Beauty Therapist
Beauty therapists carry out facial, body, waxing and makeup treatments, usually one to one with a client in a treatment room.
- Median salary
- $61,300
3.5%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 44,300
0.5%vs last year
- Projected growth
- +10.6%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Low
- automation risk
- Average hours
- 41/wk
+1h vs all jobs
- Shortage status
- In shortage
national
Beauty therapists work from a treatment room in a salon, day spa or skin clinic, doing facials, waxing, tinting, body treatments and makeup, then advising clients on what to use at home. The job runs on repeat visits: you assess the same client's skin over months and adjust what you do, which is different from hairdressing, where the trade centres on cutting and colouring hair. A few states require a separate licence for laser and IPL treatments, so what a therapist can offer depends partly on where they work.
How much do beauty therapists earn?
The median full-time salary for a beauty therapist is $61,300 per annum, before tax, up $13,000 since 2018.
Pay is usually set by the award or an enterprise agreement, and where a salon runs a sales incentive, commission on skincare and retail can add to it. The setting matters as much as the job title: day spas, skin clinics and larger salons tend to pay above the award, while smaller salons often sit at it. Because clients book evenings, Saturdays and the weeks before Christmas, penalty rates can form a real part of weekly earnings.
What does a beauty therapist do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Cleansing, steaming and extracting congestion during a facial, then applying a mask and moisturiser matched to the client's skin
- Waxing legs, brows and other areas back to back on a fully booked day
- Mixing and timing tint for lashes and brows so the colour develops without over-processing
- Sterilising tools and resetting the treatment room between clients to meet hygiene and infection control standards
- Talking clients through homecare products and routines they can keep up between visits
What skills do beauty therapists need?
Employers look for hair and beauty services, personal care services, backed by facial steamers fluency and strong client relationships and advisory.
Specialist skills
- Hair and beauty services
- Personal care services
Software and tools
- facial steamers
- microdermabrasion machines
- waxing heaters
- facial treatment beds
- professional skincare product ranges
General skills
- Client relationships and advisory
- Written communication
- Attention to detail
- Empathy and interpersonal care
- Customer service
Is the job growing?
About 44,300 people work as beauty therapists in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 10.6% over the decade to 2035. That's healthy, above-average growth, and the role should stay in solid demand.
How do you become a beauty therapist?
Here's the path most beauty therapists take, step by step.
- 1Finish Year 12 or a Certificate III in Beauty Services
A Certificate III covers the basics of salon work and is enough for assistant and junior roles, which is a common way to start earning while you decide whether to train further.
- 2Complete a Certificate IV or Diploma of Beauty Therapy
The Certificate IV in Beauty Therapy (SHB40121) takes around a year of full-time study and is the qualification most employers ask for; the diploma adds more advanced skin and body work and takes longer. Both combine theory with practical hours on models and clients.
- 3Build speed and confidence in a salon
Tinting, waxing and facial timing are learned on the job, and a new graduate usually needs a few months of regular clients before a full appointment book feels manageable.
- 4Add specialist training where it pays
Laser and IPL, dermal science, lash extensions and advanced skin treatments each need their own course, and some states require a licence or premises registration for laser work.
- 5Consider management or your own clientele
Once you know the treatments well, salon management or building a personal client base opens up, and both change the work from hands-on treatment towards rostering, stock and business decisions.
Study routes we have checked
Qualifications that are a recognised way into this role, and what else you need.
- Diploma of Beauty Therapy
A recognised route into this role
Work within the treatment scope covered by the qualification; additional procedures may have separate requirements.
Ready to apply as a beauty therapist?
Whether you're working toward becoming a beauty therapist or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can a beauty therapist move to?
Moving into Store Manager typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $22,900 a year more on average.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Store Manager Beauty therapists moving into store management bring client service and product knowledge, though they need retraining in retail operations and team leadership.Known move | +$22,900 | 4% | reskill |
| Salon Manager Experienced beauty therapists can step into salon management, using their treatment knowledge to lead a team, though they need business training. | +$3,700 | 21% | reskill |
| Hairdresser Beauty therapists can cross into hairdressing, using their salon and client skills, but they must complete a hairdressing apprenticeship.Known move | +$1,600 | 47% | requalify |
| Makeup Artist Beauty therapists already apply makeup and understand skin tones, so they can move into makeup artistry with minimal additional training. | −$11,900 | 71% | minimal |
| Massage Therapist Beauty therapists bring hands-on treatment and client care skills to massage therapy, but they need formal massage training to practise independently.Known move | −$12,000 | 14% | reskill |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as a beauty therapist?
The typical beauty therapist is 33 years old; 98% are women, 47% work full-time, and full-timers average 41 hours a week.
