Is Esthetician School Expensive?

Have you been dreaming about going to esthetician school, but you’re afraid it’s too expensive? Skin Science Institute has some good news for you: Esthetician school is probably less than you think, and financial aid is available.

The Cost of Higher Education

Tuition at public colleges and universities in the U.S. is, on average, about $10,000 per year for in-state students and $27,000 for out-of-state students. For private schools, tuition is about $37,000 per year. In the last 30 years, the cost of four-year colleges has doubled, and in some instances, tripled. The average student loan debt in the U.S. is more than $36,000 per student, with some students owing more than $100,000. The level of student debt today is staggering. The average starting salary for college graduates in 2021 was $55,260. Keep in mind that those with STEM degrees start at more the $70K per year, while some journalists and teachers start at $27K. In Utah, these numbers are a little lower on average. Many college loans become payable upon graduation — the assumption being that graduates will begin working and earning money to pay their loans. But sadly, that is not always the case. Depending upon your field, job opportunities may be few and far between. And even if you get a job, paying student loans every month may be a struggle. That’s why so many young adults still live at home with their parents — they can’t afford to move out. During the height of the pandemic, an estimated 52% of young adults lived with their parents — almost twice as many as during the 1950s.

Esthetician School Is Affordable

Compared to four-year colleges, esthetician school is extremely affordable. At Skin Science institute, tuition for our esthetician program is $8,500. Once you graduate from this 600-hour program and pass your state licensing exam, you will get your basic esthetician license and be able to work in the state of Utah as an esthetician. Students can attend our basic esthetician program on either a full-time or a part-time basis. If you opt for full time, you will complete our esthetician course in four months. If you choose part time, it will take eight months. Skin Science Institute also offers master esthetician training. The tuition and number of hours is the same for this program. When you graduate from our master esthetician program and pass your state exam, you will have your license to work as a master esthetician. Master estheticians can perform many more complex procedures than basic estheticians, making them more valuable employees and eligible to earn higher incomes. The good news is that if you sign up for both the basic and master esthetician courses — known as our comprehensive master esthetician course — you receive a significant discount of 15%. The cost of both courses, when purchased together, is $14,450, versus $17,000 if purchased individually. When you compare the cost of getting a master esthetician license to the cost of a four-year college — $14,450 vs.$40,000-$150,000 — you can see what a bargain you’re getting.

Learn Practical Skills

When you graduate from our esthetician school and pass your state exam, you will have the practical skills you need to work in a number of environments, including beauty salons, spas, doctors’ offices and medical facilities. Increasingly, college graduates are wondering whether the cost and effort involved in getting a four-year degree is worth it. While most statistics show college graduates earn more than non-college graduates, if that degree costs upwards of $100,000 to get, it will not pay off for many years. According to Glassdoor, estheticians make between $27,000 and $76,000 per year. These figures depend on a lot of variables. Many salon employees such as hair stylists, manicurists and estheticians work only when they have appointments booked. Often, this is not 40 hours a week. Some positions in spas, salons or ski resorts require estheticians to be onsite 40 hours a week to serve walk-ins. For positions like these, estheticians may get a base hourly rate, plus a commission on each service they perform. Likewise, if you work in a doctor’s office or clinic, that position may be full time and include benefits such as health and dental insurance and paid vacation and holidays. These benefits are worth tens of thousands of dollars per year, so remember to consider this when calculating your salary.

Running Your Own Business

At our esthetician school, we provide classes in how to run your own esthetician business. When you own your own business, you keep all the profits and you make all the decisions. However, it can take years to build a lucrative esthetician business, so what many estheticians do is work a regular job and then offer their services on the side. One of the best ways to get customers is to start by working with your friends and relatives. Consider offering your services at a discounted rate to get new customers who would be willing to pay full price for subsequent appointments. Don’t underestimate the power of social media in getting new clients, especially in smaller cities and towns. Eventually, you may build a large enough clientele to open your own skin care shop.

Estheticians Have Flexible Hours

Although we just talked about ways estheticians can get full-time jobs with benefits, not everyone wants this. You may have responsibilities such as children at home that would make working a full-time job difficult. As an esthetician, you can book appointments only during school hours or on weekends when there might be others available to watch your children. Being an esthetician is an excellent part-time job not only because it pays more than most other part-time jobs you can find in northern Utah, but it also allows you to make your own hours. Learn more about getting your esthetician license today by calling Skin Science Institute, with campuses in Sandy and Orem.