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Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist

Types of Degrees Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	3,722
Associate’s Degree	62
Master’s Degree	38,641

What Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist Majors Need to Know

Programs in Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• Sales and Marketing — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 2.8 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Service Orientation — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Speech Recognition — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.5 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.4 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.3 / 7
Selling or Influencing Others	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.3 / 7
Scheduling Work and Activities	4.2 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.2 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.1 / 7
Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People	4 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Spa management software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist graduates include:

• Skincare Therapist
• Licensed Aesthetician
• Brow Waxing Expert
• Waxing Specialist
• Aesthetician
• Skincare Specialist
• Medical Esthetician
• Licensed Esthetician
• Skin Therapist
• Aesthetic RN Injector (Aesthetic Registered Nurse Injector)
• Facialist
• Spa Therapist
• Spa Technician (Spa Tech)
• Electrolysis Needle Operator
• Master Esthetician

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	39.1%
Postsecondary certificate	30.2%
Master’s degree	19.2%
Some college courses	8.8%
Post-doctoral training	2.6%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 98.9% of Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	42,284	98.9%
Men	454	1.1%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	16,416	38.4%
Asian	1,377	3.2%
Hispanic or Latino	12,992	30.4%
Black or African American	7,982	18.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	376	0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	220	0.5%
Two or More Races	1,862	4.4%
Race Unknown	1,393	3.3%
International Students	120	0.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$17,533
4 years	$20,210
5 years	$22,425

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $22,425 — roughly 28% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Esthetician, Skin Care Specialist graduates earn a median of $20,210 four years after completion — about 47% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services	12.04
Barbering/Barber	12.0402
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Arts, Other	12.0499
Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor	12.0413
Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General	12.0401
Electrolysis/Electrology and Electrolysis Technician	12.0404
Facial Treatment Specialist/Facialist	12.0408
Hair Styling/Stylist and Hair Design	12.0407
Make-Up Artist/Specialist	12.0406
Master Aesthetician/Esthetician	12.0414
Nail Technician/Specialist and Manicurist	12.0410
Permanent Cosmetics/Makeup and Tattooing	12.0411

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.