Every occupation the official NCES/BLS crosswalk connects to cosmetology programs, with BLS pay, the education each job usually needs, what the work involves, and where to go next.
Cosmetology · CIP 12.04 series · 13 codes · 7 careers · Check one exact major, e.g. 12.0401 Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General, in the major to career finder
The official NCES/BLS crosswalk maps cosmetology programs to 7 occupations that such programs typically prepare people for, including Cosmetologist, Makeup Artist and Nail Tech. BLS median pay across them runs from $32,600 (Shampooer) to $97,150 (Makeup Artist) in May 2025. The crosswalk describes preparation, not what graduates actually go on to do.
Data Program → related occupations: these are jobs cosmetology programs typically prepare people for (NCES/BLS crosswalk). Not a guaranteed outcome, and not a record of what graduates do.
Data Filter by the education the job usually needs or its preparation level; sort by pay or by number employed.
| Occupation | Most common education | Job Zone | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cosmetologist | $35,790 | 305,710 | n/a | 3 |
| Nail Tech | $35,760 | 152,770 | n/a | 1-2 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Worker | $48,590 | 114,110 | n/a | 3 |
| Esthetician | $45,330 | 72,890 | High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 3 |
| Barber | $38,210 | 15,000 | n/a | 3 |
| Shampooer | $32,600 | 8,070 | Post-Secondary Certificate | 1-2 |
| Makeup Artist | $97,150 | 2,340 | High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 3 |
No occupations match these filters.
Data The education column shows a typical entry level only where O*NET data supports one answer. Check the typical education for Makeup Artist, one of the cosmetology jobs above.
Data BLS national median annual wage, May 2025. These are pay levels of the occupations, not earnings of graduates.
Data The largest related occupations by employment (postsecondary teaching shown in the explorer).
Keep work stations clean and sanitize tools, such as scissors and combs.
Schedule client appointments.
Active Listening · Speaking · Service Orientation
Career guide Salary How to become
Mapped from CIP 12.0401, 12.0404Clean supplies such as makeup brushes.
Duplicate work precisely to replicate characters' appearances on a daily basis.
Speaking · Reading Comprehension · Active Listening
Mapped from CIP 12.0401, 12.0406Clean and sanitize tools and work environment.
Apply undercoat and clear or colored polish onto nails with brush.
Social Perceptiveness · Service Orientation · Active Listening
Mapped from CIP 12.0401, 12.0410Massage, shampoo, and condition patron's hair and scalp to clean them and remove excess oil.
Advise patrons with chronic or potentially contagious scalp conditions to seek medical treatment.
Speaking · Active Listening · Service Orientation
Mapped from CIP 12.0401Sterilize equipment and clean work areas.
Cleanse clients' skin with water, creams, or lotions.
Speaking · Service Orientation · Active Listening
Career guide Salary How to become
Mapped from CIP 12.0401, 12.0408Clean and sterilize scissors, combs, clippers, and other instruments.
Cut and trim hair according to clients' instructions or current hairstyles, using clippers, combs, hand-held blow driers, and scissors.
Active Listening · Social Perceptiveness · Speaking
Mapped from CIP 12.0402, 12.0407Data Related occupations grouped by government career field, with their pay range.
The NCES/BLS crosswalk relates instructional programs (CIP 2020) to occupations (SOC 2018) when programs in the CIP category typically prepare individuals directly for jobs in the occupation. This page uses the CIP program series below and shows every non-residual occupation mapped to them that has BLS wages and O*NET data; each occupation lists the CIP codes that map to it.
Searches this page answers include “what can you do with a cosmetology degree”, “what can i do with a cosmetology degree”, “what jobs can you get with a cosmetology degree” (Ahrefs, U.S.).
