Post job

What is a cosmetician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
introduction image
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a cosmetician. For example, did you know that they make an average of $38.61 an hour? That's $80,315 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 1% and produce 46,900 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreCosmeticianUS Average
Salary
6.3

Avg. Salary $80,315

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.1

Growth rate 1%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.00%

Asian 6.17%

Black or African American 10.78%

Hispanic or Latino 22.47%

Unknown 5.72%

White 53.86%

Gender

female 97.20%

male 2.80%

Age - 35
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 35
Stress level
7.1

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.1

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Cosmetician career paths

Key steps to become a cosmetician

  1. Explore cosmetician education requirements

    Most common cosmetician degrees

    High School Diploma

    41.8 %

    Bachelor's

    24.2 %

    Associate

    19.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific cosmetician skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Customer Service59.26%
    Merchandise Displays15.58%
    Skin Care6.97%
    Cosmetic Products6.07%
    Inventory Control5.32%
  3. Complete relevant cosmetician training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New cosmeticians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a cosmetician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real cosmetician resumes.
  4. Research cosmetician duties and responsibilities

    • Administer make-up application to customers during cosmetic demonstrations
    • Administer make-up application to customers during cosmetic demonstrations
  5. Prepare your cosmetician resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your cosmetician resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a cosmetician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable cosmetician resume templates

    Build a professional cosmetician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your cosmetician resume.
    Cosmetician Resume
    Cosmetician Resume
    Cosmetician Resume
    Cosmetician Resume
    Cosmetician Resume
    Cosmetician Resume
    Cosmetician Resume
    Cosmetician Resume
    Cosmetician Resume
  6. Apply for cosmetician jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a cosmetician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first cosmetician job

Zippi

Are you a cosmetician?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average cosmetician salary

The average cosmetician salary in the United States is $80,315 per year or $39 per hour. Cosmetician salaries range between $51,000 and $125,000 per year.

Average cosmetician salary
$80,315 Yearly
$38.61 hourly

What am I worth?

salary-calculator

How do cosmeticians rate their job?

Working as a cosmetician? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall rating*
Career growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Cosmetician FAQs

Search for cosmetician jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse office and administrative jobs