Manicurists and Pedicurists Salary
The median pay for a manicurists and pedicurists in Rochester, NY is $32,760/year ($15.75/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $34K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.03), that's roughly $33,763 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,573/month, about 69.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $33K actually covers in Rochester, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rochester’s Regional Price Parity (97.03). 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 Rochester
Manicurists and pedicurists pay in Rochester tracks closely to the national median, $33K locally vs. $36K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,573/month, which is 69.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.03) 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 Rochester, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $35K | $31K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $32K | $34K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $32K | $32K |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh | $35K | $32K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rochester, NY
Entry-level manicurists and pedicurists (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $33K. Top earners bring in $34K or more, a $1K 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 Rochester 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 Rochester?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $33K, rent takes 69.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,573/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/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 Rochester?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new manicurists and pedicurists typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,231/month. At HUD’s $1,573/month FMR, rent would take 71% 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 Rochester?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $33K locally vs. $36K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Rochester compare to the national average for manicurists and pedicurists?
Rochester pays $33K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.03), the purchasing-power equivalent is $34K — below the national median.
How much do manicurists and pedicurists make in Rochester, NY?
The median is $32,760 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,240, and experienced manicurists and pedicurists can clear $33,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $33K enough to live in Rochester?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,264/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,573/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 Rochester?
Rochester has a Regional Price Parity of 97.03 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median manicurists and pedicurists salary is worth about $33,763 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.