How to Become an Esthetician in Illinois (2026)

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Illinois employs about 2,960 estheticians earning a median $45,330 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Training as an Esthetician here means completing a board-approved esthetics program that meets this state’s hour requirement, written and practical exams, and an esthetician license. Confirm credential rules with the program and employer.

Compare Esthetician Schools in Illinois

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Tuition is the published annual figure for the latest reported year and excludes room, board, books and fees. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#SchoolBOC Score (0–100)Tuition (published, per year)Median grad earnings (all majors)Graduation rateOnlineDistance
170.7Contact school for pricing$36,55897%—73 mi
266.2$4,560 in-state / $13,680 out-of-state$49,27345%Yes*64 mi
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352.4Contact school for pricingNot reported72%—73 mi
446.2Contact school for pricing$24,35684%—75 mi
Sponsored Ad
544.9Contact school for pricing$25,17063%—64 mi
640.2Contact school for pricing$28,32679%—33 mi
Sponsored Ad
736.3Contact school for pricing$29,81760%—70 mi
833.9Contact school for pricing$30,72262%—56 mi
Sponsored Ad
924.2Contact school for pricingNot reported67%—67 mi
1023.4Contact school for pricing$25,97053%—73 mi
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Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

Illinois employs approximately 2,960 estheticians according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $45,330 1. Nationally, esthetician employment is projected to grow 6.7% from 2024 to 2034, with about 14,500 openings per year 2. This page covers how to become an Esthetician in Illinois, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

  • Training paths: board-approved esthetics program (find programs)
  • Typical timeline: a board-approved esthetics program that meets this state’s hour requirement, written and practical exams, and an esthetician license
  • Exam: state written and practical exams (often NIC)
  • Median wage (Illinois): $45,330 per year 1

Quick Answers About How to Become an Esthetician in Illinois

How to become an Esthetician in Illinois? Complete a board-approved esthetics program that meets this state’s hour requirement, written and practical exams, and an esthetician license. Confirm credential rules with the program and employer.

How long does it take? Most people finish a board-approved esthetics program that meets this state’s hour requirement, written and practical exams, and an esthetician license. Confirm current hour totals with the program and employer.

Do I need a license in Illinois? Licensing varies. Confirm with the program and employer. See the licensing section below.

What do estheticians earn in Illinois? The median annual wage for estheticians in Illinois is $45,330 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $31,200 and experienced professionals can earn $63,920 or more 1.

How to Become an Esthetician in Illinois

  1. Meet board entry rules. Confirm age and education rules with the employer.
  2. Complete a board-approved esthetics program. Finish the esthetics hour requirement the employer publishes. Confirm the current total with that board; do not copy another state’s hours. This is not a DAS registered apprenticeship.
  3. Pass written and practical exams. Pass the exams the employer uses for estheticians, not the full cosmetology practitioner exam unless you want that license.
  4. Apply for the esthetician license. Apply to the employer before taking paying skincare clients.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the state board before you apply.

Esthetician License Requirements in Illinois

Estheticians in Illinois complete board-approved esthetics hours, pass exams, and apply to the employer. Do not treat a cosmetology instructor row as the esthetician license.

Typical path

  1. Meet board entry rules.

  2. Complete a board-approved esthetics program.

  3. Pass written and practical exams.

  4. Apply to the employer.

Hour totals, fees, and reciprocity rules change. Confirm current requirements with the employer before you enroll.

Esthetician Wages by Metro Area in Illinois

Skincare Specialists Wages by Metro Area in Illinois

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), skincare specialists wages in Illinois vary by metro area.

Metro AreaEmploymentMedian Annual WageAvg. Annual WageEntry Level
(10th pctile)		Experienced
(90th pctile)
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin2,720$45,330$47,950$31,200$59,170
St. Louis620$45,590$55,270$30,010$87,360
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island80$37,080$51,650$22,120$77,650
Champaign-Urbana40$49,440$64,420$31,850$107,790
Rockford40$57,720$66,090$32,150$107,120

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for estheticians in Illinois? Illinois currently employs approximately 2,960 estheticians 1. Nationally, esthetician employment is projected to grow 6.7% from 2024 to 2034 2.

Can I work as an esthetician in Illinois with an out-of-state license? Confirm reciprocity rules with the program and employer.

What training programs are available in Illinois? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Illinois.

How much do estheticians earn in Illinois compared to the national average? The median annual wage for estheticians in Illinois is $45,330, which is $3,770 above the national median of $41,560 according to BLS data 1.

In Illinois

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Citations

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

References

  1. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  2. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

DataProviderVintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMay 2025
Employment ProjectionsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data SystemNational Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirementsCareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programsCareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)