Arkansas·Personal Care and Service Occupations·SOC 39-5094

Best Skincare Specialist programs in Arkansas, ranked by enrollment

Provide skincare treatments to face and body to enhance an individual's appearance.

26 schools in Arkansas run programs that feed this job, graduating 876 people a year. The job pays a median of $36,520 in Arkansas across about 340 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Also calledEstheticianAestheticianMedical EstheticianSkincare SpecialistFacialistBeauticianElectrologistElectrolysist
Graduates / yr
876
in Arkansas
Median pay · Arkansas
$36,520
BLS OEWS May 2025
Jobs in state
340
people employed
Schools
26
with a feeder program
Avg graduation rate
60%
across those schools
Median net price
$14,881
per year, IPEDS

Fields of study in Arkansas that lead to this job

Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.

2 programs in Arkansas that lead to this job

Ranked by graduates per year in Arkansas (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Arkansas page.

Degree programs that lead to this occupation, ranked by graduates per year
#ProgramGraduates / yrShare of pipelineSchoolsGrad earnings (1 yr)Median debt
1
CIP 12.0401In Arkansas
542
61.9%
24$17,113$10,000
2
CIP 12.0409In Arkansas
334
38.1%
11$17,113$10,000

Top 25 schools in Arkansas

Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 15 of the 26 schools in this state.

Schools ranked by graduates per year into this occupation
#SchoolGraduates / yrTop feeder programGrad earnings (1 yr)Grad rateNet priceAcceptance
1Career Academy of Hair Design
Springdale, AR Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs
123Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$16,57473%$14,881
2Paul Mitchell the School - Little Rock
North Little Rock, AR Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
99Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist$14,89871%$14,508
3Academy of Professional Cosmetology
Rogers, AR Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs
95Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist$11,57289%$19,083
4The Salon Professional Academy
Sherwood, AR Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs
87Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$18,09190%$12,628
5Paul Mitchell the School - Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
57Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$14,04068%$16,185
6Arkansas State University - Newport
Newport, AR Public · 2 feeder programs
45Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist$15,14046%
7Hot Springs Beauty College
Hot Springs, AR Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
40Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General48%$10,936
8University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain
Mena, AR Public · 2 feeder programs
38Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$9,99855%
9Arthur's Beauty College
Conway, AR Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
37Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$14,38839%$16,036
10Academy of Salon and Spa
Fort Smith, AR Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs
36Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist$19,44380%$15,542
11Arthur's Beauty College
Jonesboro, AR Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
25Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$14,08552%$12,905
12University of Arkansas - East Arkansas Community College
Forrest City, AR Public · 1 feeder programs
23Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General51%
13Arkansas Tech University
Russellville, AR Public · 1 feeder programs
20Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General49%96%
14Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas
De Queen, AR Public · 2 feeder programs
16Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General54%
15University of Arkansas - Pulaski Technical College
North Little Rock, AR Public · 1 feeder programs
16Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General36%
16Arkansas Beauty College
Russellville, AR Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
15Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General50%$13,333
17Arthur's Beauty College
Jacksonville, AR Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
15Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$14,38879%$12,008
18Searcy Beauty College
Searcy, AR Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
15Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$13,98455%$15,106
19University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology
El Dorado, AR Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
14Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist$11,05050%$13,515
20University of Arkansas Community College - Batesville
Batesville, AR Public · 1 feeder programs
13Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General66%
21Southern Arkansas University Tech
Camden, AR Public · 1 feeder programs
11Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General62%
22Arkansas Beauty School - Little Rock
Little Rock, AR Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs
10Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$21,161100%$24,060
23Arkansas State University Three Rivers
Malvern, AR Public · 1 feeder programs
8Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General26%
24Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas
Helena, AR Public · 1 feeder programs
8Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General55%
25Velvatex College of Beauty Culture
Little Rock, AR Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
7Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General64%$10,042

All 26 schools in Arkansas

Every school in Arkansas with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.

