Beauty and wellnessindustry statistics
Official numbers on the businesses and people behind nails, hair, skin care and massage in the US: how many salons there are, how many people work in them, what the work pays and where. Every number comes from the Census Bureau or the Bureau of Labor Statistics and links to its source.
Updated October 28, 2026 · Census Bureau and BLS
Businesses, jobs and growth
Salons with and without employees, jobs, outlook — and every state.
Nail salon industry
34,417 nail salons with paid employees (2023, Census, County Business Patterns).
See all numbersHair salon & barbershop industry
84,176 beauty salons with paid employees (2023, Census, County Business Patterns).
See all numbersEsthetics industry
104,200 jobs as skincare specialists, including self-employed (2025, BLS, Occupational Outlook Handbook).
See all numbersMassage industry
155,400 jobs as massage therapists, including self-employed (2025, BLS, Occupational Outlook Handbook).
See all numbersWhat the work pays
Median, range and pay in every state, from BLS wage data for May 2025.
Nail tech pay
$35,760 median annual pay for manicurists and pedicurists, or $17.19 an hour (May 2025, BLS, Occupational Outlook Handbook).
See all numbersEsthetician pay
$45,330 median annual pay for skincare specialists, or $21.79 an hour (May 2025, BLS, Occupational Outlook Handbook).
See all numbersHairstylist pay
$35,790 median annual pay for hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists, or $17.21 an hour (May 2025, BLS, Occupational Outlook Handbook).
See all numbersBarber pay
$38,210 median annual pay for barbers, or $18.37 an hour (May 2025, BLS, Occupational Outlook Handbook).
See all numbersMassage therapist pay
$58,450 median annual pay for massage therapists, or $28.10 an hour (May 2025, BLS, Occupational Outlook Handbook).
See all numbersWhere the numbers come from
Business counts come from the Census Bureau: County Business Patterns for locations with paid employees, Nonemployer Statistics for businesses without employees. Jobs, growth and pay come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics: the Occupational Outlook Handbook and the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.
We only use numbers we read in the original source, and we write them exactly as published. Where we calculated something, such as a share or a change, the page says so and shows the calculation.
What we left out
Market-size estimates from paid research firms, trade-group surveys and salary figures from job boards are not here, because their methods cannot be checked. There is no official industry class for med spas and no official occupation for lash techs, so neither has its own page.
How to cite this page
You are welcome to use these numbers in articles, reports and presentations. Please name the original agency, and link to this page as the place you found them.
As text
Luvira, “Beauty & Wellness Industry Statistics 2026 (US)”, October 28, 2026, https://luvira.io/statistics. Based on U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
As a link (HTML)
<a href="https://luvira.io/statistics">Beauty & Wellness Industry Statistics 2026 (US)</a> (Luvira, based on Census Bureau and BLS data)