ChooseField
Quick answer · Balanced priorities

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists vs Manicurists and Pedicurists: what changes?

Consider Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists if you want to provide beauty services, such as cutting, coloring, and styling hair, and massaging and treating scalp. Consider Manicurists and Pedicurists if you would rather clean and shape customers' fingernails and toenails. Both list postsecondary nondegree award; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists and Manicurists and Pedicurists. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences
What this means in practice

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Start with earnings, the route into the job, training, available openings, and a day-to-day reality.

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists

National median pay (2025)
$35,790
Route into the job
Postsecondary nondegree award
Prior related experience
No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing
BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate
Keep work stations clean and sanitize tools, such as scissors and combs.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
73,400
Know before you choose

Hands-on manipulation of tools, controls, or objects occupies a meaningful part of the workday.

See the full Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists brief

Manicurists and Pedicurists

National median pay (2025)
$35,760
Route into the job
Postsecondary nondegree award
Prior related experience
No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing
BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate
Clean and sanitize tools and work environment.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
21,900
Know before you choose

The work can involve real occupational hazards. Training, protective equipment, and routine safety discipline matter every day.

See the full Manicurists and Pedicurists brief
See scores, detailed data, and how the comparison works

How the national numbers differ

1

Typical preparation differs.

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists: Postsecondary nondegree award Manicurists and Pedicurists: Postsecondary nondegree award Preparation categories do not establish admission difficulty, calendar time, tuition, time without earnings, or licensing difficulty.

2

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists has the edge on annual openings

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists is at 73,400 annual openings, compared with 21,900 annual openings for Manicurists and Pedicurists.

3

Manicurists and Pedicurists has the edge on projected growth

Manicurists and Pedicurists is at 9.2% projected growth, compared with 7.7% projected growth for Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists.

4

National pay benchmarks are very similar.

Compare actual offers, expected paid hours, schedule, and benefits before treating either career as the higher-paying option.

58/ 100

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists

vs
59.6/ 100

Manicurists and Pedicurists

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists vs Manicurists and Pedicurists

DimensionHairdressers, Hairstylists, and CosmetologistsManicurists and Pedicurists
Median pay (2025)$35,790$35,760
Pay percentile4.5 percentile4.3 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)7.7%9.2%
Annual openings (2025–2035)73,40021,900
2025 employment595,000201,800
How you qualifyPostsecondary nondegree awardPostsecondary nondegree award
O*NET preparation groupJob Zone 3Job Zone 2
Related work experienceNo prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job trainingBLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists briefRead Manicurists and Pedicurists brief

Try another comparison

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists vs Barbers

Compare pay, growth, education, and the tradeoffs that affect the decision.

Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists
$35,790 · 7.7% growth
Barbers
$38,210 · 3.3% growth
Compare careers →

Manicurists and Pedicurists vs Barbers

Compare pay, growth, education, and the tradeoffs that affect the decision.

Manicurists and Pedicurists
$35,760 · 9.2% growth
Barbers
$38,210 · 3.3% growth
Compare careers →
ChooseField compares fields using public labor-market and professional sources.