- 33
- Median age
- 98%
- Female share
- 47%
- Full-time
- +1h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being a beauty therapist?
The work runs to an appointment book, so a day can be fully booked back to back or quiet midweek, and most beauty therapists work some evenings and weekends because that is when clients are free. It suits people who like hands-on work with a visible result and do not mind being physically close to clients for hours at a time, talking while they work.
What people like
- Seeing a client's skin change over time. Regulars come back month after month, and you can see what your treatments and homecare advice have actually done.
- Clients who trust you with the conversation. The same faces book in, sometimes for years, and the chat picks up where it left off while you work.
- Treatments with a clear finish. A facial, a fresh set of brows or a wax has an obvious end point, and the client leaves looking different from how they arrived.
- Room to specialise. Advanced skin, lashes, brows and laser work all sit inside beauty therapy, so you can move away from general treatments without leaving the industry.
What people find hard
- Appointments with no gaps between them. Treatments run to 15 or 30 minute slots, so one client arriving late or wanting to talk pushes everything after them.
- Standing and repetitive strain. Long days on your feet load the wrists, shoulders and back, particularly through waxing and massage-based facials.
- Product sales targets. Many salons expect therapists to recommend and sell homecare ranges, and how well you do can affect your shifts or bonuses.
- Evenings, Saturdays and December. Clients book outside office hours, so late nights and weekend work are normal and the pre-Christmas weeks are the busiest of the year.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ beauty therapists?
Other Services employs the largest share of beauty therapists.
Top employing industries
- 1Other Services
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 40.9% | |
|---|---|---|
| Year 12 or below | 23.9% | |
| Certificate III/IV | 18.2% | |
| Bachelor degree | 8.5% | |
| Postgraduate | 2.5% |
Will AI replace beauty therapists?
Beauty therapy is a low-exposure job because the treatments themselves are hands-on and physical, and no tool currently performs them. Software has taken over the booking diary, client records and marketing, and it does that work well. Skin analysis devices can measure and photograph a client's skin, but they add information to a consultation rather than replacing the therapist's read of it.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Delivering facials, body treatments and makeupCleansing, massage, extraction, mask application and makeup rely on hands and judgement, and clients book a person to do them.40%low
- Waxing, tinting and lash workPatch testing, brow shaping and tint timing are skilled handwork done at close range on individual clients.25%low
- Bookings, records and retail follow-upOnline diaries, automated appointment reminders and AI-written product emails now handle much of the admin that used to be done by hand between clients.20%high
- Consultations and skin assessmentsDevices and apps can log skin readings and suggest product matches, but the therapist still asks about medications, allergies and what the client wants.15%moderate
Common questions about becoming a beauty therapist
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much do beauty therapists earn in Australia?
Beauty therapists earn a median of $61,300 per year before tax, though what you take home depends on the award or enterprise agreement you are on and whether your pay includes commission on retail sales. Penalty rates for evening, weekend and public holiday work can lift weekly earnings well above the base rate.
How do you become a beauty therapist?
The usual route is a Certificate IV or Diploma of Beauty Therapy (SHB50121), which most employers ask for, with a Certificate III in Beauty Services (SHB30121) enough for assistant roles. Courses mix theory with practical hours, and after that most of the skill comes from working with real clients. There is no national registration for beauty therapy, but some states require a licence for laser and IPL treatments.
Are beauty therapists in demand in Australia?
Beauty therapists are currently in shortage nationally, and employment is projected to grow 10.6% over the decade to 2035 over the decade to 2035. Demand follows population growth, so outer suburbs and tourist areas tend to have the steadiest flow of new salons, and a therapist with a full appointment book is usually the one a salon works hardest to keep.
Will AI replace beauty therapists?
AI reaches the booking, marketing and record-keeping side of the job more than the treatments themselves. Online booking systems and client record software already handle scheduling and treatment histories, and salons use AI tools to write product descriptions and social posts. Skin analysis devices can take readings, but a therapist still reads the skin in front of them, adjusts pressure and technique, and decides what is safe to do that day.
What can a beauty therapist move into?
Beauty therapists move into makeup artistry with minimal retraining, since 71% of the skills carry over, though the median pay is $11,900 less. Moving to salon or store management raises pay: a salon manager earns about $3,700 more and a store manager $22,900 more, but both need business and rostering skills rather than more treatment training. Many experienced therapists eventually run their own treatment room or open a salon, which is often where earnings grow.
What is the difference between a beauty therapist and a beautician?
In Australia the two terms overlap: beautician is used loosely for anyone doing facials, nails and waxing, while beauty therapist usually signals a Certificate IV or Diploma and a broader scope including body treatments and skin analysis. Neither title is regulated, so a job ad's wording is not a reliable guide to the qualification behind it.
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