There are dozens of potential jobs for beauty professionals when they finish their training from beauty or cosmetology school, depending on their interests and skill set. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for those working in the beauty industry is about $22 500 per year, but this does not take into account part-timers, experience in the field, and tips. NACCAS and the US Department of Labor agree that the range can easily reach up to $50 000 and can vary greatly depending on employer, tips, and bonuses. The field has low unemployment due to a shortage of licensed salon professionals. To help beauty professionals choose a career path, we have created this in-depth list of the different types of jobs available:
Salon and Spa Careers
Salons and spas are some of the most common places for beauty professionals to seek employment after graduating. There are many potential jobs depending on your skills, training, and interest, and professionals in these industries are in high demand. In fact, the jobs most in demand for beauty professionals currently are all in the salon and spa industry and include:
- Hairdressers;
- Hairstylists;
- Cosmetologists;
- Skin care specialists;
- Shampooers;
- Manicurists; and
- Pedicurists.
Other salon and spa careers include:
- Barbers;
- Hair color specialist;
- Perm specialist;
- Esthetician;
- Salon computer expert;
- Nail care artists;
- Salon owner, manager, or coordinator;
- Salon sales consultant;
- Makeup artist;
- Salon franchisee; and
- Salon Chain Management.
Retail and Marketing Careers
Retail careers for beauty professionals allow talented salespeople to combine their knowledge of beauty products with the sales skills to help customers find the right products, connect retail outlets and suppliers, and organize the distribution of beauty products. Careers in this field include:
- Distributor’s sales representative;
- Manufacturer sales representative;
- Beauty care marketing;
- Beauty care distributor;
- Beauty care PR specialist;
- Beauty business consultant; and
- Trade show director.
Education Careers
For those who like to pass their knowledge on to future students, pursuing a career in the beauty education field may be the best option. Education careers for beauty professionals include:
- Director of education at a beauty school;
- Cosmetology school owner;
- Platform artist and educator;
- Cosmetology instructor; and
- Beauty school owner.
Media Careers
The exciting world of media, print, and video also has many careers for beauty professionals including:
- Fashion show stylist;
- Photo and movie stylist;
- Beauty magazine writer;and
- Beauty magazine editor.
Other Careers
For those with more of a science background who are interested in getting directly involved in cosmetics, there are also careers in research chemistry for cosmetics companies and beauty product designer roles.
