Nail technician ranked number 49 on U.S. News’ Best Jobs of 2014 list. As demonstrated to us throughout the years, nail services are a luxury people consistently value. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the nail industry should see employment growth of 15.6% between 2012 and 2022. U.S. News predicts more than 13,500 new nail tech positions will open in this decade alone.

BLS also calculated that in 2012, nail technicians earned a median salary of $19,220 (approximately $9.24 per hour), and the highest-paid tech earned about $29,560 [These figures are significantly lower than those in NAILS 2013-2014 Big Book, which places average annual earnings at $28,655.] The best areas for this job include Columbia, S.C., Barnstable, Mass., and Nashville, Tenn.

Nail technicians also ranked number five on U.S. News’ Best Social Services Jobs list. The common denominator between professionals in the social services is the underlying interest in helping individuals and impacting their lives, even just in some small way. A large part of a nail tech’s success comes from good customer service.
“You should be health conscious, keep your station clean and your instruments sanitized, dress appropriately, be polite, and willing to learn, learn, learn,” Tina Panariello, a nail tech and author of Polished: Filing Away at Life’s Truths, told U.S. News.