Skincare Specialists
Also called: Aesthetician, Esthetician, Medical Esthetician, Skincare SpecialistProvide skincare treatments to face and body to enhance an individual's appearance. Includes electrologists and laser hair removal specialists.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 3 of its 18 tasks, and jobs are projected to grow 8.8% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 2.7% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 7.7 hires for every 10 job openings in other services, which employs about 74% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.7.7 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $39,260 | $31,960 to $46,170 | 590 |
| Alaska | $41,240 | $35,780 to $45,760 | 120 |
| Arizona | $50,470 | $41,600 to $57,900 | 1,710 |
| Arkansas | $36,520 | $26,680 to $39,890 | 340 |
| California | $38,770 | $36,290 to $54,110 | 11,360 |
| Colorado | $54,500 | $43,300 to $76,520 | 1,510 |
| Connecticut | $43,680 | $36,170 to $55,370 | 660 |
| Delaware | $50,820 | $42,400 to $52,290 | 130 |
| District of Columbia | $77,480 | $57,660 to $116,680 | 200 |
| Florida | $43,880 | $35,600 to $62,650 | 5,270 |
| Georgia | $48,660 | $46,080 to $51,510 | 2,230 |
| Hawaii | not published | not published | 140 |
| Idaho | $34,130 | $21,950 to $43,880 | 720 |
| Illinois | $45,330 | $40,340 to $47,360 | 2,960 |
| Indiana | $44,450 | $30,160 to $52,390 | 1,120 |
| Iowa | $37,080 | $26,240 to $50,060 | 710 |
| Kansas | $45,760 | $35,860 to $54,170 | 420 |
| Kentucky | $38,580 | $28,210 to $46,280 | 830 |
| Louisiana | $36,890 | $29,620 to $47,880 | 600 |
| Maine | $55,850 | $44,320 to $76,260 | 260 |
| Maryland | $46,590 | $37,300 to $63,190 | 1,130 |
| Massachusetts | $47,310 | $43,880 to $49,300 | 1,360 |
| Michigan | $45,240 | $35,530 to $59,980 | 1,510 |
| Minnesota | $44,430 | $31,090 to $62,530 | 920 |
| Mississippi | $41,160 | $33,480 to $80,100 | 320 |
| Missouri | $45,200 | $37,250 to $67,970 | 1,390 |
| Montana | $58,500 | $46,800 to $76,040 | 280 |
| Nebraska | $58,420 | $49,300 to $68,790 | 550 |
| Nevada | $38,660 | $34,930 to $47,830 | 1,540 |
| New Hampshire | $46,890 | $32,500 to $70,210 | 430 |
| New Jersey | $45,870 | $35,660 to $50,750 | 2,660 |
| New Mexico | $47,230 | $35,090 to $66,960 | 370 |
| New York | $42,910 | $36,780 to $63,280 | 3,510 |
| North Carolina | $39,120 | $27,610 to $57,000 | 2,680 |
| North Dakota | $58,160 | $37,490 to $65,000 | 190 |
| Ohio | $39,150 | $36,700 to $52,870 | 1,700 |
| Oklahoma | $37,340 | $28,530 to $52,420 | 680 |
| Oregon | $52,110 | $39,000 to $80,140 | 1,070 |
| Pennsylvania | $43,620 | $26,780 to $58,970 | 2,560 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,440 | $22,530 to $27,150 | 330 |
| Rhode Island | $43,880 | $34,900 to $62,400 | 120 |
| South Carolina | $39,670 | $28,690 to $58,430 | 1,210 |
| South Dakota | $38,230 | $29,000 to $46,110 | 150 |
| Tennessee | $36,590 | $28,540 to $44,500 | 1,710 |
| Texas | $49,250 | $38,210 to $68,780 | 6,160 |
| Utah | $45,490 | $34,320 to $58,090 | 1,160 |
| Virginia | $39,350 | $34,410 to $49,980 | 1,970 |
| Washington | $79,320 | $59,660 to $95,260 | 2,200 |
| West Virginia | $38,030 | $30,420 to $46,790 | 80 |
| Wisconsin | $46,220 | $30,480 to $59,660 | 1,190 |
| Wyoming | $62,400 | $48,870 to $62,990 | 100 |
Nationally: $45,330. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 3 of its 18 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Sterilize equipment and clean work areas. | Not published |
| Not much | Cleanse clients' skin with water, creams, or lotions. | Not published |
| Not much | Demonstrate how to clean and care for skin properly and recommend skin-care regimens. | 0.01% |
| AI + software | Keep records of client needs and preferences and the services provided. | 0.02% |
| Not much | Examine clients' skin, using magnifying lamps or visors when necessary, to evaluate skin condition and appearance. | under 0.01% |
| Not much | Treat the facial skin to maintain and improve its appearance, using specialized techniques and products, such as peels and masks. | Not published |
See all 18 tasks
| Not much | Stay abreast of latest industry trends, products, research, and treatments. | Not published |
| Not much | Select and apply cosmetic products, such as creams, lotions, and tonics. | Not published |
