Esthetician job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

15

O*NET task statements

Preparation

Job Zone 3 of 5

medium preparation

Typical entry education

Postsecondary nondegree award

BLS 2025–35

Median pay

$45,330

BLS May 2025

Data Government data groups this job as Skincare Specialists (O*NET-SOC 39-5094.00). Figures on this page are for that occupation.

1. Sterilize equipment and clean work areas. importance 5.0 of 5
2. Cleanse clients' skin with water, creams, or lotions. importance 4.9 of 5
3. Demonstrate how to clean and care for skin properly and recommend skin-care regimens. importance 4.9 of 5
4. Determine which products or colors will improve clients' skin quality and appearance. importance 4.8 of 5
5. Keep records of client needs and preferences and the services provided. importance 4.7 of 5
6. Treat the facial skin to maintain and improve its appearance, using specialized techniques and products, such as peels and masks. importance 4.7 of 5
7. Examine clients' skin, using magnifying lamps or visors when necessary, to evaluate skin condition and appearance. importance 4.7 of 5
8. Perform simple extractions to remove blackheads. importance 4.6 of 5
9. Select and apply cosmetic products, such as creams, lotions, and tonics. importance 4.6 of 5
10. Stay abreast of latest industry trends, products, research, and treatments. importance 4.5 of 5
11. Apply chemical peels to reduce fine lines and age spots. importance 4.4 of 5
12. Refer clients to medical personnel for treatment of serious skin problems. importance 4.4 of 5
13. Provide facial and body massages. importance 4.3 of 5
14. Remove body and facial hair by applying wax. importance 4.2 of 5
15. Tint eyelashes and eyebrows. importance 3.7 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Assisting and Caring for Others, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work and Selling or Influencing Others.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Collaborate with plastic surgeons and dermatologists to provide patients with preoperative and postoperative skin care.
• Advise clients about colors and types of makeup and instruct them in makeup application techniques.

Knowledge areas: Customer and Personal Service, Sales and Marketing, Administration and Management, Education and Training and English Language.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Spa management software, Web browser software. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists a postsecondary nondegree award as the typical entry-level education.
• Experience: BLS lists no work experience in a related occupation as typical to enter.
• Training on the job: BLS lists no typical on-the-job training once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 3 of 5 (medium preparation). Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board and see how to become an esthetician.

The most common answer among estheticians surveyed by O*NET is a high school diploma or equivalent (39%).

Job title: Esthetician
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring an Esthetician to provide skincare treatments to face and body to enhance an individual's appearance.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- Sterilize equipment and clean work areas.
- Cleanse clients' skin with water, creams, or lotions.
- Demonstrate how to clean and care for skin properly and recommend skin-care regimens.
- Determine which products or colors will improve clients' skin quality and appearance.
- Keep records of client needs and preferences and the services provided.
- Treat the facial skin to maintain and improve its appearance, using specialized techniques and products, such as peels and masks.
- Examine clients' skin, using magnifying lamps or visors when necessary, to evaluate skin condition and appearance.
- Perform simple extractions to remove blackheads.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists a postsecondary nondegree award as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists no related work experience as typical to enter; set what this role needs]
- Strength in speaking, service orientation and active listening
- Working knowledge of Customer and Personal Service and Sales and Marketing
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Office software]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

The median annual wage was $45,330 in May 2025. The median hourly wage was $21.79. BLS estimates about 72,890 jobs in this occupation in the U.S.

BLS projects employment of Skincare Specialists to grow 8.8% from 2025 to 2035, with about 14,200 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

See the full esthetician salary breakdown by percentile, state and metro.

• Read a real esthetician posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Sterilize equipment and clean work areas”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only esthetician work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (speaking and service orientation); esthetician interview questions turns them into practice questions.