Manicurists and Pedicurists Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of manicurists and pedicurists to grow 9.2% from 2025 to 2035 (about 18,600 more jobs), with about 21,900 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $35,760 a year ranks 791st of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +9.2%
- Openings a year
- 21,900
- Median pay
- $35,760
- Pay rank
- 791st of 825
Is employment of manicurists and pedicurists growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of manicurists and pedicurists to rise 9.2% (about 18,600 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is faster than the +4.4% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 32 personal care and service occupations with a projection. That change ranks 75th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 201,800 |
| Employment, 2035 | 220,400 |
| Projected change | +9.2% |
| Openings a year | 21,900 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 201,800 jobs here differ from the 152,770 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 21,900 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 152nd most of 830 occupations. About 92% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 1,860 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for manicurists and pedicurists rank?
The median of $35,760 a year ranks 791st of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on openings and the lower half on pay.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: postsecondary nondegree award.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists | +7.7% | 73,400 | $35,790 |
| Skincare Specialists | +8.8% | 14,200 | $45,330 |
| Barbers | +3.3% | 6,900 | $38,210 |
| Shampooers | +5.6% | 2,200 | $32,600 |
| Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance | +6.1% | 600 | $97,150 |
| Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers | +1.3% | 700 | $41,600 |
| Furniture Finishers | -3.5% | 1,500 | $44,540 |
| Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | +2.5% | 15,300 | $48,250 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.