How much should I pay a skincare specialists in 2026?

A competitive 2026 offer for Skincare Specialists is $45,323 to $59,696 (market median to the 75th percentile). BLS ECI shows retail trade wages growing about 3.4% a year, so budget a similar annual increase to stay at market.

Is a salary competitive for a skincare specialists?

Compare it to the BLS OEWS range: below $36,046 is below market, $45,323 to $59,696 is competitive, and above $59,696 is above market for Skincare Specialists.

How is skincare specialists pay changing in 2026?

Median pay for this role rose 9.1% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, outpacing the 3.4% wage growth of Retail Trade (BLS ECI). Retail Trade is running a 4.8% job-openings rate with quits at 3.0% (BLS JOLTS). Demand has tightened for 2 straight months (4.2% up to 4.8%).

Skincare Specialists Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks

SOC 39-5094 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data

Median Annual Salary

$45,323

$21.79/hr

Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026

Is this a competitive Skincare Specialists salary in 2026?

Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.

Check a salary or offer:$Competitive · ~P50

P10$30K

P25$36K

P50$45K

P75$60K

P90$82K

Drag the dot or type an amount above.

⚡

Demand: ACTIVE. Demand is active -- retail openings are at 4.8% (JOLTS, June 2026). A balanced market where the median is a solid, competitive anchor.

📈

Merit budget: Wages in retail trade are rising about 3.4% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 3.0-3.5% merit increase to hold this role at market.

Our read

For a competitive 2026 offer, target $45,323 to $59,696 (market median to the 75th percentile). The median-to-P75 range keeps offers competitive.

Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.

How Skincare Specialists pay is moving in 2026

Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI

Pay trend

Median pay for this role rose 9.1% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, outpacing the 3.4% wage growth of Retail Trade (BLS ECI).

Hiring demand · MODERATE

Retail Trade is running a 4.8% job-openings rate with quits at 3.0% (BLS JOLTS). Demand has tightened for 2 straight months (4.2% up to 4.8%).

Pay spread

Top earners (P90) make about 2.8 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is wider than typical, so expect large pay differences by experience, employer size, and geography; build generous ranges and differentiate strongly.

What changed recently

Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings climbed to 4.8% and quits returned to 3.0%. Frontline churn pressure is building again.
Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: sector wages growing 3.4% per year, up from 3.1%, one of the few sectors accelerating.

Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.

Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026

Next refresh: May 2027

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The national median salary for Skincare Specialists is $45,323 per year ($21.79/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $36,046 and $59,696 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $82,056 per year. There are approximately 72,890 skincare specialists employed in the United States.

About This Role

BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018

Provide skincare treatments to face and body to enhance an individual’s appearance. Includes electrologists and laser hair removal specialists.

Career Outlook

BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034

10-year growth

+6.7%

Faster than average

Annual openings

15K

per year, on avg

Workforce today

97K

as of 2024

Why those openings exist

5% from new growth95% from people leaving the role

Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.

Typical entry requirements

Education

Postsecondary nondegree award

Experience

None

On-the-job training

None

Industry Wage Breakdown

Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific

Industry	Workforce	Median Pay
Personal Care Services NAICS 812100	53K	$43,880
Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100	6K	$51,590
Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300	4K	$49,590
Health and Personal Care Retailers NAICS 456100	4K	$41,910
Traveler Accommodation NAICS 721100	3K	$45,240

Wage range across top 5 industries: $41,910 to $51,590 (23% spread)

Wage Percentiles

Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)

Percentile	Hourly Rate	Annual Salary
P10	$14.22	$29,578
P25	$17.33	$36,046
P50MEDIAN	$21.79	$45,323
P75	$28.70	$59,696
P90	$39.45	$82,056

Market Context Signal

JOLTS · retail sector

Active

Openings Rate

4.8%

Quits Rate

3.0%

Retail openings rose to 774K (+49K) in June, rate up to 4.8%. Frontline turnover picked back up with the quit rate at 3.0% -- expect continued churn-driven wage pressure in hourly roles.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average skincare specialists salary?

The national median salary for Skincare Specialists is $45,323 per year ($21.79/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $36,046 and $59,696 annually.

How much do top-earning skincare specialists make?

The 90th percentile salary for Skincare Specialists is $82,056 per year ($39.45/hr). The 75th percentile is $59,696 per year.

What is the entry-level salary for skincare specialists?

Entry-level Skincare Specialists (10th percentile) earn approximately $29,578 per year ($14.22/hr). The 25th percentile is $36,046 per year.

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Skincare Specialists Salary by State

Top 5 states by employment

California11,360 workers Texas6,160 workers Florida5,270 workers New York3,510 workers Illinois2,960 workers

About This Data

Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.

P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.

Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

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