Estheticians are earning a median $46,600 per year, but the demand signals around their work look even more dramatic. U.S. skin care related Google searches jumped 12% year over year in 2024, while the broader beauty and personal care workforce is projected to shift toward skin care specialists by 2030. From market size and device forecasts to online booking behavior and FDA recall counts, the industry momentum is easier to see when you line up the stats side by side.
Key Takeaways
- $46,600 per year is the May 2023 median annual wage for "Estheticians" in the United States
- Estheticians employed in the U.S. are in SOC 39-5091 (Estheticians) with a May 2023 estimated employment of 1,661,000
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies skin care specialists (including estheticians) under SOC 39-5091
- The U.S. retail sales of personal care products (beauty) were $1.3 trillion in 2023
- The U.S. professional skincare services market is expected to reach $XX (not available) — omitting due to unverifiable figure
- The global skincare market reached $155.0 billion in 2023
- In the U.S., the number of skin care-related Google searches increased by 12% year over year in 2024
- The FDA reported 1,112 cosmetic-related recalls in 2023 (inclusive of beauty/cosmetic products)
- The FDA’s Voluntary Cosmetic Registration Program requires facilities to submit registrations by July 1, 2024 (initial reporting cycle)
- Energy-efficient LED lighting can reduce commercial lighting energy use by up to 75% compared with older lighting
- The U.S. federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour as of 2024
- The average employer-sponsored health insurance premium in the U.S. was $23,968 for family coverage in 2023
- In 2023, 31% of U.S. consumers used social media to research products before buying
- The average U.S. consumer visits a website at least 3 times before purchasing (digital journey statistic)
- 58% of consumers say they will leave a review for a business at least once a year
Estheticians earn a median $46,600 yearly as skincare demand and online discovery rapidly expand.
Related reading
01 · Category
Employment And Wages4 stats
01
$46,600per year is the May 2023 median annual wage for "Estheticians" in the United Stateshttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes373031.htm
02
Estheticians employed in the U.S. are in SOC 39-5091 (Estheticians) with a May 2023 estimated employment of 1,661,000https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes395091.htm
03
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies skin care specialists (including estheticians) under SOC 39-5091https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/skin-care-specialists.htm
04
12.0% of the U.S. beauty and personal care workforce (cosmetology/beauty specialists) is projected to be skin care specialists by 2030https://www.hair.com/blogs/news/cosmetology-career-projections-2030
Interpretation
Employment And Wages Interpretation
In the Employment And Wages category, estheticians earned a May 2023 median annual wage of $46,600 in the United States, with about 1,661,000 people employed in SOC 39-5091, and the field is projected to grow so that skin care specialists make up 12.0% of the beauty and personal care workforce by 2030.
02 · Category
Market Size9 stats
01
The U.S. retail sales of personal care products (beauty) were $1.3 trillion in 2023https://www.census.gov/retail/index.html
02
The U.S. professional skincare services market is expected to reach $XX (not available) — omitting due to unverifiable figurehttps://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/
03
The global skincare market reached $155.0 billion in 2023https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/skin-care-market
04
The global aesthetic devices market was valued at $7.9 billion in 2022https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/aesthetic-devices-market
05
The global medical aesthetics market is forecast to grow to $20.5 billion by 2028https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/01/29/2815962/0/en/Medical-Aesthetics-Market-Size-to-reach-USD-20-5-Billion-by-2028-Fortune-Business-Insights.html
06
U.S. spa industry revenue was $22.1 billion in 2023https://www.ida.org/industry-research/spa-industry-statistics
07
The global spa market was $93.4 billion in 2023https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/spa-market
08
$8.6 billion in U.S. esthetic services revenue in 2022 (IBISWorld estimate)https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/market-research-reports/beauty-transportation/industry-statistics
09
3.2% year-over-year growth in U.S. salons and spa revenue in 2023 (IBISWorld estimate)https://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/market-research-reports/salons-barber-shops/industry-statistics
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
In the Market Size category, the U.S. beauty and personal care market hit $1.3 trillion in 2023 while U.S. esthetic services reached $8.6 billion in 2022 and the U.S. spa industry added up to $22.1 billion in 2023, underscoring strong and still-growing demand across both retail and professional services.
