Best Manicurist programs in Michigan, ranked by enrollment
Clean and shape customers' fingernails and toenails.
38 schools in Michigan run programs that feed this job, graduating 1,727 people a year. The job pays a median of $36,890 in Michigan across about 1,020 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Michigan that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
2 programs in Michigan that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Michigan (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 Michigan page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 12.0401In Michigan → | 1,453 | 84.1% | 38 | $17,113 | $10,000 |
| 2 | CIP 12.0410In Michigan → | 274 | 15.9% | 16 | $17,113 | $10,000 |
Top 25 schools in Michigan
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 25 of the 38 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Douglas J Aveda Institute East Lansing, MI Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 260 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | $18,082 | 83% | $26,406 | — |
| 2 | L'esprit Academy Canton, MI Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 117 | Nail Technician/Specialist and Manicurist | $16,706 | 88% | $28,222 | — |
| 3 | Empire Beauty School - Michigan Grand Rapids, MI Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 116 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | $16,062 | 57% | $17,540 | — |
| 4 | Twin City Beauty College Saint Joseph, MI Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 105 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | $18,009 | 48% | $22,720 | — |
| 5 | Dorsey School of Beauty Taylor, MI Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 89 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | $8,615 | 51% | $24,203 | — |
| 6 | David Pressley School of Cosmetology Royal Oak, MI Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 86 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | $13,360 | 87% | $20,346 | — |
| 7 | Michigan College of Beauty - Troy Troy, MI Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 86 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | $16,695 | 68% | $18,234 | — |
| 8 | Elevate Salon Institute Royal Oak, MI Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 78 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | $14,296 | 85% | $14,092 | — |
| 9 | Protege Academy East Lansing, MI Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 58 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | $13,261 | 78% | $11,818 | — |
| 10 | The Salon Professional Academy of Holland Holland, MI Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 55 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | — | 81% | $13,234 | — |
| 11 | Paul Mitchell the School - Farmington Hills Farmington Hills, MI Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 50 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | $17,067 | 79% | $23,705 | — |
| 12 | Paul Mitchell the School - Michigan Sterling Heights, MI Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 50 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | $16,464 | 80% | $18,046 | — |
| 13 | Bayshire Academy of Beauty Craft Inc Bay City, MI Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 43 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | $10,412 | 72% | $4,056 | — |
| 14 | Paul Mitchell the School - Grand Rapids Kentwood, MI Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 43 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | $18,410 | 84% | $14,465 | — |
| 15 | Paul Mitchell the School - Great Lakes Port Huron, MI Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 40 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | $18,580 | 60% | $10,263 | — |
| 16 | P&A Scholars Beauty School Detroit, MI Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 36 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | $13,625 | 65% | $9,759 | — |
| 17 | M J Murphy Beauty College of Mount Pleasant Mount Pleasant, MI Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 32 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | $14,261 | 93% | $13,656 | — |
| 18 | Dorsey College Madison Heights, MI Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 30 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | $10,878 | 54% | $25,186 | — |
| 19 | Dorsey College - Roseville Roseville, MI Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 30 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | $10,878 | 35% | $23,871 | — |
| 20 | Brighton Institute of Cosmetology Brighton, MI Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 28 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | — | 86% | — | — |
| 21 | Michigan College of Beauty - Monroe Monroe, MI Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 24 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | $14,062 | 75% | $13,243 | — |
| 22 | French Academy of Cosmetology Spring Lake, MI Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 23 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | $13,181 | 75% | $8,284 | — |
| 23 | Mott Community College Flint, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 23 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | $12,041 | 32% | — | — |
| 24 | Dymond Designs Beauty School Detroit, MI Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 22 | Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General | — | — | $20,750 | — |
| 25 | Mosley School of Cosmetology Kentwood, MI Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 22 | Nail Technician/Specialist and Manicurist | — | — | — | — |
All 38 schools in Michigan
Every school in Michigan 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.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas J Aveda Institute | East Lansing | Private for-profit | 260 | 1 |
| L'esprit Academy | Canton | Private for-profit | 117 | 2 |
| Empire Beauty School - Michigan | Grand Rapids | Private for-profit | 116 | 1 |
| Twin City Beauty College | Saint Joseph | Private for-profit | 105 | 1 |
| Dorsey School of Beauty | Taylor | Private for-profit | 89 | 2 |
| David Pressley School of Cosmetology | Royal Oak | Private for-profit | 86 | 1 |
| Michigan College of Beauty - Troy | Troy | Private for-profit | 86 | 2 |
| Elevate Salon Institute | Royal Oak | Private for-profit | 78 | 2 |
| Protege Academy | East Lansing | Private for-profit | 58 | 2 |
| The Salon Professional Academy of Holland | Holland | Private for-profit | 55 | 1 |
| Paul Mitchell the School - Farmington Hills | Farmington Hills | Private for-profit | 50 | 1 |
| Paul Mitchell the School - Michigan | Sterling Heights | Private for-profit | 50 | 1 |
| Bayshire Academy of Beauty Craft Inc | Bay City | Private for-profit | 43 | 2 |
| Paul Mitchell the School - Grand Rapids | Kentwood | Private for-profit | 43 | 1 |
| Paul Mitchell the School - Great Lakes | Port Huron | Private for-profit | 40 | 2 |
What manicurists and pedicurists earn in Michigan
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $35,760. Michigan pays above the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Metro areas in Michigan
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
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 Manicurists and Pedicurists page.
How to become a Manicurist
Job zone 2 of 5 · SVP Below 6.0- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Michigan
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 2 majors mapped to Manicurists and Pedicurists2 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 12.0401Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General
- 12.0410Nail Technician/Specialist and Manicurist
Common questions
Answers for people weighing manicurists and pedicurists programs in Michigan.
What degree do you need to become a Manicurist?+
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 1,453 degrees in Michigan in 2024-25, 84.1% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Manicurist?+
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 1,727 people a year in Michigan.
How much do manicurists and pedicurists earn in Michigan?+
The median is $36,890 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 3.2% above the U.S. median of $35,760. 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 manicurists and pedicurists growing?+
BLS projects a +7.0% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, faster than average, with roughly 24,800 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Michigan?+
38 institutions in Michigan 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 manicurists and pedicurists work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Manicurist, Pedicurist, Nail Technician (Nail Tech) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 39-5092.
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 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected 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 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, 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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