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Nail Technician & Manicurist

Types of Degrees Nail Technician & Manicurist Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Nail Technician & Manicurist can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	978
Master’s Degree	10,088

What Nail Technician & Manicurist Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Nail Technician & Manicurist develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Nail Technician & Manicurist graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Nail Technician & Manicurist emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 2.6 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 2.6 / 5; level 2.3 / 7.
• Personnel and Human Resources — Importance 2.5 / 5; level 2.5 / 7.
• Sales and Marketing — Importance 2.4 / 5; level 2.5 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Nail Technician & Manicurist program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Service Orientation — Importance 3 / 5; level 2.6 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3 / 5; level 2.6 / 7.
• Social Perceptiveness — Importance 3 / 5; level 2.6 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3 / 5; level 2.8 / 7.
• Coordination — Importance 2.8 / 5; level 2.2 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Nail Technician & Manicurist careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Finger Dexterity — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3 / 5; level 2.8 / 7.
• Manual Dexterity — Importance 3 / 5; level 2.4 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Nail Technician & Manicurist graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public	3.5 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	3.2 / 7
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others	3.0 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	3.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	2.7 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	2.7 / 7
Thinking Creatively	2.7 / 7
Getting Information	2.7 / 7
Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People	2.7 / 7
Providing Consultation and Advice to Others	2.5 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Nail Technician & Manicurist professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Appointment Search	Calendar and scheduling software	—
DaySmart Software Appointment-Plus	Calendar and scheduling software	—
DaySmart Software Salon Iris	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
AppointmentQuest Online Appointment Scheduler	Calendar and scheduling software	—
Customer information databases	Customer relationship management CRM software	—
Aknaf ADVANTAGE Salon Software and Spa Software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Facebook	Web page creation and editing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Nail Technician & Manicurist graduates include:

• Fingernail Former
• Fingernail Sculpturer
• Fingernail Sculptor
• Nail Technician (Nail Tech)
• Nail Artist
• Manicurist
• Fingernail Technician
• Spa Nail Technician (Spa Nail Tech)
• Licensed Nail Technician (Licensed Nail Tech)
• Pedicurist
• Salon Nail Technician (Salon Nail Tech)

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Nail Technician & Manicurist graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	49.2%
Less than a high school diploma	35.8%
Postsecondary certificate	14.8%
Some college courses	0.3%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Nail Technician & Manicurist?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 96.5% of Nail Technician & Manicurist degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	13,930	96.5%
Men	512	3.5%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Nail Technician & Manicurist graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	3,950	27.4%
Asian	1,568	10.9%
Hispanic or Latino	5,962	41.3%
Black or African American	1,952	13.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native	115	0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	64	0.4%
Two or More Races	485	3.4%
Race Unknown	186	1.3%
International Students	160	1.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Nail Technician & Manicurist Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Nail Technician & Manicurist 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 Nail Technician & Manicurist Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Nail Technician & Manicurist 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
Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist	12.0409
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
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.