For information only. Not meant as advice in any form. Please consult your medical professional or lawyer.
An esthetician is a licensed skincare specialist that provides wraps, facials, scrubs, and other skin and body treatments for their clients in spas, salons, and resorts. It’s a fulfilling profession, especially for people who like helping others look and feel their best. But like any other job, one of the biggest things to consider when joining the esthetics industry is knowing how much a licensed esthetician earns.
So how much do estheticians make with their own business? Self-employed estheticians may earn as much as $52,100 per year in their own practice, but this relies on having a strong customer base. Their salary or profit also depends on their experience and specialization, so it’s best to invest in themselves as professionals and attend training programs.
Having an esthetician job sounds glamorous because it involves helping clients with their conditions and recommending the best skin care treatments for them. The road to getting an esthetician license isn’t an easy one, so it’s not surprising for an aspiring esthetician to expect to bring in the big bucks as they venture into the beauty industry.
According to the Associated Skin Care Professionals, there are about 183,000 licensed estheticians in the country, most of whom work in spas, salons, and medical settings like hospitals and physician’s offices. The national average salary for them is $38,324 per year, with New York leading at $45,484 annually.
But working in a medical spa or other healthcare institutions might not provide enough salary for some licensed estheticians, especially for medical estheticians who are supposed to be earning more because of the additional medical esthetician training they completed. To earn more as a skin care specialist, many estheticians are looking into starting their own practice.
The average salary for self-employed licensed estheticians in the country is $52,100, but this still depends on having a good clientele base and the rates of cosmetic treatments offered by the practice. Once a self-employed master esthetician has become well-established with a good reputation in their chosen area, they can earn as much as $100,000 on their premium services and skin care products.
The annual salary of an esthetician is the sum of 3 different sources of income:
Estheticians have different salary ranges that depend on their experiences, location, and pay structure. Those who are lucky enough to find a place in wealthy areas with a handful of upmarket salons cater to well-off clients, so they usually have higher salaries and receive bigger tips and commission rates.
The salary of an esthetician depends on their specialization and experience. For example, a medical esthetician earns more than a massage therapist, spa therapist, or standard esthetician because they went through additional training after finishing esthetician school.
Their job description requires them to perform more complex treatments like permanent makeup treatment or eyelash extension, so it’s natural for them to have a slightly higher salary. To increase the salary in a business, find a good type of skin treatment to specialize in and follow the trends in that niche.
As estheticians gain more experience, they establish a good reputation in the industry which gives them the right to charge more for their services. Having good customer service also increases the tips received from their clients too.
Want to increase your income as a self-employed aesthetician? Here are some of the most effective ways to maximize the income potential as you operate an esthetician business or practice:
Finding the right niche to specialize in is often the game changer that many estheticians don’t realize. If the business fails to attract the right clients because of failed marketing messages and frequent service list do-overs, then identifying the right specialization comes in handy. Here are questions that can help estheticians and spa owners find the appropriate niche for them:
After mastering a niche and establishing a reputation in that particular service, the next step is to offer additional services. It’s good to focus on a niche, but it’s even better to master lots of other treatments too.
Continuing the esthetic education and enhancing the skill set are some of the most common ways that beauty experts earn more money in the industry. When looking for a training or certification program, make sure that the institution is approved or accredited by the state or the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences (NACCAS).
Here are some of the best services to learn more about:
For estheticians who manage their own practice, the business must purchase and use different supplies efficiently. This prevents problems and errors from occurring, but it’s also a good way to save money. Here’s a list of important equipment to invest in when starting an esthetician business:
Aside from the services, another way for esthetician businesses to make money is to sell retail products. It’s a classic marketing idea that brings in cash through the commission from selling certain skincare products.
For example, if a client loved their facial treatment, then the staff could sell them the oil or scrub they used during the service. This also goes for other products like makeup and nail polish. Retail products are the secret weapon that skincare specialists use to earn a little extra.
Upselling is another lucrative sales technique that many estheticians use. It works by persuading the client to choose a premium service for their skin treatment or add a complimentary service of their choice. This gives estheticians a chance to offer premium services for a higher price point than the initial service.
For example, some clients can be persuaded into adding microdermabrasion or specialized essential oils into their premium facial. Estheticians may also entice their clients into adding a blackhead removal service to their regular facial treatment.
Upselling is all about giving the client a great deal that they can’t resist. As a result, they’re happy with their service because of a good deal and they’ll likely be back for more, leading to the consistency that many startup medical spas need as they build a loyal customer base.
Charging what the service or skill is worth is one of the most important things for estheticians. Offering skin treatments at the right price ensures that the business gets adequate pay, but it also boosts the esthetician’s confidence in their own experience.
To avoid undercharging, the first thing to do is to create a simple and clear charging process that’s easy to understand for the staff and the client. Keep the price list minimal and know exactly what each charge is for. Here are some tips to help practices avoid undercharging:
Esthetician jobs require people to continuously learn different things even after getting their license. At FACE Med Store, we offer online training courses for estheticians who want to expand their skillset and provide more cosmetic treatments for their clients.
We’re also a trusted partner of many healthcare institutions across the country when it comes to providing high-quality medical supplies they need for their practice. Call us now or visit our website to know more about our training courses or the other products we offer.