You must attend a school that meets any licensure requirements as defined by your state. Most states require that you graduate from an accredited or state-approved school.

Related Beauty Careers

Not sure this is the right fit for you? Learn more about other career options in the beauty industry. Related specializations include:

Esthetician Schools Near Me

Check out the Esthetics/Skin Care schools these cities in Missouri have to offer.

How to Become a Esthetician in Missouri

Missouri Esthetician Careers At a Glance

750 education hours or 1,500 apprentice hours are required to become licensed.
You must renew your license every 2 years.
0 continuing education hours are required to renew your license.
The average salary for estheticians in Missouri is $34,370.
There is a predicted 17% job increase between 2021-2031 for estheticians nationwide.

Esthetics covers many treatments and beauty procedures, including massage, facials, skincare, hair care, makeup application, hair removal, and more. To work as an esthetician in Missouri, you need to be licensed by the state board.

To be eligible for licensure, you must:

Be at least 17 years of age
Have at least a 10^th-grade education (or equivalent)
Complete 750 training hours (or 1,500 hours, if apprenticing)
Pass theory and practical exams
Pay a $30 application fee

You may need to disclose any previous criminal history, though this won’t automatically stop you from gaining your license. Under The Fresh Start Act, individuals with a criminal record have the right to ask their licensing authority whether their history disqualifies them from licensure.

Missouri Esthetics Careers

$34,370

Average yearly salary for esthetics in Missouri

Estheticians in Missouri typically earn a mean salary of $34,370 per year or $16.52 per hour. This is lower than the national average of $ 41,700. But, the cost of living in the state is also 10% lower. In fact, the cost of housing, in particular, is 20% lower in Missouri than the national average.

Missouri esthetician salaries range from around $23,120 to about $48,860. Factors like location, experience level, and the services offered influence earning potential. For example, an esthetician fresh out of beauty school and working in a rural salon typically makes less than an experienced one in a high-end spa in KC.

The state doesn't publish the job outlook for estheticians in Missouri, but the number of jobs is expected to grow by 17% nationwide.

The highest-paying areas for estheticians in Missouri are:

Metro Area	2021 Median Salary
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO	$36,360
Kansas City, MO-KS	$30,550
St. Louis, MO-IL	$30,400
Springfield, MO	$28,010

Table information sourced from O*Net (2022)

State License Requirements

750 Education Hours

Required to earn a esthetics license

Before applying for an esthetician’s license in Missouri, you must complete a state-approved 750-hour esthetics program. The exact course content varies from school to school, but they must all cover the following in their curriculum:

Facials, cleansing, toning, and massaging (120 hours)
Makeup application (100 hours)
Hair removal (30 hours)
Body treatments, aromatherapy, and wraps (120 hours)
Reflexology (35 hours)
Cosmetic sciences— structure, condition, and disorder (85 hours)
Cosmetic chemistry, products, and ingredients (75 hours)
Salon management and salesmanship (55 hours)
Sanitation, sterilization, and safety (45 hours)
State law (10 hours)
Curriculum to be defined by the school (75 hours)

Just like their students, esthetics schools in Missouri must also be licensed. To gain and retain licensure, each school must adhere to specific criteria, such as:

At least 1,000 square feet of floor space
Adequate room for theory instruction
Adequate equipment and lockers
An adequate library
Two restrooms
A clinical area large enough for at least 10 students, plus an additional 50 square feet of space per student beyond this

Can I Apprentice as an Esthetician in Missouri?

1,500 Apprenticeship Hours

Required to earn a esthetics license

You can also train to become an esthetician in Missouri via apprenticeship if you don’t want to gain licensure via the traditional school route. This takes twice as long as the conventional school pathway, requiring 1,500 hours of training. To apply for an apprenticeship in Missouri, you must:

Be at least 17 years old
Have at least a 10^th-grade education (or equivalent)
Pay an enrollment fee of $25

Apprentices cover the following topics during their training:

Facials, cleansing, toning, and massaging (240 hours)
Makeup application (200 hours)
Hair removal (60 hours)
Body treatments, aromatherapy, and wraps (240 hours)
Reflexology (70 hours)
Cosmetic sciences—structure, condition, and disorder (170 hours)
Cosmetic chemistry, products, and ingredients (150 hours)
Salon management and salesmanship (110 hours)
Sanitation, sterilization, and safety (90 hours)
State law (20 hours)
Miscellaneous lectures and test review (150 hours)

Missouri Esthetician Licensing Requirements

Once you’ve completed your required training hours, you can move on to the next stage of licensure—taking (and passing) your written and practical exams. Only once you’ve passed both of these can you be granted licensure.

