Salon Management Schools in Maine

Browse our directory of salon management schools in Maine, or skip ahead to learn about the state's salon management licensing requirements and job outlook.

How to Become a Salon Manager in Maine

Perhaps you have worked in the beauty industry for a while and are wondering what options you might have for career advancement. If you are a hard worker, enjoy having responsibilities including making decisions and managing others, and are willing to put in long hours, you may want to consider a career in spa or salon management. As a manager, your day to day work life is very varied, filled with tasks relating to the running of a spa or salon business, such as managing staff, keeping customers satisfied and coming back, complying with state laws and regulations, handling the finances of the business, and much more.

It is a fast-paced job where you have to be able to multi-task and switch what you are doing on a dime, depending upon what is needed at a given moment. But you also get to make decisions and "run the show", managing other people and task allocation for a thriving concern.

State License Requirements

Spa and salon management programs are usually available in schools of cosmetology, and they may offer courses at night and on weekends for busy professionals. It can take between six and twelve months to earn a certificate, or longer, if you are going to school part-time while continuing to work. You will probably need to earn between 15 and 30 credits to complete your program. It is possible that some two year colleges may offer spa and salon management programs as well.

Education Details

What will you learn in a spa or salon management program? Customer service skills will be key, as well as the ins and outs of running a salon business, everything from paying bills to hiring and managing staff, how to be an effective leader, safety compliance laws, and marketing and advertising. There is no specific license needed to run a spa or salon, but it is highly recommended that you keep your cosmetology license current in order to fill in for staff who are absent. Some spas and salons may require this.

License Renewal

It's relieving to learn that you don't have to adhere to a license or renewal process in the state of Main to become a salon manager. However, you should look into cosmetology licensure to be the best manager possible. They often include management and marketing courses that can help you develop the cosmetology and business skills required to be the best fit for this role. If you earn your cosmetology license in Maine, you will need to renew it every October for a $50 fee.

Maine Salon Management Careers

According to O*Net, the average salary earned by cosmetologists, hair dressers and hair stylists in 2013 in the state of Maine was $24,200. As a manager or assistant manager, your status would be somewhat higher than an individual practitioner, and your salary would most likely reflect this. Of course, the more experience you have in a managerial role, the higher your income is likely to be. The projected growth rate for cosmetologists, hair dressers and hair stylists is between 8% and 14%, meaning that there should be adequate jobs for individuals completing school in the various areas of the beauty industry.

As a manager or assistant manager of a spa or salon, you will be busy, and your work will be varied. You may be the first one in in the morning to open up the salon, and you may be the last one to leave at night. You will be the go-to person for staff, and the person to speak with if a client has a problem. Some of your time will be spent in the office taking care of managing the business aspects of the business, like the books, advertising and marketing, hiring staff, ordering supplies, and more. The rest of your time you are likely to be out on the floor, making sure things are running smoothly and that customers are satisfied. You may answer phones and book appointments. You'll want to ascertain that safety and sanitation procedures are being followed, and that staff work areas are kept clean and tidy. If a staff person is absent, you may need to fill in with their clients. You won't have the same scheduling flexibility you had when your day was taken up with seeing individual clients, but your financial compensation should reflect this. Spa and salon management is a way to move up the career ladder while staying within the beauty industry. But it requires time, effort, and dedication. If this sounds like you, and you welcome greater responsibility, consider a career as a spa or salon management in Maine!

Contact the Maine State Board of Cosmetology

As the amount of fine barbershops and salons expands in the state of Maine, the need arises for more intrepid beauty professionals that are interested to learn more about salon management. All potential entrepreneurs utilize these resources.

Professional Beauty Association
Associated Hair Professionals