How to hire an esthetician

How to hire an esthetician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step esthetician hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an esthetician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new esthetician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an esthetician do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The esthetician hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an esthetician to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an esthetician that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of estheticians.

   Type of Esthetician	Description	Hourly rate
   Esthetician	Skincare specialists cleanse and beautify the face and body to enhance a person’s appearance.	$13-28
   Skin Therapist	A skin therapist is a licensed professional who specializes in recommending and implementing treatments to improve skin health. Their responsibilities revolve around meeting with clients to identify their needs and skin conditions, conduct assessments and evaluations, suggest skincare products, and perform treatments such as hair removal, facial cleansing, and other techniques, ensuring client satisfaction... Show more	$9-20
   Licensed Esthetician	Licensed Estheticians are responsible for cleaning and maintaining a client's skin. They normally provide services such as facials, pore cleansing, exfoliating, chemical peels, waxing, aromatherapy, and body wraps at a salon or spa... Show more	$12-29

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Excellent Guest
   • Cleanliness
   • Retail Products
   • Body Treatments
   • Treatment Rooms
   • PCA
   • Retail Sales
   • Product Sales
   • Work Ethic
   • Skin Care Products
   • Spa Services
   • TIP
   • Product Knowledge

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the aesthetics department and perform consultations with patients regarding aesthetic and facial surgery procedures.
   • Cleanse skin and remove makeup.
   • Close group for PCA skin care professionals only.
   • Maintain HIPPA privacy laws while reviewing patient's history.
   • Assist in surgery and process tissue for Mohs surgery.
   • Assist with and document Botox, Injectables and Sclerotherapy procedures.

   More esthetician duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your esthetician job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An esthetician can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, estheticians' average salary in indiana is 49% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level estheticians 53% less than senior-level estheticians.
   • Certifications. An esthetician with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an esthetician's salary.

   Average esthetician salary

   $41,419yearly

   $19.91 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level esthetician salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average esthetician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$60,147	$29
   2	Connecticut	$49,886	$24
   3	Nevada	$48,185	$23
   4	Alabama	$46,343	$22
   5	Missouri	$45,816	$22
   6	North Carolina	$45,455	$22
   7	Massachusetts	$44,688	$21
   8	Arizona	$44,582	$21
   9	Michigan	$44,149	$21
   10	Colorado	$42,499	$20
   11	South Carolina	$41,984	$20
   12	Kansas	$41,772	$20
   13	Texas	$41,187	$20
   14	Oregon	$40,673	$20
   15	Ohio	$40,576	$20
   16	Rhode Island	$40,169	$19
   17	Illinois	$39,766	$19
   18	California	$38,346	$18
   19	West Virginia	$37,948	$18
   20	New York	$37,285	$18

   Average esthetician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Lancaster General Health	$60,821	$29.24
   2	Tioga Downs Casino	$51,854	$24.93
   3	Jonathan Club	$51,242	$24.64
   4	Dorsey Schools	$51,169	$24.60
   5	Treasure Island Resort & Casino	$50,477	$24.27	14
   6	Yaamava' Resort & Casino	$50,166	$24.12
   7	Soothe	$49,477	$23.79
   8	Penn National Gaming	$49,110	$23.61
   9	Denver Public Schools	$47,715	$22.94
   10	Sea Island	$47,030	$22.61
   11	Florida Medical Clinic	$46,453	$22.33
   12	Spectrum Health	$46,447	$22.33
   13	European Wax Center	$45,942	$22.09	135
   14	Advanced Dermatology Associates	$45,939	$22.09	9
   15	Massage Envy	$45,895	$22.06	26
   16	Northern Quest Resort & Casino	$45,570	$21.91
   17	WTS International	$45,268	$21.76
   18	UPMC	$45,177	$21.72
   19	Atlantic Health	$44,999	$21.63
   20	Fairmont Schools	$44,794	$21.54	2

4. Writing an esthetician job description

   A good esthetician job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an esthetician job description:

   Esthetician job description example

   Are you an experienced esthetician looking for a safe, fun and satisfying work environment with lots of opportunity? Then look no further because Hand and Stone may be the place for you!
   
   Elevate your career working for an exceptional company. We pride ourselves on our warm family environment where we respect and understand our therapists and your craft. Successful candidates should be professional and dedicated healers, with an active Esthetician license, at least 500 hours of training and two years or more of spa experience. We are very busy and need you! You won't sit. Come join us!
   What’s in it for you?
   
   Variable serviced based commission and hourly pay when not in service A wide array of commissionable upgraded services to meet our clients' needs Flexible schedules; full or part time. We encourage you to schedule where you will be busy. Professional and safe work environment Breaks and your wellness respected Free monthly massage or facial for full time therapists Employee discounts on products Employee referral bonus Snacks Fun Monthly Contests We have strict safety protocols that exceed state and county requirements for the health of all, including disinfection, paperless transactions, hand washing and ultraviolet-C HEPA filtered air.
   
   Compensation is per massage, hourly pay between appointments, upgrade commission opportunities, fun contests and bonuses. Yes, you really can make over 60 dollars per massage here, including tips. Ask us how. More importantly, we offer a SAFE and GREAT place to work, with many employees still with us since we opened eight years ago.
   
   Please call or respond to this ad with your resume. We'll get back to you right away. We are an equal opportunity employer. Applicants should be a California licensed Esthetician or Cosmetologist with MORE THAN THREE YEARS SPA EXPERIENCE and should currently have insurance. Proficiency in all types of facials including various types of peels, microdermabrasion, LED treatments and remediation should be demonstrated. Sorry, we DO NOT offer lash extensions. We we will train you on Alle’s phenomenal Dermalinfusion machine that delivers immediate and noticeable results. Our clients love it! You will too! Understanding how to match the client's need and skin type with services is the key to customer satisfaction and your success.
   
   With our wide array of upgraded facial services, you should expect to earn up to $60+ per service performed inclusive of tips. Please email your resume and compensation history to the link below.
   
   We are an equal opportunity employer M/F/TG/V/D. All final candidates must pass a background check. We appreciate your interest, however; only qualified candidates will be contacted. I acknowledge that I am applying for employment with an independently owned and operated Hand and Stone franchisee, a separate company and employer from Hand and Stone Franchise Corp. and any of its affiliates or subsidiaries. I understand that each independent franchisee is solely responsible for all decisions relating to employees including and without limitation hiring and termination, benefits, compensation, day to day activities, and terms or conditions of employment. Hand and Stone Franchise Corp. does not accept, review or store my application. Any questions about my application or the hiring process must be directed to the locally owned and operated Hand and Stone franchisee.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right esthetician for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your esthetician job on Zippia to find and recruit esthetician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit estheticians, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new esthetician

   Once you've found the esthetician candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new esthetician first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an esthetician?