Manicurists and Pedicurists Salary
The median pay for a manicurists and pedicurists in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $38,100/year ($18.32/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $49K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $36,780 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,781/month, about 68.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $38K actually covers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin’s Regional Price Parity (103.59). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About manicurists and pedicurists
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What this looks like in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Manicurists and pedicurists pay in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin tracks closely to the national median, $38K locally vs. $36K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,781/month, which is 69.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.59) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for manicurists and pedicurists in metros near Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Bloomington | $41K | $44K |
| Springfield | $31K | $34K |
| Kansas City | $36K | $39K |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $36K | $37K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Entry-level manicurists and pedicurists (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $49K or more, a $18K spread from bottom to top.
Manicurists and Pedicurists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Manicurists and Pedicurists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $61K | +70% | 40 |
| Nebraska | $57K | +59% | 310 |
| Washington | $50K | +40% | 5,570 |
| Maine | $49K | +36% | 200 |
| Alaska | $48K | +34% | 180 |
| Oregon | $46K | +29% | 2,210 |
| Iowa | $45K | +27% | 190 |
| South Dakota | $45K | +27% | 250 |
| Kentucky | $45K | +27% | 240 |
| Nevada | $42K | +17% | 1,020 |
| Missouri | $39K | +9% | 1,630 |
| West Virginia | $38K | +7% | 120 |
| Florida | $38K | +6% | 4,470 |
| Mississippi | $37K | +4% | 520 |
| Maryland | $37K | +4% | 2,080 |
| Colorado | $37K | +4% | 3,970 |
| Illinois | $37K | +4% | 2,470 |
| Michigan | $37K | +3% | 1,020 |
| Wisconsin | $37K | +3% | 2,350 |
| California | $37K | +2% | 39,210 |
| Virginia | $37K | +2% | 4,230 |
| District of Columbia | $37K | +2% | N/A |
| New Jersey | $36K | +2% | 11,520 |
| Indiana | $36K | +1% | 510 |
| Minnesota | $36K | +1% | 3,260 |
| Ohio | $36K | -0% | 3,680 |
| Massachusetts | $35K | -1% | 4,660 |
| Arizona | $35K | -1% | 2,440 |
| New Hampshire | $35K | -2% | 490 |
| Rhode Island | $35K | -2% | N/A |
| Idaho | $35K | -2% | 160 |
| Tennessee | $35K | -3% | 1,200 |
| North Carolina | $35K | -3% | 1,900 |
| Connecticut | $35K | -3% | 4,490 |
| New York | $35K | -3% | 19,710 |
| Texas | $34K | -5% | 5,340 |
| South Carolina | $34K | -5% | 710 |
| Montana | $34K | -6% | 110 |
| North Dakota | $33K | -7% | 270 |
| Oklahoma | $31K | -12% | 480 |
| Delaware | $31K | -13% | 780 |
| Kansas | $31K | -14% | 1,510 |
| Alabama | $30K | -15% | 920 |
| Utah | $29K | -19% | 1,150 |
| Louisiana | $28K | -21% | 2,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $28K | -22% | 9,610 |
| Arkansas | $28K | -23% | 230 |
| Georgia | $27K | -25% | 1,710 |
| New Mexico | $26K | -28% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track manicurists and pedicurists salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Chicago-Naperville-Elgin numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a manicurists and pedicurist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 69.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,781/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for manicurists and pedicurists in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new manicurists and pedicurists typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,130/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 84% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is manicurists and pedicurist a high-paying job in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $38K locally vs. $36K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for manicurists and pedicurists?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do manicurists and pedicurists make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $38,100 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,200, and experienced manicurists and pedicurists can clear $48,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,564/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 69.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a manicurists and pedicurists salary go in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has a Regional Price Parity of 103.59 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median manicurists and pedicurists salary is worth about $36,780 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do manicurists and pedicurists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.