Nail Salon Industry Statistics 2026: Revenue, Pay, and Prices
US nail salons brought in $12.9 billion in 2022, more than four times what they earned a decade earlier. Demand for manicurists is still climbing, yet the typical nail tech earns about $17 an hour. Here’s what the latest government and survey data says about the business behind the polish.
If you own a nail salon, rent a station, or work for yourself, these numbers help you price services, set pay, and plan for the next few years. They show where the money in the industry is, what clients actually book, and how fast the competition for good techs is growing. Every figure below links to its original source, so you can check it or quote it.
Key Nail Salon Industry Statistics at a Glance
- US employer nail salons earned $12.9 billion in revenue in 2022, the highest figure on record in the Census Bureau series.
Source: US Census Bureau, Service Annual Survey (via FRED), 2024 - Nail salon revenue grew 4.3 times between 2012 and 2022, from $3.0 billion to $12.9 billion.
Source: US Census Bureau, Service Annual Survey (via FRED), 2024 - There were about 201,800 manicurist and pedicurist jobs in the US in 2025, counting both employees and the self-employed.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2026 - Nail tech jobs are projected to grow 9% by 2035, to 220,400, with about 21,900 openings a year.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2026 - 23% of nail techs are self-employed, and 76% work in personal care services such as salons and spas.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2026 - 152,770 manicurists and pedicurists worked as employees in May 2025, up 5.5% from 144,810 in May 2023.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2026 - The median nail tech earned $35,760 a year ($17.19 an hour) in May 2025.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2026 - The top 10% of nail techs earned more than $50,140 a year, while the bottom 10% earned less than $28,920.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2026 - Average nail tech pay rose 5.7% in two years, from $36,480 in May 2023 to $38,570 in May 2025.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2026 - California employs about 1 in 4 US nail techs: 39,210 of the 152,770 employed nationwide.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2026 - Washington’s median nail tech earns $49,900 a year, about $14,100 more than the national median.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2026 - California clients paid a median $50 for a manicure, $45 for a pedicure, and $77 for a mani-pedi in a 2023 survey.
Source: UCLA Labor Center, Nail Files California, 2024 - 52% of California nail clients got gel polish on their last visit, and 40% got acrylics.
Source: UCLA Labor Center, Nail Files California, 2024 - 69% of California nail salons have fewer than five employees.
Source: UCLA Labor Center, Nail Files California (Census County Business Patterns 2021), 2024 - Nail techs in Canada earn a median C$20.00 an hour, with British Columbia highest at C$22.15.
Source: Government of Canada, Job Bank, 2025
Nail Salon Industry Size: Revenue Quadrupled in a Decade
The Census Bureau tracks the revenue of nail salons that have at least one paid employee. Watch the long climb, the 2020 drop, and how fast the industry came back once salons reopened.
Source: US Census Bureau, Service Annual Survey, Total Revenue for Nail Salons, Employer Firms (via FRED), data through 2022, updated January 2024.
Employer nail salons took in $12.9 billion in 2022, up from $3.0 billion in 2012. The pandemic cut revenue by 21.9% in 2020, to $6.4 billion, but 2021 was already 32.8% above 2019, and 2022 was 56.7% above it. This figure leaves out the thousands of solo techs with no employees, so the full market is bigger. For an owner, the takeaway is simple: clients came back fast and spent more, which gives you room to price for the value you deliver rather than to match the cheapest shop down the street.
How Many Nail Techs Are There, and Where Do They Work?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) counts nail techs two ways. Its wage survey counts employees on a payroll, while its Occupational Outlook Handbook counts every job, including the self-employed. Look at how much of the workforce runs its own business.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Manicurists and Pedicurists, page modified August 27, 2026.
The US had about 201,800 manicurist and pedicurist jobs in 2025. Of those, 76% were in personal care services like salons and spas, and 23% were self-employed, roughly 46,000 people running their own chair or suite. The BLS projects 220,400 jobs by 2035, a 9% gain, and about 21,900 openings every year. Growth itself adds fewer than 2,000 jobs a year, so most openings come from techs who leave or retire. If you’re hiring, expect steady turnover and plan to keep good techs rather than keep replacing them.
