If you are passionate about skincare and beauty and want to help others achieve healthy, beautiful looking skin, a job as an esthetician, or also called as aesthetician, might be the perfect career path choice for you. In this position, you can expect to spend your days performing chemical peels and facials and educating clients on how to best treat skin problems among other job duties. Here is some helpful information on how to become an esthetician.
Education Requirements
The first step to becoming a certified esthetician is to complete a cosmetology program at a community college or technical school. These programs include both lectures and hands-on training to best prepare students for a career in the field. To earn licensure, this training must meet the requirements set by the state’s board of cosmetology, which often requires at least 600 hours of coursework followed by a state licensing exam. Some states allow an esthetician apprenticeship as an alternative to formal education.
Career Paths
Estheticians are employed in a wide variety of settings including salons, spas, medispas, and wellness centers. They may even be found working in a dermatology or plastic surgeon office. Some individuals choose to pursue freelance work and offer their services to cruise or travel spas, work on movie sets, or specialize in weddings. For individuals with entrepreneurial ambitions, estheticians have the opportunity to become business owners and open a clinic or salon of their own.
Industry Outlook and Median Salary
Awareness of the skincare industry has grown in recent years which has contributed to the field’s fast growth. According the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is an expected 13.8 percent employment growth for estheticians and other skincare specialists between 2016 and 2026. The median salary for this career is $30,000, with most people making around $18,000 the first year and the top 10 percent making closer to $60,000.
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