All schools in Arkansas that feed this occupation
SchoolCityControlGraduates / yrFeeder programs
Career Academy of Hair DesignSpringdalePrivate for-profit1232
Paul Mitchell the School - Little RockNorth Little RockPrivate for-profit991
Academy of Professional CosmetologyRogersPrivate for-profit952
The Salon Professional AcademySherwoodPrivate for-profit872
Paul Mitchell the School - ArkansasFayettevillePrivate for-profit571
Arkansas State University - NewportNewportPublic452
Hot Springs Beauty CollegeHot SpringsPrivate for-profit401
University of Arkansas Community College Rich MountainMenaPublic382
Arthur's Beauty CollegeConwayPrivate for-profit371
Academy of Salon and SpaFort SmithPrivate for-profit362
Arthur's Beauty CollegeJonesboroPrivate for-profit251
University of Arkansas - East Arkansas Community CollegeForrest CityPublic231
Arkansas Tech UniversityRussellvillePublic201
Cossatot Community College of the University of ArkansasDe QueenPublic162
University of Arkansas - Pulaski Technical CollegeNorth Little RockPublic161

What skincare specialists earn in Arkansas

What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.

Median annual in Arkansas
$36,520
Mean annual
$38,830
Jobs in state
340
What the range looks like
10th pct$23,580Median$36,52090th pct$57,770
Versus the national median
-19.4%

U.S. median $45,330. Arkansas pays below the national figure.

Job concentration
0.56×

1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.

Metro areas in Arkansas

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
$36,650median
130 jobs
Fort Smith, AR-OK
$36,250median
30 jobs
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR
$34,480median
90 jobs

Job outlook

Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.

Projected growth 2024–34
+6.7%
Faster than average
Openings per year
14,500
new jobs plus replacements
Employment change
6,600
97,400 → 103,900
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award

Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.

How to get in

The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Skincare Specialists page.

How to become a Skincare Specialist

Job zone 3 of 5 · SVP 6.0 to < 7.0
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award

Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Top skills

SpeakingActive ListeningMonitoringCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionActive Learning

The same job in other states

Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.

Related careers in Arkansas

Every major mapped to this job

The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.

All 4 majors mapped to Skincare Specialists4 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
  • 12.0401Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General
  • 12.0408Facial Treatment Specialist/Facialist
  • 12.0409Aesthetician/Esthetician and Skin Care Specialist
  • 12.0414Master Aesthetician/Esthetician

Common questions

Answers for people weighing skincare specialists programs in Arkansas.

What degree do you need to become a Skincare Specialist?+

Postsecondary nondegree award is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General, which awarded 542 degrees in Arkansas in 2024-25, 61.9% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.

Which college majors lead to becoming a Skincare Specialist?+

The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 2 programs to this occupation. The largest are Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services. Together they graduate about 876 people a year in Arkansas.

How much do skincare specialists earn in Arkansas?+

The median is $36,520 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 19.4% below the U.S. median of $45,330. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.

Is demand for skincare specialists growing?+

BLS projects a +6.7% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, faster than average, with roughly 14,500 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.

How many schools offer programs for this career in Arkansas?+

26 institutions in Arkansas reported graduates from at least one of the 2 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.

What other job titles do skincare specialists work under?+

Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Esthetician, Aesthetician, Medical Esthetician, Skincare Specialist among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 39-5094.

About the data on this page

Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).

  • BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics

    May 2025

    Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.

  • BLS Employment Projections

    2024–34

    Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.

  • IPEDS Completions

    2024-25 (provisional)

    Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.

  • College Scorecard, Field of Study

    2020-21 cohorts

    Median graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.

  • Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes

    latest available

    Graduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.

  • NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk

    CIP 2020 / SOC 2018

    Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.

  • O*NET Database 30.3

    30.3

    Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.

    Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA

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