Manicurists and Pedicurists
Clean and shape customers' fingernails and toenails. May polish or decorate nails.
Also known as: Fingernail Former, Fingernail Sculptor, Fingernail Sculpturer, Fingernail Technician, Licensed Nail Technician (Licensed Nail Tech), Manicurist, Nail Artist, Nail Technician (Nail Tech), ...
Annual Salary
Median annual wage (May 2024)
Job Outlook
Projected growth, 2024–2034 (Faster than average)
What You'd Do
- Clean and sanitize tools and work environment.
- Schedule client appointments and accept payments.
- Remove previously applied nail polish, using liquid remover and swabs.
- Shape and smooth ends of nails, using scissors, files, or emery boards.
- Apply undercoat and clear or colored polish onto nails with brush.
- Advise clients on nail care and use of products and colors.
- Maintain supply inventories and records of client services.
- Roughen surfaces of fingernails, using abrasive wheel.
- Promote and sell nail care products.
- Polish nails, using powdered polish and buffer.
- Whiten underside of nails with white paste or pencils.
- Decorate clients' nails by piercing or attaching ornaments or designs.
- 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.
- Use rotary abrasive wheels to shape and smooth nails or artificial extensions.
- Assess the condition of clients' hands, remove dead skin, and massage hands.
- Treat nails to repair or improve strength and resilience by wrapping.
- Extend nails using powder, solvent, and paper forms attached to tips of customers' fingers to support and shape artificial nails.
Top Skills
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Knowledge Areas
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation by education level
Technology & Tools
Software and tools commonly used in this role
In-Demand Technologies
Other Tools
Work Styles
Personality traits and work styles important for this career
Key Abilities
Cognitive, physical, and sensory abilities important for this role
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Activities
General types of job behaviors occurring on this job
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Environment
Physical and social factors that influence the nature of work
Related Careers
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Salary data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Outlook data: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.