How to Become an Esthetician in Minnesota (2026)

Q: How long does esthetician training take in Minnesota?

Most people become an Esthetician in Minnesota through a board-approved esthetics program that meets this state's hour requirement, written and practical exams, and an esthetician license.

Q: How much do estheticians earn in Minnesota?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), estheticians in Minnesota earned a median annual wage of approximately $44,430. Employment concentration in Minnesota is roughly 0.67 of the national average, meaning fewer workers per capita than the U.S. as a whole.

Q: What is the job outlook for estheticians in Minnesota?

Minnesota currently employs approximately 920 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 6.7% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Minnesota skincare specialists earn a median annual wage of $44,430 ($21.36/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 920 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately -2.0% below the national median of $45,330 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $44,430 ($21.36/hr)
25th percentile: $31,090 per year
75th percentile: $62,530 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $79,520 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $23,990 per year
Workers employed in Minnesota: 920
Versus national median: -2.0% below the U.S. median of $45,330
Job concentration: Location quotient 0.67 - this occupation is less concentrated in Minnesota than the national average

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Last reviewed June 8, 2026.

Minnesota employs about 920 estheticians earning a median $44,430 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 Minnesota

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.
#	School	BOC Score (0–100)	Tuition (published, per year)	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Ridgewater College	68.7	$6,121	$49,859	50%	Yes*	80 mi
2	The Salon Professional Academy Maplewood	62.5	Contact school for pricing	Not reported	88%	—	30 mi
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3	Chippewa Valley Technical College	61.2	$4,844 in-state / $7,087 out-of-state	$57,493	50%	Yes*	102 mi
4	Century College	52.6	$6,214	$54,401	31%	Yes*	31 mi
Sponsored Ad
5	Nova Academy of Cosmetology	51.7	Contact school for pricing	$37,067	77%	—	98 mi
6	Saint Paul College	48.2	$6,326	$52,870	40%	Yes*	32 mi
Sponsored Ad
7	Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute Minneapolis	46.5	Contact school for pricing	$38,850	68%	—	26 mi
8	Hastings Beauty School	46.1	Contact school for pricing	$25,970	69%	—	51 mi
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9	PCI Academy-Plymouth	45.1	Contact school for pricing	$37,914	72%	—	22 mi
10	Model College of Hair Design	44.9	Contact school for pricing	$34,501	61%	—	38 mi
Sponsored Ad

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.

Minnesota employs approximately 920 estheticians according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $44,430 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 Minnesota, 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 (Minnesota): $44,430 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become an Esthetician in Minnesota

How to become an Esthetician in Minnesota? 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 Minnesota? Licensing varies. Confirm with the program and employer. See the licensing section below.

What do estheticians earn in Minnesota? The median annual wage for estheticians in Minnesota is $44,430 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $23,990 and experienced professionals can earn $79,520 or more ¹.

How to Become an Esthetician in Minnesota

Meet board entry rules. Confirm age and education rules with the employer.
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.
Pass written and practical exams. Pass the exams the employer uses for estheticians, not the full cosmetology practitioner exam unless you want that license.
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 Minnesota

Estheticians in Minnesota 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

Meet board entry rules.
Complete a board-approved esthetics program.
Pass written and practical exams.
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 Minnesota

Skincare Specialists Wages by Metro Area in Minnesota

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

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington	730	$36,610	$48,680	$24,000	$81,170
Fargo	90	$52,950	$53,900	$35,630	$88,490
Sioux Falls	90	$31,580	$34,460	$24,450	$48,310
La Crosse-Onalaska	50	$46,140	$47,270	$30,480	$87,100
Duluth	40	$46,940	$46,750	$23,150	$72,360
Rochester	40	$57,420	$52,900	$23,880	$74,090
St. Cloud	40	$34,260	$45,680	$23,150	$75,970

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 Minnesota? Minnesota currently employs approximately 920 estheticians ¹. Nationally, esthetician employment is projected to grow 6.7% from 2024 to 2034 ².

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

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

How much do estheticians earn in Minnesota compared to the national average? The median annual wage for estheticians in Minnesota is $44,430, which is $2,870 above the national median of $41,560 according to BLS data ¹.

In Minnesota

Best Trade Schools in Minnesota (2026)

Top local programs

Explore More Trades in Minnesota

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

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

Data	Provider	Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	May 2025
Employment Projections	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System	National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)	2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirements	CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programs	CareerOneStop / 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)