The payroll count tells the same story. The BLS wage survey found 152,770 employed manicurists and pedicurists in May 2025, up 5.5% from 144,810 in May 2023.
Number of Nail Salons: Most Are Tiny Businesses
Nail salons are counted by the Census Bureau under industry code 812113. The most detailed published size breakdown comes from California, the largest nail market in the country. Check how few salons have more than a handful of staff.
Source: UCLA Labor Center and California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative, Nail Files California (Census County Business Patterns 2021), March 2024.
California had about 6,150 employer nail salons in 2021, roughly double the 3,062 it had in 2010. Of those, 69% had fewer than five employees and 22% had five to nine, so 91% of salons run with fewer than 10 people. That’s a lot of small shops competing for the same clients. With a team that small, one empty chair or one no-show hurts, which is why online booking, reminders, and deposits matter more for a nail salon than for a big spa.
Nail Tech Pay: What Manicurists Earn
The BLS wage survey shows the full spread of nail tech pay, not just the average. Compare the middle of the range with the top.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 39-5092 Manicurists and Pedicurists, May 2025 data.
The median nail tech earned $35,760 a year, or $17.19 an hour, in May 2025. The middle half earned between $34,010 and $41,650, and the top 10% made more than $50,140, about 40% above the median. Average pay rose from $36,480 in May 2023 to $38,570 in May 2025, a 5.7% gain. These figures don’t include tips, and they leave out the self-employed. A tech at the median who does 25 services a week would earn about $27.50 per service before tips, which is useful to know when you set commission splits or booth rent.
Nail Tech Pay by State
Pay changes a lot depending on where you work. The chart covers 14 states with at least 1,000 employed nail techs in the BLS state data we pulled; it doesn’t include Florida, Texas, Georgia, Illinois, Pennsylvania, or Ohio. Look for the one state that stands well above the rest.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates for 39-5092, May 2025 data.
Among the 14 states charted, Washington leads with a median of $49,900, about $14,100 above the national median. Nevada ($41,880) and Missouri ($39,100) come next. Most other large markets, including California ($36,630), New Jersey ($36,370), and New York ($34,660), sit close to the national figure. Among smaller states, Nebraska ($56,940, about 310 techs) and Alaska ($47,890, about 180 techs) also pay well above average.
| State | Employed nail techs | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| California | 39,210 | $36,630 |
| New York | 19,710 | $34,660 |
| New Jersey | 11,520 | $36,370 |
| Washington | 5,570 | $49,900 |
| Massachusetts | 4,660 | $35,470 |
| Connecticut | 4,490 | $34,720 |
| Virginia | 4,230 | $36,630 |
| Colorado | 3,970 | $37,110 |
| Minnesota | 3,260 | $36,040 |
| Arizona | 2,440 | $35,290 |
California alone employs 39,210 nail techs, about 26% of everyone on a US payroll in this job, and New York adds another 13%. If you run a salon in a crowded market, higher local pay and heavy competition both push you to fill every booking slot you have. Tools built for nail salon appointment scheduling help you do that without adding front-desk staff.
See how Bookedin works for nail salons
Nail Salon Service Prices: What Clients Pay
National price surveys for nail services are rare. The UCLA Labor Center asked 505 California nail salon clients in June 2023 what they paid and tipped on their last visit. Compare the price of a combined service with the two on their own.
Source: UCLA Labor Center and California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative, Nail Files California, consumer survey tables, March 2024.
The median client paid $50 for a manicure, $45 for a pedicure, and $77 for a mani-pedi, with median tips of $10, $5, and $10. A mani-pedi costs $18 less than booking the two separately, so the combo works as a built-in upsell. These are California prices, where costs run higher than in much of the country, so treat them as an upper benchmark. For context, a California tech at the state median earns roughly $17.60 an hour, less than a quarter of one mani-pedi.
What Clients Book: Gel, Acrylics, and Nail Art
The same survey asked which services and add-ons clients received. Notice how far basic polish falls behind.
Source: UCLA Labor Center and California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative, Nail Files California, consumer survey tables, March 2024.
Gel polish was the top pick at 52%, followed by acrylics at 40% and nail art at 28%. Only 26% got a basic manicure or pedicure. Longer-lasting services mean longer appointments and a set rebooking rhythm: a gel client who comes back every two to three weeks is worth far more over a year than a walk-in. Build your menu and online booking around these services, with accurate durations so your calendar doesn’t overrun.
