# Manicurists and Pedicurists

US SOC code 39-5092. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/39-5092

Also called: Nail technician, Nail tech, Manicurist, Pedicurist, Nail artist.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **152,770** US manicurists and pedicurists, with median pay of **$35,760** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2021, the May 2025 count is the highest. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://nailicy.com/article/when-were-nail-salons-invented) of **3,000** from 1900, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for manicurists and pedicurists: UV gel nails, 1982 to 2010.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 9.2% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=39-5092&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **5.6%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend.

## Manicurists and Pedicurists employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1878
- Latest US employment: 152,770 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [4]
- Latest US median pay: $35,760 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [6]
- Outlook: +9.2% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [17]

### All 27 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1900 | 3,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Nailicy [1] |
| 1955 | n/a | $2,400 (estimate) | Est., University of Missouri Libraries [5] |
| 1980 | 80,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., NailSchools.com [2] |
| 2000 | 28,230 | n/a | BLS OEWS 2000 [3] |
| 2003 | 32,670 | $17,710 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [4] |
| 2004 | 38,030 | $18,500 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [4] |
| 2005 | 42,960 | $18,280 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [4] |
| 2006 | 47,450 | $19,190 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [4] |
| 2007 | 52,730 | $19,960 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [4] |
| 2008 | 51,590 | $19,670 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [4] |
| 2009 | 53,020 | $19,710 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [4] |
| 2010 | 51,990 | $19,650 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [4] |
| 2011 | 56,270 | $19,440 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [4] |
| 2012 | 62,330 | $19,220 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [4] |
| 2013 | 71,220 | $19,340 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [4] |
| 2014 | 79,090 | $19,620 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [4] |
| 2015 | 83,840 | $20,820 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [4] |
| 2016 | 90,630 | $22,150 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [4] |
| 2017 | 104,020 | $23,230 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [4] |
| 2018 | 110,170 | $24,330 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [4] |
| 2019 | 111,780 | $25,770 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [4] |
| 2020 | 73,010 | $27,870 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [4] |
| 2021 | 120,540 | $29,210 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [4] |
| 2022 | 138,020 | $31,130 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [4] |
| 2023 | 144,810 | $34,250 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [4] |
| 2024 | 147,820 | $34,660 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [4] |
| 2025 | 152,770 | $35,760 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [4] |

## Sources (80)

### Employment series

1. [Nailicy — The Surprising History Of Nail Salons: Origins And Evolution (early industry size context)](https://nailicy.com/article/when-were-nail-salons-invented), Nailicy
2. [NailSchools.com — The History of Nail Technicians (employment surge in the 1980s)](https://www.nailschools.com/nail-resources/the-history-of-nail-technicians/), NailSchools.com
3. [BLS OES 2000 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes00nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
4. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

5. [University of Missouri Libraries — Prices and Wages by Decade: 1950-1959 (service sector wage context)](https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/pricesandwages/1950-1959), University of Missouri Libraries / BLS historical sources
6. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Tool eras

7. [Wikipedia — Mary E. Cobb (first American manicurist, emery board invention 1884)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_E._Cobb), Wikipedia
8. [ForumDaily — First nail salon in the United States opened in New York 1878](https://www.forumdaily.com/en/pervyj-manikyurnyj-salon-v-ssha-otkrylsya-v-nyu-jorke-1878-godu/), ForumDaily
9. [NailSchools.com — The History of Nail Technicians (1920s-1940s Hollywood and polish era)](https://www.nailschools.com/nail-resources/the-history-of-nail-technicians/), NailSchools.com
10. [The Science Survey — The History of Nail Polish (nitrocellulose lacquer and Revlon history)](https://thesciencesurvey.com/spotlight/2025/04/29/the-history-of-nail-polish/), The Science Survey
11. [TheBeautyFoodie — When Did Acrylic Nails Start: Origins and Evolution (Frederick Slack 1957, Nordstrom 1970s)](https://thebeautyfoodie.com/when-did-acrylic-nails-start/), TheBeautyFoodie
12. [Smithsonian National Museum of American History — Nail salons and Vietnamese refugees: Finding sanctuary in an unexpected place](https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/stories/finding-sanctuary-unexpected-place), Smithsonian Institution
13. [NPR — How Vietnamese Americans took over the nails business (documentary)](https://www.npr.org/2019/05/19/724452398/how-vietnamese-americans-took-over-the-nails-business-a-documentary), NPR
14. [AestheticsED — The History of Nail Enhancements (UV lamp hard gel 1982, James Giuliano)](https://aestheticsed.com/topics/2-1-the-history-of-nail-enhancements-2/), AestheticsED
15. [BeautyMatter — 10Beauty Acquires Autonomous Manicure Competitor Clockwork (February 2025)](https://beautymatter.com/articles/10beauty-acquires-autonomous-manicure-competitor-clockwork), BeautyMatter
16. [SNS Pedicure — Nail Salon Market Trends USA 2026 (gel polish, AI booking, nail art printers)](https://snschairs.com/blogs/news/nail-salon-market-trends-usa-2026), SNS Pedicure

