Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Base salary
$40,000
National baseline
Target bonus
$3,000
7.5% of base
Total target cash
$43,000
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles:25th$2,00050th$3,00075th$5,000
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
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About this role
Manicurists and Pedicurists is a professional role within the function in the Personal Care and Service job family.
Typical entry preparation: High School Diploma and up to 1 year of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
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.
Top skills:SpeakingSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationActive ListeningTime ManagementReading Comprehension
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Manicurists and Pedicurists pay by experience level
Entry level$30,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$35,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$37,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$43,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$52,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+7%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
24,800
projected openings per year
Growing about as fast as average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Manicurists and Pedicurists salary by industry
Personal and Laundry Services
150,760 workers
$39,500
Personal Care Services
150,470 workers
$39,500
Accommodation
1,150 workers
$51,000
Traveler Accommodation
1,150 workers
$51,000
Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries
420 workers
$48,000
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries
400 workers
$49,000
Ambulatory Health Care Services
80 workers
$46,500
Offices of Other Health Practitioners
50 workers
$47,500
General Merchandise Retailers$41,000
Health and Personal Care Retailers$41,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Who works in this role
About 277,000 people held this occupation in the United States in 2025.
Women
85.2%
White
25.1%
Black or African American
5.1%
Asian
67.5%
Hispanic or Latino
14.5%
Race categories and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity overlap, so shares can sum to more than 100 percent. Figures describe this occupation across the national workforce, not any single employer. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, Annual Averages, Table 11, 2025.
Pay trend
National median annual wage, 2020 to 2025: $27,870 to $35,760.
+28.3% over this period
Medians as published each May in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics national estimates. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS.
Pay by experience level
How annual pay for this occupation spreads from newcomers to the highest paid, aged to 2026.
Entry10th percentile
$30,000
Early career25th percentile
$35,000
Median50th percentile
$37,000
Experienced75th percentile
$43,000
Top earners90th percentile
$52,000
Bands are the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages for this occupation nationally. Percentiles reflect the full mix of tenure, employer, and location, so they approximate but do not equal years of experience. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS national estimates.
Where this job pays most
Top-paying states for this occupation, average annual wage aged to 2026.
State averages for this occupation from the BLS OEWS state estimates. Cost of living differs by state; a higher wage does not always mean more buying power.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET occupational database.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
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.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Non-exempt · Service, trades, or production work
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay under FLSA rules. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
Pay outlook
Five-year pay outlook for this title
2026$40,000
2027$41,500
2028$43,000
2029$44,500
2030$46,000
2031$47,500
Projection assumes market wages keep rising about 3.5% a year, consistent with recent wage growth measured by the BLS Employment Cost Index. It reflects market movement for the title, not individual raises or promotions, which vary.
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Sources and assumptions
Modeled market estimate, aged to 2026. Underlying source families are BLS OEWS May 2025 for BLS-mapped occupations and the 2018–19 collection for corporate titles. Annual aging is compounded at approximately 3–4%; geographic, industry and company-size repricing are modeled. See the role details and methodology for the applicable source and assumptions.
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