Esthetics is the beautification of the skin through cosmetic practices, procedures, and techniques. Skilled estheticians in Connecticut may work in beauty salons, spas, health clubs, or even plastic surgeon and dermatologist offices.
Under Connecticut law, no license is required to perform facials are related services in the state. Therefore, there is no licensure or certification offered or legally required for estheticians in Connecticut.
Although estheticians in Connecticut are not licensed by the Connecticut State Board of Barbers and Hairdressers like other health and beauty professionals, it is always beneficial to pursue a formal education in esthetics if you want to expand your professional opportunities and provide your clients with the highest quality esthetics services.
Esthetician Schools and Training Programs in Connecticut
An esthetics program provides comprehensive study and training in all areas of cosmetic skin care. As such, you can expect to learn about the beautification of the skin through facials, skin analyses, makeup artistry, pore cleansing, skin care regimens, microdermabrasion, and much more.
Esthetician programs may be offered through dedicated esthetician institutions or through cosmetology schools. Most programs are between 300 and 600 hours in duration. Some programs offer online study opportunities, while others provide part-time and/or evening courses to fit students’ busy schedules.
Graduates of esthetician programs gain a broad range of skills in facial treatments and bodywork through coursework and practical training. Most programs also cover basic science courses, thus allowing students to achieve an understanding of anatomy and the physiology of the skin and endocrine systems.
Just a few of the courses found within a typical esthetics program include:
- Skin care procedures
- Electricity and facial treatments with machines
- Advanced skin care
- Salon management
- Color theory and makeup
Job Opportunities for Estheticians in Connecticut
Estheticians in Connecticut have a number of options for a successful career in esthetics. Specifically, they may work as independent contractors or employees within a salon, spa, or dermatologist or plastic surgeon’s office.
Day spas and resort spas often provide excellent opportunities for estheticians, while medical spas are often staffed with estheticians, who are called upon to provide a number of non-invasive treatments, such as laser treatments and dermal fillers.
Many estheticians seeking to start their own business often choose to complete study in business and marketing.
Just a few of the many esthetics spas and practices throughout Connecticut include:
- La Spiagga Day Spa and Medical Esthetics, Madison
- G N Esthetics and Spa, Danbury
- Avance Esthetiques, Newtown
- Jager Arx Esthetics Spa, New Canaan
- Dermage Aesthetic Center and Spa, Wilton
- Greenwich Medical Spa, Old Greenwich
- Art of Esthetics Skin Care, Berlin
- Vitality Spa, Old Lyme
- Glow Face and Body Boutique, Branford
Advanced Opportunities for Estheticians in Connecticut
Although estheticians in Connecticut are not licensed beauty professionals, electrologists are licensed. If you want to expand your esthetician business in Connecticut, you may want to consider becoming licensed as an electrologist, which requires the completion of an electrology program approved by the Board of Examiners of Electrologists. You can find a list of approved electrology schools here.
Upon the completion of an approved electrology program, you will be required to successfully complete the Connecticut Board of Examiners for Electrologists Practical Skills Examination, which requires you to demonstrate your skills using galvanic and short wave methods of electrolysis. You will also need to complete the International Board of Electrologist Certification, American Electrologist Association Written Examination.
You can contact the Department of Public Health at 860-509-7603 or at [email protected] to learn more about electrolysis licensure in Connecticut.
Esthetician Salaries in Connecticut
As one of the wealthiest states in the country, it’s no wonder that skincare specialists with a taste for the finer things in life end up in Connecticut. And if they come for the job opportunities, they stay for the salaries and tips.
Between now and 2026, estheticians will see an estimated 120 annual job openings just to keep pace with demand for esthiology services in the state. With more demand comes more opportunities, more competitive salary offers, and more generous commissions and tips. But don’t get too tangled up in the number game. Ultimately, the power to start earning those baller dollars you’ve always dreamed of comes down to you, and not the job market.
Annual Salary vs. Hourly Wages for Estheticians in Connecticut
Basically, salary statistics are a loose blueprint of what’s out there. You can control several factors that will help to keep building your earning potential. When you first enter the field you’ll probably start out making hourly wages, and perhaps some commissions for the services you perform and the products you sell. Another option is to rent space, in which case you essentially keep everything you earn after accounting for the cost of rent and other expenses. Under this model, you are essentially your own boss, you just don’t own the spa you work in. Do your homework to find out which spas are offering the best space rental deals, or what commission percentage they’re willing to pay for your sales if you’re hired on a commission basis.
