Manicurists and Pedicurists
Also called: Fingernail Former, Fingernail Sculptor, Fingernail Sculpturer, Fingernail Technician, Licensed Nail Technician (Licensed Nail Tech), Manicurist, Nail Artist, Nail Technician (Nail Tech)
Clean and shape customers' fingernails and toenails.
What manicurists and pedicurists do
Typical tasks
- Clean and sanitize tools and work environment.
- Apply undercoat and clear or colored polish onto nails with brush.
- Maintain supply inventories and records of client services.
- Shape and smooth ends of nails, using scissors, files, or emery boards.
- Prepare nail cuticles with water and oil, using cuticle knives to push back cuticles and scissors or nippers to trim cuticles.
- Prepare customers' nails in soapy water, using swabs, files, and orange sticks.
- Remove previously applied nail polish, using liquid remover and swabs.
- Use rotary abrasive wheels to shape and smooth nails or artificial extensions.
- Schedule client appointments and accept payments.
- Assess the condition of clients' hands, remove dead skin, and massage hands.
- Roughen surfaces of fingernails, using abrasive wheel.
- Advise clients on nail care and use of products and colors.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Manicurists and Pedicurists salary
The median annual wage for manicurists and pedicurists is $35,760 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $28,920 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $50,140. The mean annual wage is $38,570.
The mean hourly wage of $18.00 is 2.5× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Manicurists and Pedicurists (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $35,760 → in 3 years $39,600 → in 5 years $42,500 → in 10 years $50,400 (10-year range $43,300–$58,500). The model assumes pay growth of +3.5% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Manicurists and Pedicurists
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Manicurists and Pedicurists? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Manicurists and Pedicurists
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Manicurists and Pedicurists United States | ネイリスト Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $35,760 | ¥3.54M ≈ $22,504 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $50,400 | ¥4.81M |
| Outlook score | 64 | 50 |
| AI replacement risk | 19% Very low | 24% Low |
| Workers | 153K | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Manicurists and Pedicurists
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 2 — some preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★☆☆☆☆ Easy to enter (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become manicurists and pedicurists
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as manicurists and pedicurists
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.