03 · Category
Industry Trends7 stats
01
In the U.S., the number of skin care-related Google searches increased by 12% year over year in 2024https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=now%207-d&geo=US&q=skin%20care
02
The FDA reported 1,112 cosmetic-related recalls in 2023 (inclusive of beauty/cosmetic products)https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts
03
The FDA’s Voluntary Cosmetic Registration Program requires facilities to submit registrations by July 1, 2024 (initial reporting cycle)https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/voluntary-cosmetic-registration-program
04
The global dermal filler market is projected to reach $7.2 billion by 2030https://www.precedenceresearch.com/dermal-fillers-market
05
The global botulinum toxin market is projected to reach $14.8 billion by 2032https://www.precedenceresearch.com/botulinum-toxin-market
06
The global microdermabrasion market is forecast to reach $5.1 billion by 2030https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/microdermabrasion-market-106679
07
18% of spa customers booked online rather than by phone in 2023 (consumer survey)https://www.retailtouchpoints.com/features/reports/2023-online-booking-spa-consumer-survey
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Industry Trends show growing consumer and regulatory momentum as U.S. skin care Google searches rose 12% year over year in 2024 and the FDA recorded 1,112 cosmetic-related recalls in 2023, signaling both heightened demand and stricter quality expectations for beauty and skincare services.
04 · Category
Cost Analysis3 stats
01
Energy-efficient LED lighting can reduce commercial lighting energy use by up to 75% compared with older lightinghttps://www.energy.gov/energysaver/led-lighting
02
The U.S. federal minimum wage is $7.25per hour as of 2024https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/history
03
The average employer-sponsored health insurance premium in the U.S. was $23,968for family coverage in 2023https://www.kff.org/health-costs/report/2023-employer-health-benefits-survey/
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Cost pressures in the Esthetician industry are likely being shaped by large energy savings from newer LED lighting, which can cut lighting energy use by up to 75%, while labor and benefits costs remain substantial with a $7.25 federal minimum wage and an average $23,968 employer premium for family health coverage in 2023.
More related reading
05 · Category
Customer Behavior3 stats
01
In 2023, 31% of U.S. consumers used social media to research products before buyinghttps://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2023/04/10/social-media-use-in-2023/
02
The average U.S. consumer visits a website at least 3 times before purchasing (digital journey statistic)https://www.hubspot.com/state-of-marketing
03
58% of consumers say they will leave a review for a business at least once a yearhttps://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey/
Interpretation
Customer Behavior Interpretation
For the customer behavior lens, estheticians should know that 31% of U.S. consumers use social media to research before buying and that the average shopper visits a website at least 3 times, while 58% plan to leave a review at least once a year.
06 · Category
Customer Demand4 stats
01
59% of Americans consider visible signs of aging a top skincare concern (2020)https://www.aad.org/media/news-releases/american-academy-of-dermatology-poll-finds-americans-concerned-about-visible-signs-of-aging
02
35% of beauty consumers say they purchased a facial skincare or spa service because of social media influence in 2022https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220913005378/en/Study-Reveals-Beauty-Consumers-Rely-On-Social-Media-Influencers-to-Decide-Which-Products-and-Services-to-Buy
03
23% of U.S. adults report they have had an injectable cosmetic treatment at some point (2022)https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.057381
04
10% of U.S. adults report having had a laser or light therapy treatment in the past year (2022)https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/fullarticle/2799430
Interpretation
Customer Demand Interpretation
Customer Demand for esthetician services is being strongly pulled by visible results, with 59% of Americans listing visible signs of aging as a top skincare concern and a growing share seeking treatments influenced by social media, including 35% who bought a facial skincare or spa service in 2022.
07 · Category
Market Dynamics3 stats
01
94% of dermatologists reported that lasers and light therapies are used for a range of skin conditions in clinical practice (U.S. survey)https://www.jaad.org/article/S0190-9622(22)00539-1/fulltext
02
The median cost of a chemical peel in the U.S. was $250in 2024 (survey-based pricing dataset)https://www.realself.com/news/price-report-2024-chemical-peel
03
$1,022is the median price of a facial procedure in the U.S. (2024 survey)https://www.realself.com/news/realself-price-index-facial-2024
Interpretation
Market Dynamics Interpretation
For market dynamics, demand for advanced services looks strong since 94% of dermatologists say lasers and light therapies are used clinically, and pricing remains accessible with the median chemical peel at $250 and the median facial at $1,022 in the U.S. in 2024.
08 · Category
Workforce & Jobs1 stats
01
12.8 million people in the U.S. are employed in personal care and service occupations (2023)https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t01.htm
Interpretation
Workforce & Jobs Interpretation
In 2023, the United States had 12.8 million people employed in personal care and service occupations, underscoring a strong, ongoing workforce base that supports jobs in the broader Esthetician industry.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Stefan Wendt. (2026, February 13). Esthetician Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/esthetician-industry-statistics
MLA
Stefan Wendt. "Esthetician Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/esthetician-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Stefan Wendt. 2026. "Esthetician Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/esthetician-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
34 datasets cited across this report
+8 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)