Nail Salon Prices Are Rising
The survey also asked clients whether their salon had raised prices. See how many noticed.
Source: UCLA Labor Center and California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative, Nail Files California, consumer survey tables, March 2024.
54% of clients said their salon had raised prices, 34% weren’t sure, and only 12% said no. Clients who noticed pointed to general inflation (37%), supply costs (36%), pandemic costs (28%), and labor costs (27%). In other words, most clients expect prices to go up and understand why. The same survey found 41% of clients visit once every two to three months, so a clear price list and easy rebooking matter as much as the price itself.
Nail Tech Pay in Canada
Canada’s Job Bank publishes wages for nail care technicians under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) group 63211, which also covers estheticians and electrologists. Compare the provinces with the national median of C$20.00.
Source: Government of Canada, Job Bank, Nail Care Technician wages (NOC 63211), 2023–2024 data, updated November 2025.
Canadian nail techs earn a median C$20.00 an hour, with most earning between C$15.00 and C$30.00. British Columbia (C$22.15) and Alberta (C$21.63) pay the most, while Manitoba (C$16.20) pays the least. Ontario, the biggest market, sits at C$19.00. About 43.7% of workers in this group get at least one non-wage benefit such as a pension, insurance, or paid leave. Salon owners in Canada face the same squeeze as in the US: modest wages, rising costs, and techs who can leave to rent a chair.
What These Numbers Mean for Your Business
- Price for the service, not the street. Revenue more than quadrupled in 10 years and most clients expect increases, so review your price list at least once a year.
- Build your menu around gel, acrylics, and nail art. They’re what clients book, and they come with a natural rebooking cycle you can fill ahead of time.
- Protect every slot. In a salon with fewer than five people, a single no-show is a real loss. Use appointment reminder templates and consider whether you should require a deposit for appointments on long services.
- Plan for turnover. With about 21,900 openings a year and 23% of techs self-employed, good techs have options. Solo techs can take bookings around the clock with nail tech appointment scheduling software.
- Fill quiet weeks with offers. See these beauty salon promotion ideas for slow days.
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References and Sources
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: 39-5092 Manicurists and Pedicurists, May 2025 data (national and state estimates); May 2023 data for comparison.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook: Manicurists and Pedicurists, page modified August 27, 2026.
- US Census Bureau. Service Annual Survey: Total Revenue for Nail Salons, All Establishments, Employer Firms (REVEF812113ALLEST), via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED), updated January 31, 2024.
- US Census Bureau. Service Annual Survey, program page.
- UCLA Labor Center and California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative. Nail Files California: A Study of Nail Salon Workers and Their Industry, March 2024.
- Government of Canada, Job Bank. Nail Care Technician in Canada: Wages (NOC 63211), updated November 19, 2025.
Methodology Note
US workforce and wage figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for occupation 39-5092, May 2025 and May 2023 data. OEWS counts wage and salary workers only and excludes tips and the self-employed, which is why its 152,770 employees is lower than the Occupational Outlook Handbook’s 201,800 jobs; the Handbook’s 2035 figure is a BLS projection. Hourly figures are BLS’s own; the California hourly estimate ($17.60) is the state median annual wage divided by 2,080 hours. State figures were retrieved for about two dozen states; estimates for several large states (including Florida, Texas, Georgia, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Ohio) were not available to us, so the state chart is not a complete national ranking. Industry revenue is the US Census Bureau Service Annual Survey series for employer nail salons (NAICS 812113), rounded to one decimal in billions; it excludes nonemployer businesses. We did not use private market-research estimates because publishers disagree widely on market size. Salon counts, salon size, service prices, tips, and service mix come from the UCLA Labor Center’s Nail Files California report (Census County Business Patterns 2021 and a 505-person online survey of California clients in June 2023) and describe California only. Canadian wages come from Job Bank for NOC 63211 (2023–2024), in Canadian dollars, not converted. Percent changes were calculated from the unrounded source figures.
About the Author
With over a decade of experience across startups, online publications, and agencies, Marcy is all about delivering content that connects brands with the audiences they're trying to reach.
