Professionals with successful, lasting careers in the beauty industry often start out as students at a beauty school. Fortunately, Delaware is home to outstanding beauty schools with programs specially geared toward students interested in becoming cosmetologists, estheticians, nail technicians, electrologists, makeup artists, and barbers.
Right now, the Delaware Board of Cosmetology and Barbering regulates beauty professionals in the state by requiring certain occupations to obtain a state license before they can practice. This legal mandate ensures that beauty professionals are skilled and educated so that the general public receives services under strict safety guidelines. Licensed beauty professionals include:
- Cosmetologists
- Estheticians
- Nail Technicians
- Electrologists
- Barbers
Most licensed beauty professionals in Delaware graduate from a board-approved beauty school in order to satisfy the training hours needed to sit for the Board of Cosmetology and Barbering licensure examinations. Here is the required amount of training hours needed for each beauty license in Delaware:
- Cosmetologist/Barber: 1,500 hours
- Esthetician: 600 hours
- Nail Technician: 300 hours
- Electrologist: 300 hours
Even unlicensed beauty professionals, like makeup artists, usually attend beauty school courses in order to demonstrate their professionalism to potential employers and clients.
Once trained and/or licensed, beauty professionals in Delaware are ready to land a job and start earning money. Major employers in the beauty industry may hire employees for part-time or full-time positions. However, these places may also offer commission-based compensation or simply rent out space in the form of chairs or stations.
Beauty professionals in Delaware are subject to a unique payment system. Unlike most occupations, beauty industry workers are traditionally granted customer-added gratuity for their services. Normally, clients are apt to gift a 10%-25% tip after each appointment.
Government wage reports do not incorporate clientele gratuity within their published wage statistics for beauty-related occupations in Delaware. As such, these should be viewed as base pay rates instead of actual take-home earnings, which are likely much higher.
Cosmetologist Salaries in Delaware
According to the Delaware Department of Labor the number of hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists employed in the state will rise from 2,357 in 2012 to 2,755 by 2022, which equates to an average annual growth rate of 1.57%.
In 2013, there were approximately 1,640 hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists working in Delaware. At that time, these beauty professionals were earning the following wage averages:
- Entry-Level: $9.01/hr.
- Mid-Career: $14.34/hr.
- Experienced: $21.23/hr.
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the following regional salary and wage averages for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists employed in Delaware in 2013:
- Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metro: $34,090/yr. or $16.39/hr.
- Dover, DE: $30,900/yr. or $14.85/hr.
Esthetician Salaries in Delaware
According to the Delaware Department of Labor, the number of skincare specialists, such as estheticians, employed in the state will increase from 26 in 2012 to 39 by 2022, which translates to an average annual growth rate of 4.14%
In 2013, there were roughly 30 estheticians working in Delaware. During that year, these skincare specialists were earning an average hourly wage of $18.58.
Of course, wage averages are heavily influenced by an esthetician’s previous amount of work history. Therefore, here are additional wage averages for estheticians in Delaware according to their level of experience:
- Entry-Level: $9.97/hr.
- Mid-Career: $14.38/hr.
- Experienced: $22.88/hr.
Nail Technician Salaries in Delaware
According to the Delaware Department of Labor, the number of nail technicians employed in the state will climb from 318 in 2012 to 385 by 2022, which indicates an average annual growth rate of 1.93%
In 2013, nail technicians were earning an average hourly wage of $10.61. However, manicurists and pedicurists can greatly improve their wage earning potential by continuing to acquire experience in the field.
Therefore, here are additional wage averages for nail technicians based on experience level:
- Entry-Level: $8.90/hr.
- Mid-Career: $10.23/hr.
- Experienced: $11.46/hr.
Areas of high populations, such as the Wilmington metropolitan division in Delaware, often employ larger numbers of nail technicians than more rural parts of the states. In 2013, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that nail technicians in the Wilmington district earned an average annual salary of $21,960 and an average hourly wage of $10.56.
Makeup Artist Salaries in Delaware
According to the Delaware Department of Labor, the number of personal care and service workers, including makeup artists, will increase from 118 in 2012 to 132 by 2022, which signifies an average annual growth rate of 1.13%.
In 2013, there were approximately 90 personal care and service workers, like makeup artists, working in Delaware. At that time, these beauty professionals were earning an average hourly wage of $12.35.
Like most beauty professionals, a makeup artist’s pay is majorly impacted by their time spent in the field. For example, here are the wage averages for personal care and service workers, including makeup artists, according to their experience level:
- Entry-Level: $8.15/hr.
- Mid-Career: $12.24/hr.
- Experienced: $14.44/hr.
Current salary aggregator sites indicate that makeup artists employed in Delaware are earning an average annual salary of $31,000.
Barber Salaries in Delaware
Barbers in Delaware most often find job opportunities in area barbershops, salons, and spas. Local employers that recently advertised online job postings searching for barbers and professionals with barber licenses in Delaware include:
- American Beauty Academy
- Holiday Hair Salon
- Supercuts
- SmartStyle Salon
- Ulta Beauty
In 2013, the Delaware Department of Labor found barbers working Delaware were earning an average hourly wage of $13.68. At that time, barbers in entry-level positions earned an average hourly wage of $9.58. Here, the average mid-career hourly wage was $13.34 and the average experienced hourly wage was closer to $15.72.
Current salary aggregator sites indicate that barbers employed in Delaware are earning an average annual salary of $27,000.