Wages

• Annual wages for full time nail technicians at all levels of experience across the U.S. ranged from less than $15,940 to more than $31,940 as of May 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Nail technicians during that time frame earned a median annual income of $19,710. The mean annual wage for nail techs was $22,150.
  
  

Location

• The state where a nail technician practices can have a significant impact on her income. Nail technicians who worked in Vermont earned the highest mean annual wage in the country at $$33,680 as of May 2009, according to the BLS. Those who worked in North Dakota, Oregon, the District of Columbia and Utah earned a mean annual wages in excess of $29,000 per year. Nail technicians who worked in California earned mean wages of less than $20,000 per year.
  
  

Employer Type

• More than 50,000 of the nation's 53,020 nail technicians were employed in the personal care services industry as of May 2009, according to the BLS. Nail technicians who worked in this industry earned a mean annual wage of $21,990. The highest wages for nail technicians were paid by the traveler accommodations industry and other amusement and recreation industries. Nail technicians in these industries earned a mean wage in excess of $27,000 per year.
  
  

Considerations

• Entry level wages for nail technicians typically start on the low side but increase with experience, according to the BLS. A nail technician in her first year on the job may earn between approximately $15,800 and $28,300 per year, while a technician with more than 10 years on the job may earn more than $29,400 per year as of March 2011, according to PayScale.com. The BLS notes that commissions and tips may play a significant role in determining a nail technicians total income. Those nail technicians who develop a regular clientele may be able to develop a more predictable stream of income.