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The differences between hair stylists and nail technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a hair stylist has an average salary of $38,221, which is higher than the $30,503 average annual salary of a nail technician.
The top three skills for a hair stylist include cosmetology, clips and kids. The most important skills for a nail technician are work ethic, customer service, and cleanliness.
| Hair Stylist | Nail Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $38,221 | $30,503 |
| Hourly rate | $18.38 | $14.66 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 22% |
| Number of jobs | 49,578 | 9,115 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 31% | High School Diploma, 28% |
| Average age | 40 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | - |
A Hair Stylist's role is to provide services such as haircuts, treatments, coloring, styling, and even maintenance. Most of the time, the clients choose which style or treatment they would prefer, which is why a Hair Stylist must have extensive knowledge and keep up the current trends in Hair Styling. Moreover, a Hair Stylist can also recommend styling and treatments that would suit the client, even sell Hair Care products. Aside from providing quality service, it is also essential for a Hair Stylist to build rapport with clients to ensure customer satisfaction and have a robust client base.
Nail technicians are beauty specialists that provide grooming services to a client's fingernails and toenails. They are trained proficiently in filling, cleaning, and grooming as well as various nail treatments. They can either work in salons, nail studios, spas, or can be self-employed. Their duties include providing high-quality manicures and pedicures, applying artificial nails, and recommending different nail art and designs to the client. Also, they advise clients on proper nail care and provide quality hand and foot massages. Additionally, they ensure that the nail instruments and equipment are sanitized, and work stations are neat and orderly.
Hair stylists and nail technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hair Stylist | Nail Technician | |
| Average salary | $38,221 | $30,503 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $53,000 | Between $17,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Scottsdale, AZ | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Maryland |
| Best paying company | - | J.F. Shea Co |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a hair stylist and a nail technician in terms of educational background:
| Hair Stylist | Nail Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 31% | High School Diploma, 28% |
| Most common major | Cosmetology | Cosmetology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between hair stylists' and nail technicians' demographics:
| Hair Stylist | Nail Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 9.2% Female, 90.8% | Male, 16.0% Female, 84.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 7.6% White, 59.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 2.4% Unknown, 2.0% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 51.7% White, 30.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 5% |