### Forecasts and exposure studies

17. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 39-5092 Manicurists and pedicurists (2025: 201.8 thousand; 2035: 220.4 thousand; +9.2%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=39-5092&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
18. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 39-5092.00, human-rated β 0.056)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

19. [Wikipedia — Mary E. Cobb (first American manicurist, 1878)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_E._Cobb), Wikipedia
20. [NailSchools.com — The History of Nail Technicians (1904 Barber Supply convention)](https://www.nailschools.com/nail-resources/the-history-of-nail-technicians/), NailSchools.com
21. [NPR — How Vietnamese Americans took over the nails business ("Nailed It" documentary, 2019)](https://www.npr.org/2019/05/19/724452398/how-vietnamese-americans-took-over-the-nails-business-a-documentary), NPR
22. [Columbia Journalism Review — The everyday effects of The New York Times' nail salon investigation (2015)](https://www.cjr.org/investigation/new_york_times_nail_salon_investigation.php), Columbia Journalism Review
23. [UCLA Labor Center — Impacts of COVID-19 on California Nail Salon Industry (91% March-April employment loss)](https://labor.ucla.edu/new-report-on-impacts-of-covid-19-on-ca-nail-salon-industry/), UCLA Labor Center
24. [BeautyMatter — 10Beauty Acquires Autonomous Manicure Competitor Clockwork (February 2025)](https://beautymatter.com/articles/10beauty-acquires-autonomous-manicure-competitor-clockwork), BeautyMatter

### Predecessors & successors

25. [NailSchools.com — The History of Nail Technicians (cosmetology licensing era, 1920s-1950s)](https://www.nailschools.com/nail-resources/the-history-of-nail-technicians/), NailSchools.com
26. [Smithsonian National Museum of American History — Nail salons and Vietnamese refugees: Finding sanctuary in an unexpected place](https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/stories/finding-sanctuary-unexpected-place), Smithsonian Institution

### Present-day analysis

- [BLS OOH — Manicurists and Pedicurists (2024-34 outlook)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/manicurists-and-pedicurists.htm), accessed 2026-06-05
- [O\*NET 30.3 — Manicurists and Pedicurists (39-5092.00)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/39-5092.00), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-06-05
- [SNS Pedicure — Nail Salon Market Trends USA 2026](https://snschairs.com/blogs/news/nail-salon-market-trends-usa-2026), accessed 2026-06-05
- [BeautyMatter — 10Beauty Acquires Clockwork (Feb 2025)](https://beautymatter.com/articles/10beauty-acquires-autonomous-manicure-competitor-clockwork), accessed 2026-06-05
- [GM Insights — Nail Salon Market Size and Share 2025-2034](https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/nail-salon-market), accessed 2026-06-05
- [BookingBee.ai — AI Nail Salon Software Features](https://bookingbee.ai/solutions/ai-nail-salon-software/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Vagaro — Salon Booking Software Features](https://www.vagaro.com/en-au/pro/salon-software), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Mangomint — Nail Salon Software](https://www.mangomint.com/solutions/nail-salon-software/), accessed 2026-06-05
- [Bylo.ai — AI Nail Design Preview Tool](https://bylo.ai/features/nail), accessed 2026-06-05

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.