Once hired, hit the ground running by gaining as much experience and word-of-mouth buzz in the shortest time possible because high-class establishments don’t cheap out when it comes to expertise and reputation. Take a look at how esthetician salaries and hourly wages stack up in Connecticut:
Hourly Wages
- Bottom 10%: $10.49
- Mid-Level: $15.55
- Top 10%: $31.76
Annual Salaries
- Bottom 10%: $21,810
- Mid-Level: $32,340
- Top 10%: $66,060
Difference in Pay Has a Lot to Do with Where You Work
Before realizing the ultimate goal of becoming a business owner, you’ll likely have a chance to gain experience at a number of different locations in your area. Hands down, the best salaries adorn the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk metro area. Located in close proximity to NYC, there’s a reason its nicknamed the Gold Coast. Getting your foot in the door in exclusive venues here could lead to salaries upward of $90,000:
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk
- Bottom 10%: $25,570
- Mid-Level: $40,770
- Top 10%: $92,970
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford
- Bottom 10%: $21,430
- Mid-Level: $30,800
- Top 10%: $44,470
New Haven
- Bottom 10%: $21,740
- Mid-Level: $24,580
- Top 10%: $42,730
2017 salary data provided by the U.S. Department of Labor-Sponsored resource CareerOneStop – https://www.careeronestop.org/ExploreCareers/Plan/salaries.aspx. State and MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) data includes estheticians at all levels of education and experience. This data does not represent starting salaries. Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Job growth data provided by the U.S. Department of Labor-Sponsored resource Projections Central and represents the ten-year projection period between 2016 and 2026 – https://projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm.
All data accessed June 2019.
6 Notable Esthetician Programs in Connecticut
An esthetics education in Connecticut can be had at a relatively low price compared to most states, at an average tuition rate of $5,406. There are a surprising number of options for such a small state, with esthetics programs offered in every corner. Several local community colleges and vocational institutes in Connecticut have esthetics program as part of their core job training, which gives students a low-cost option that may be closer to home than traditional beauty colleges. Whatever option they choose, Connecticut students have the benefit of professional instructors and excellent financing options to make every program affordable.
Here you’ll find our pick for the top six schools in Connecticut that offer full esthetics programs that meet state licensing requirements.
- Tuition: $5,300
- Kit Cost: Included in tuition
As a community college, Asnuntuck accepts Veteran’s Administration financing for qualified former military members to help cover tuition costs. The tuition rate is already among the lowest in the state, however, making this program a great value to prospective students. The basic esthetics program, however, covers all the same subjects you would find at a private school, including massage, cosmetic application and removal, chemical peels, and exfoliation techniques.
- Tuition: $3,285
- Kit Cost: Included in tuition
The Belle Academy offers the least expensive esthetics course in the state, gaining it instant recognition for value. The school’s goal is to teach the skills required necessary to provide professional service and help students build a steady clientele of their own. A strong element of community service infuses the academy, teaching students how to give back to the local community.
- Tuition: $7,390
- Kit Cost: $2,800
- Program Length: 6 months
Branford has one immediate advantage over every other school in Connecticut which should jump out at prospective students: a 100 percent job placement rate that means every single graduate finds lucrative employment in the industry after completing the program. They have help finding those positions: a job placement section is constantly working to place students in jobs that they will find both challenging and rewarding. The Academy accepts G.I. Bill benefits from qualified military veterans.
- Tuition: $4,870
- Kit Cost: Included in tuition
IAAS is a state leader in esthetics instruction. By providing students with a quality education that incorporates both theory and practical application of esthetics techniques, IAAS is able to deliver a comprehensive cycle of instruction in the latest techniques for clinical skin care, make-up artistry, and hair removal. The school charges below average tuition rates, making it a good choice for value among prospective students.
- Tuition: $5,103
- Kit Cost: Included in tuition
- Program Length: 4 months
The skin care program at the International Institute teaches students how to treat and beautify the skin at the same time they pamper the mind and spirit of customers. They work exclusively with Dermologica brand products. The school offers one of the lowest cost esthetics programs in the state.
- Tuition: $8,070
- Kit Cost: $1,200
- Program Length: 9 months
Ridley-Lowell is not a dedicated beauty school, but rather a general vocational institute, which means they readily accept funding programs such as the G.I. Bill. Their esthetics program focuses on scientific aspects of skin care, including bacteriology, anatomy and physiology, nutrition, and chemistry.