How to Become an Esthetician in Washington (2026)

Q: How long does esthetician training take in Washington?

Most people become an Esthetician in Washington 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 Washington?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), estheticians in Washington earned a median annual wage of approximately $79,320. Employment concentration in Washington is about 1.32 times the national average for this occupation.

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

Washington currently employs approximately 2,200 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

Washington skincare specialists earn a median annual wage of $79,320 ($38.13/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 2,200 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately 75.0% above the national median of $45,330 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $79,320 ($38.13/hr)
25th percentile: $59,660 per year
75th percentile: $95,260 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $119,040 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $48,620 per year
Workers employed in Washington: 2,200
Versus national median: 75.0% above the U.S. median of $45,330
Job concentration: Location quotient 1.32 - this occupation is more concentrated in Washington than the national average

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

Washington employs about 2,200 estheticians earning a median $79,320 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 Washington

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. 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	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Aveda Institute Portland-Vancouver Campus	67.9	Contact school for pricing	$33,038	86%	—	123 mi
2	Clover Park Technical College	63.9	$6,634 - $18,882	$51,699	42%	Yes*	63 mi
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3	Olympic College	60.1	Contact school for pricing	$57,634	33%	—	78 mi
4	Evergreen Beauty and Barber College-Everett	56.4	Contact school for pricing	$33,167	82%	—	76 mi
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5	Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy-Shoreline	49.8	Contact school for pricing	$38,017	80%	—	73 mi
6	Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute Seattle	45.9	Contact school for pricing	$43,551	Not reported	—	66 mi
Sponsored Ad
7	Victoria's Academy of Cosmetology	42.2	Contact school for pricing	$24,130	92%	—	114 mi
8	Paul Mitchell the School-Richland	38.6	Contact school for pricing	$29,736	67%	—	106 mi
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9	Stylemaster College of Hair Design	33.2	Contact school for pricing	$20,339	43%	—	106 mi
10	Summit Salon Academy	29.7	Contact school for pricing	$30,688	Not reported	—	62 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.

Washington employs approximately 2,200 estheticians according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $79,320 ¹. The state’s concentration of esthetician jobs is 1.32x the national average, indicating strong demand. 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 Washington, 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 (Washington): $79,320 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become an Esthetician in Washington

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

What do estheticians earn in Washington? The median annual wage for estheticians in Washington is $79,320 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $48,620 and experienced professionals can earn $119,040 or more ¹.

How to Become an Esthetician in Washington

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 Washington

Estheticians in Washington 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 Washington

Skincare Specialists Wages by Metro Area in Washington

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

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue	1,330	$80,510	$86,140	$51,800	$139,160
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria	1,300	$46,620	$57,460	$36,940	$107,050
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro	800	$57,930	$65,870	$38,420	$106,190
Spokane-Spokane Valley	160	$91,000	$90,650	$47,800	$129,190
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater	90	$81,490	$101,000	$49,120	$180,960
Bellingham	80	$64,830	$72,510	$48,280	$128,910
Kennewick-Richland	80	$76,520	$74,640	$48,550	$99,970
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard	40	$75,970	$77,000	$49,670	$112,340

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 Washington? Washington currently employs approximately 2,200 estheticians ¹. Nationally, esthetician employment is projected to grow 6.7% from 2024 to 2034 ².

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

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

How much do estheticians earn in Washington compared to the national average? The median annual wage for estheticians in Washington is $79,320, which is $37,760 above the national median of $41,560 according to BLS data ¹.

In Washington

Best Trade Schools in Washington (2026)

Top local programs

Explore More Trades in Washington

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)