All 50 states require an esthetician to have be licensed. This certification usually requires a high school diploma (or GED). This license must be obtained in the state in which the esthetician will be employed.
Becoming a certified esthetician and skin care expert can be accomplished through online coursework in all states. This usually requires students possess a certain level of self-discipline to succeed in this independent type of schooling method but can lead to faster completion of education requirements as well. It is important to enroll in an accredited school for all certifications. The program for certification typically includes: a course on skin care foundations, which gives a foundation of the science behind the skin; a spa treatment course that educates in the proper techniques of spa therapies; an aesthetic treatment course that provides education on the chemicals, acids and tools used on skin resurfacing; and a prep course for the state license exam. These courses are available at most community colleges in person or through distance learning online as well as at the uUniversity level. Private vocational schools also offer certification program.
The time frame for certification varies between each learning institution, however the average time to complete certification in aesthetics is 300 hours of coursework. The cost of a typical aesthetician certification program is between $3,000 and $5,000 (as of 2010).
As of 2009, the median wages in the U.S. for skin care professionals was $13.74 per hour but they can earn up to $20.41 per hour considering their education and the level.