SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Clean and shape customers’ fingernails and toenails. May polish or decorate nails.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 39-5092.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $28,920 | $2,410 | $556 | $13.90 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $34,010 | $2,834 | $654 | $16.35 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $35,760 | $2,980 | $688 | $17.19 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $41,650 | $3,471 | $801 | $20.03 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $50,140 | $4,178 | $964 | $24.10 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Manicurists and Pedicurists is $35,760, which is 30% lower. Among the 32 occupations of the field Personal Care and Service, it ranks number 23 by median pay. With 152,770 jobs, it makes up about 9.8 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Manicurists and Pedicurists pay by state
The highest median pay was in Hawaii ($60,790), Nebraska ($56,940) and Washington ($49,900). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($22,900), New Mexico ($25,720) and Georgia ($26,910). The most jobs were in California (39,210), New York (19,710) and New Jersey (11,520). The occupation is most concentrated in New Jersey, where its share of all jobs is 2.7 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 40 | $60,790 | $52,220 | $29.23 |
| Nebraska | 310 | $56,940 | $60,560 | $27.37 |
| Washington | 5,570 | $49,900 | $51,700 | $23.99 |
| Maine | 200 | $48,540 | $55,930 | $23.34 |
| Alaska | 180 | $47,890 | $47,720 | $23.02 |
| Oregon | 2,210 | $46,080 | $49,100 | $22.16 |
| Iowa | 190 | $45,420 | $42,300 | $21.84 |
| Kentucky | 240 | $45,310 | $44,140 | $21.79 |
| South Dakota | 250 | $45,310 | $44,720 | $21.79 |
| Nevada | 1,020 | $41,880 | $46,690 | $20.14 |
| Missouri | 1,630 | $39,100 | $41,710 | $18.80 |
| West Virginia | 120 | $38,260 | $40,850 | $18.40 |
| Florida | 4,470 | $37,840 | $41,060 | $18.19 |
| Maryland | 2,080 | $37,300 | $40,890 | $17.93 |
| Mississippi | 520 | $37,300 | $42,550 | $17.94 |
| Colorado | 3,970 | $37,110 | $43,550 | $17.84 |
| Illinois | 2,470 | $37,050 | $40,560 | $17.81 |
| Michigan | 1,020 | $36,890 | $44,130 | $17.74 |
| Wisconsin | 2,350 | $36,680 | $38,230 | $17.63 |
| California | 39,210 | $36,630 | $39,730 | $17.61 |
| Virginia | 4,230 | $36,630 | $41,780 | $17.61 |
| District of Columbia | not published | $36,620 | $41,370 | $17.61 |
| New Jersey | 11,520 | $36,370 | $37,190 | $17.49 |
| Indiana | 510 | $36,140 | $36,000 | $17.38 |
| Minnesota | 3,260 | $36,040 | $38,430 | $17.33 |
| Ohio | 3,680 | $35,590 | $40,680 | $17.11 |
| Massachusetts | 4,660 | $35,470 | $38,750 | $17.06 |
| Arizona | 2,440 | $35,290 | $39,380 | $16.97 |
| New Hampshire | 490 | $35,100 | $39,220 | $16.87 |
| Idaho | 160 | $34,910 | $35,980 | $16.78 |
| Rhode Island | not published | $34,910 | $35,550 | $16.78 |
| Tennessee | 1,200 | $34,810 | $36,820 | $16.74 |
| North Carolina | 1,900 | $34,740 | $42,800 | $16.70 |
| Connecticut | 4,490 | $34,720 | $37,230 | $16.69 |
| New York | 19,710 | $34,660 | $35,280 | $16.66 |
| Texas | 5,340 | $34,040 | $35,540 | $16.37 |
| South Carolina | 710 | $33,810 | $34,750 | $16.26 |
| Montana | 110 | $33,660 | $33,510 | $16.18 |
| North Dakota | 270 | $33,430 | $43,070 | $16.07 |
| Oklahoma | 480 | $31,330 | $34,500 | $15.06 |
| Delaware | 780 | $31,200 | $34,610 | $15.00 |
| Kansas | 1,510 | $30,930 | $33,430 | $14.87 |
| Alabama | 920 | $30,300 | $35,700 | $14.57 |
| Utah | 1,150 | $28,820 | $29,330 | $13.85 |
| Louisiana | 2,210 | $28,170 | $29,890 | $13.55 |
| Pennsylvania | 9,610 | $27,990 | $29,550 | $13.46 |
| Arkansas | 230 | $27,690 | $31,490 | $13.31 |
| Georgia | 1,710 | $26,910 | $32,130 | $12.94 |
| New Mexico | not published | $25,720 | $32,510 | $12.37 |
| Puerto Rico | 190 | $22,900 | $22,600 | $11.01 |
| Vermont | 100 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Gambling Service Workers, All Other$36,310 a year
- Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants$36,300 a year
- Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$35,790 a year
- Funeral Attendants$35,680 a year
- Animal Caretakers$35,360 a year
- Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners$34,980 a year
Common questions
How much do Manicurists and Pedicurists earn in the United States?
The median pay was $35,760 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $28,920 and the highest-paid 10% more than $50,140.
How many people work as Manicurists and Pedicurists?
About 152,770 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.