Average Skincare Specialists Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Skincare Specialists is $45,330 per year. The middle 50% earn between $36,040 and $59,700, with 72,890 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 50 states and 226 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Skincare Specialists pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $29,580
- 25th
- $36,040
- Median
- $45,330
- 75th
- $59,700
- 90th
- $82,050
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Skincare Specialists earn close to the national median for all US workers. Solidly middle-income.
Pay varies significantly across workers. Seniority, employer size, and specialization all move the needle, so it is normal for two skincare specialists at different points in their careers to earn very different salaries.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for skincare specialists from 2024 to 2034. Growth is above the US average of about 4% across all occupations. This is an expanding field.
- Projected growth
- +6.7%
- 6,600 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 14,500
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings are high relative to the workforce size, reflecting meaningful turnover and new-hire volume.
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
Postsecondary training beyond high school is typically required, but a full four-year degree is not always necessary.
Where Skincare Specialists earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where skincare specialists work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is Washington at $79,320, about 75.0% above the national median. At the metro level, Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA leads with a median of $91,000.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $79,320 | 2,200 |
| District of Columbia | $77,480 | 200 |
| Wyoming | $62,400 | 100 |
| Montana | $58,500 | 280 |
| Nebraska | $58,420 | 550 |
| North Dakota | $58,160 | 190 |
| Maine | $55,850 | 260 |
| Colorado | $54,500 | 1,510 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $91,000 | 160 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $81,490 | 90 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $80,510 | 1,330 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $76,520 | 80 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $75,970 | 40 |
| Bellingham, WA | $64,830 | 80 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $64,370 | 140 |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | $63,630 | 200 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see skincare specialists pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Skincare Specialists rose from $34,090 to $45,330, a gain of +33.0% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $34,090 would need to be worth $42,929 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $45,330 is $2,401 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +5.6% in purchasing power.
Real wages have outpaced inflation by 5.6%, a modest but real gain in purchasing power.
- Nominal change
- +33.0%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- +5.6%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Skincare Specialists median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $45,330
- 2024
- $41,560
- 2023
- $43,200
- 2022
- $38,060
- 2021
- $37,300
- 2020
- $36,510
- 2019
- $34,090
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Barbers
- $38,210
- Manicurists And Pedicurists
- $35,760
- Shampooers
- $32,600
- Crematory Operators
- $43,650
- Residential Advisors
- $42,240
Common salary questions for Skincare Specialists
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Skincare Specialists workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.