Both examinations are overseen by Prov, in partnership with the National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC). All applicants must register with Prov and submit a license application to the state board. Once the application has been approved, you can schedule your examinations.

The theory exam costs $88, and the practical exam costs $58. It doesn’t matter if you’re testing for the first time or retaking one or both parts—the fee is the same.

Lists of available exam dates and locations are available on the Prov website.

On the day of your exam, you must arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled test. If you arrive late and the exam session has already begun, you’ll be turned away, lose your exam fees, and need to reschedule.

You also need to provide a valid government-issued photo ID, sign a test center log, and have your photograph taken by the test center staff.

Theory Examination

The theory exam takes 90 minutes to complete and contains 110 items, 100 of which contribute to your final score. It covers the following areas:

Domain I: Scientific Concepts (55%)

Basic chemistry
Function and composition of the hair
Histology and physiology of the skin
Human physiology and anatomy
Infection control procedures
Microbiology
Safety procedures and guidelines
Skin disorders and diseases

Domain II: Skincare and Services (45%)

Cleansing procedures
Client consultation and documentation
Client protection
Contraindications for skin services
Electrical equipment used in skin services
Exfoliation procedures
Facial services
Makeup
Masks
Massage movements
Methods of extraction
Skin analysis
Steaming procedures
Treatment protocol
Other services

Practical Examination

The practical exam covers the following areas:

Work Area Preparation and Set Up of Supplies (10 minutes)
Client Preparation and Basic Facial (25 minutes)
Work Area Preparation for New Client and Set Up of Supplies (10 minutes)
New Client Preparation and Hair Removal of the Eyebrows (Untimed)
Facial Makeup (20 minutes)
Blood Exposure Procedure (10 minutes)
Particle Microdermabrasion (10 minutes)
Eyelash Enhancement (10 minutes)
Hair Removal of the Upper Lip (10 minutes)

All products must be labeled in English.

You must score at least 75 on each exam to pass. You receive your theory results by email within minutes of completing your exam. Your practical exam results are emailed within two to three business days following the test.

If you do not pass, you may retake the exams as often as necessary but must pay the examination fee each time.

Prov complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in providing special accommodations for candidates who need assistance. If you need extra help to be able to take either exam, you must notify Prov in advance by calling (877) 228-3926.

You may need to provide written documentation from a licensed physician or psychologist documenting your disability.

Missouri Esthetician Licensure Reciprocity

If you’re an esthetician in another state, you can apply for a license in Missouri through reciprocity. To be eligible for reciprocity, you must:

Hold a license in another state, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia for at least one year
Not be under any disciplinary action
Pass a state law test
Pay a $100 fee

License Renewal

2 Years

License renewal period

0 Hours

Continuing education required

In Missouri, estheticians’ licenses expire on September 30 of every odd-numbered year, so they must be renewed every two years. There is currently no required continuing education to renew an esthetics license in the state. However, you must pay a $50 fee each time you renew.

If your license expires, you have two years to reinstate it. After two years (but within five), you must retake your practical examination to regain your license. You must retake both exam parts if your license has expired for five years or more.

Contact the Missouri State Board of Esthetics

Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners

3605 Missouri Boulevard, Jefferson City, MO 65102
Website: Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners
Email: cosbar@pr.mo.gov
Call: 573-751-1052
Fax: 573-751-8167

State Board Statutes and Regulations
This document contains a considerable amount of information about the licensing process.

Prov
This is the exam board running Missouri’s cosmetology and barber license exams, including esthetics.

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Esthetics/Skin Care

Missouri

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