Manicurist

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Work Tasks

• Clean, shape, and buff fingernails and toenails
• Take off old nail polish and put new polish on the nails
• Keep tools and equipment clean and neat
• May answer the phone, make appointments, and take payments
• Work indoors for styling salons, department stores, hotels, hospitals, and shops that do nails
• Work with scissors, cuticle knives, files, emery boards, white paste; nail polish, brushes, cleaners, and polish removers; swabs, soapy water, and oil

Salary, Size & Growth

• $24,000 average per year ($11.50 per hour)
• A medium occupation (66,200 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow moderately (1.8% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: A high school diploma and certificate of completion of manicurist training
• Employers Prefer: Graduation from a state-licensed barber or cosmetology school
• Skills/Courses: Courses include cosmetology classes in manicuring and pedicuring
• Certification/Licensing: All states require manicurists to be licensed.