeLow

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where manicurists and pedicurists make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).