Skin care specialists, which also include cosmeticians, earned median salaries of $43,200 in May 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The lowest 10 percent earned $27,600, and the top 10 percent earned $81,230 or more.
Salaries for cosmeticians vary widely based on where they work, the method of payment (commission and tips only or commission, salary, and tips), and the clientele. Those working solely on commission and tips will generally have low beginning incomes as they build a steady clientele. In addition, not every company provides health benefits, which adds extra costs for the entry-level cosmetician who may already be struggling. Some companies pay a salary plus commission, which obviously is better for the entry-level cosmetician who has yet to establish a clientele. Some salaries start at or near minimum wage.
It is usually not until the cosmetician reaches a manager or director position that he or she will make upwards of $50,000.
- Apparel Industry Workers
- Barbers
- Buyers
- Chemical Engineers
- Chemical Technicians
- Color Analysts
- Cosmetics Sales Representatives
- Cosmetics Shop Owners and Managers
- Cosmetologists
- Costume Designers
- Electrologists
- Ethical Sourcing Officer
- Fabric Designers
- Fashion Coordinators
- Fashion Designers
- Fashion Illustrators
- Fashion Models' Agents
- Fashion Photographers
- Fashion Stylists
- Fashion Writers and Editors
- Green Products Manufacturers
- Image Consultants
- Industrial Designers
- Jewelers and Jewelry Repairers
- Laboratory Testing Technicians
- Makeup Artists
- Manufacturing Supervisors
- Massage Therapists
- Models
- Mortuary Cosmetologists
- Nail Technicians
- Packaging Engineers
- Product Development Directors
- Product Management Directors
- Product Managers
- Quality Control Engineers
- Quality Control Technicians
- Sales Managers
- Spa Attendants
- Spa Managers
- Tailors and Dressmakers
- Textile Manufacturing Workers