Esthetician Education & Licensing Requirements in California
In California, beauty is the name of the game. All over the state, cities are filled with spas and salons, offering the latest anti-aging skin care procedures and products.
Visitors and residents alike take care of their appearance with esthetic services.
The licensing process is regulated by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. You have to submit proof of your training hours, then take written and skills based licensing exams. When submitting your application, you must pay a $115 licensing fee. Once you have passed your tests, you are licensed as a California esthetician.
Licensed esthetician programs in CA require at least 600 hours of training, most of which consists of hands-on training. School curricula must touch on core topics to meet licensing guidelines.
Required Courses in California Esthetics Programs
- Manual, electrical, and chemical facials
- Facial masks
- Laws and regulations
- Health and safety:
- Disinfection and sanitation
- Anatomy and physiology
- Hair removal, including tweezing, waxing, shaping, and depilatories
- Makeup application
A licensing fee is required every 2 years to keep the license valid in the state of California.
O*Net predicts a 17% boost in California skin care job openings between 2016 and 2026 (2019), and the average income for an esthetician in the state is $34,780 per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019).
California is known for its entertainment industry and its tourism, both of which increase the need for estheticians. The Hollywood entertainment industry is filled with high profile stars and executives with youthful, flawless skin. Beauty is essential to career survival in California, so why not tap into the career that brings that beauty to life? Even tourists to sunny California use their vacation time to relax and unwind with treatments that can shave years off of their looks. Whether you want to open your own salon, work alongside talented plastic surgeons, or rent a skin care room in an established spa or salon, California is full of options.
California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology
PO Box 944226
Sacramento, CA94244-2260
2420 Del Paso Road, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95834
Cosmetology Board Phone Number: 1-800-952-5210
Fax Number: 916-575-7281
E-mail: barbercosmo@dca.ca.gov
The California State Board of Cosmetology is a valuable resource and can answer additional questions about obtaining a California state cosmetology license.