| Not much | Perform simple extractions to remove blackheads. | Not published |
| Not much | Refer clients to medical personnel for treatment of serious skin problems. | under 0.01% |
| Not much | Apply chemical peels to reduce fine lines and age spots. | Not published |
| Not much | Determine which products or colors will improve clients' skin quality and appearance. | under 0.01% |
| Not much | Remove body and facial hair by applying wax. | Not published |
| Not much | Provide facial and body massages. | Not published |
| Not much | Tint eyelashes and eyebrows. | Not published |
| AI + software | Collaborate with plastic surgeons and dermatologists to provide patients with preoperative and postoperative skin care. | Not published |
| AI alone | Advise clients about colors and types of makeup and instruct them in makeup application techniques. | under 0.01% |
| Not much | Sell makeup to clients. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 6 of the 18 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 18 tasks fall under 11 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #4 Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apply hygienic or cosmetic agents to skin or hair | |||
| Advise patients or clients on medical issues | |||
| Evaluate patient or client condition or treatment options | |||
| Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise | |||
| Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas | |||
| Maintain operational records | |||
| Sell products or services | |||
| Train others to use equipment or products |
Show all 11 activities
| Administer therapeutic treatments | |||
| Train others on health or medical topics | |||
| Confer with healthcare or other professionals about patient care |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- Advice or a recommendation36%
- A document or report18%
- An email or message7%
- An explanation or answer7%
- An analysis or summary6%
How they worked with Claude
29% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for skincare specialists specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 7,367 moves out
- 1 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 6%
- 2 Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance Moderate +6.1% 6%
- 3 Retail Salespersons Very high -0.3% 5%
- 4 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Very high -6.0% 3%
- 5 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products Very high -0.9% 3%
Where people moved in from
of 6,530 moves in
- 1 Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance Moderate +6.1% 9%
- 2 Retail Salespersons Very high -0.3% 6%
- 3 Waiters and Waitresses Moderate +2.0% 4%
- 4 Dental Assistants Low +7.4% 3%
- 5 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 39% high school
- 30% postsecondary certificate
- 9% some college
- 3% post-doctoral training
- 19% not published
O*NET marks 19% of the answers as too uncertain to publish, so the parts shown don't add up to 100%.
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 17 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 2% less than high school
- 27% high school
- 37% some college
- 16% associate's
- 14% bachelor's
- 3% master's
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 1,164 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
4 programs, such as Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General, Facial Treatment Specialist/Facialist and Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist.
See all
- Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General
- Facial Treatment Specialist/Facialist
- Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist
- Master Aesthetician/Esthetician
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
>65% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a license | 85.0% | 19.1% |
| a certification | <0.5% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | 28.5% | 2.8% |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 1 registered apprenticeship in this occupation (Esthetician). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Skincare Specialists” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
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