Career
Skincare specialists
Care for people's skin.
$45,330
Median pay
+8.8%
Job growth, 2025–35
14,200
Openings a year
Postsecondary nondegree award
Typical education
Under 2 years
Typical time after high school
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Sterilize equipment and clean work areas.
- Cleanse clients' skin with water, creams, or lotions.
- Demonstrate how to clean and care for skin properly and recommend skin-care regimens.
- Determine which products or colors will improve clients' skin quality and appearance.
- Keep records of client needs and preferences and the services provided.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on objects & tools, then people & care?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Sterilize equipment and clean work areas.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Speaking, Service Orientation, Active Listening, Monitoring.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
Under 2 years of education after high school (postsecondary nondegree award), for a median of $45,330 a year and 14,200 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, GeneralCIP 12.0401
- Facial Treatment Specialist/FacialistCIP 12.0408
- Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care SpecialistCIP 12.0409
- Master Aesthetician/EstheticianCIP 12.0414
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$35,790 · +7.7%
- Shampooers$32,600 · +5.6%
- Massage Therapists$58,450 · +15.3%
- Dermatologists$328,730 · +6.8%
- Surgical Technologists$64,650 · +5.0%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.