Esthetician Schools in South Dakota

Browse our directory of esthetician schools in South Dakota, or skip ahead to learn about the state's esthetician licensing requirements and job outlook.

How to Become a Esthetician in South Dakota

How to Become an Esthetician in South Dakota

To become an esthetician in South Dakota, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Complete 600 training hours at a state-approved esthetician school, or complete 600 training hours as part of an esthetics apprenticeship
• Pass theory, practical, and state-law exams
• Apply for your license
• Pay the $100 application fee

Having a criminal record doesn't automatically exclude you from earning your license. But, you might be subject to scrutiny by the South Dakota Cosmetology Commission (SDCC). That said, if you have a felony conviction related to esthetics in any way, the commission may turn you down.

In South Dakota, treatments offered by skincare experts must be noninvasive and superficial. You also can't perform nail treatments, scalp massages, or scalp treatments.

Medical estheticians and paramedical estheticians aren't recognized by the SDCC.

State License Requirements

South Dakota skincare courses last 600 hours and occur at state-approved esthetics schools. Classes cover topics and treatments including:

• Infection Control and Safety Procedures (90 hours): Cleaning, disinfection, hygiene, infections, hazards, disorders, diseases, laws, and rules
• Scientific Concepts and Products (90 hours): Histology, dermatology, nutrition, chemistry, bacteriology, anatomy, physiology, and aromatherapy
• Skin Treatments (240 hours): Consultations, analyses, chemical, electrical, and mechanical facial treatments, and body treatments
• Massage Manipulations (30 hours): Facial and body
• Makeup and Eyelash Applications (30 hours)
• Hair Removal and Eyebrow Shaping (30 hours): Chemical and physical procedures
• Business Practices (60 hours): Salon management, booth management, salesmanship, ethics, laws, and rules

You must complete at least 90 hours in theory classes plus 30 hours of general education. Those 30 hours can be in any area where your school feels you need more study.

Schools must also have licenses and meet strict criteria. This includes providing enough workstations, access to essential equipment, and textbooks. A school can lose its license if it doesn't meet these standards.

Can I Apprentice as an Esthetician in South Dakota?

Yes, you can gain your South Dakota esthetics license via a 600-hour apprenticeship. The steps to do this are similar to the standard school program pathway. To qualify for a license through a South Dakota esthetics apprenticeship, you must:

• Be at least 17 years old
• Complete at least 600 training hours in an apprenticeship
• Pass theory, practical, and state-law exams
• Apply for your license
• Pay the $100 application fee

As an apprentice, you need to undergo 40 hours of training every week, at no more than 10 hours per day.

South Dakota Esthetician Licensing Requirements

After 600 hours in an esthetics school or apprenticeship, it's time for exams. In South Dakota, the tests cover theoretical, practical, and legal esthetics topics. The SDCC administers all exams.

The first step is to mail in your exam application and pay the $100 fee. If you already have a job lined up, you need to pay a $6 temporary license fee.

Then, you get a notification of your exam date by mail. If you don't attend that day, the proctor marks you as unattended, and you have to apply and pay the fee again.

The state may make exceptions for illness or death of immediate family members. But, you need documentation.

Two weeks before the exam, the admission notice should arrive. You must bring this with you on exam day, as well as the following:

• A valid government-issued photo ID
• Your temporary license (if issued one)

Theory Written Exam for South Dakota Estheticians

You can take the NIC esthetics written theory exam in English, Vietnamese, or Korean. You have 90 minutes to complete 110 questions, of which 100 contribute to your score. The exam includes the following sections:

Domain I: Scientific Concepts (55%)

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

Domain II: Skin Care and Services (45%)

• Cleansing procedures
• Client protection
• Conclusion of facial services
• Contraindications for skin services
• Electrical equipment used in skin services
• Exfoliation procedures
• Makeup
• Masks
• Massage movements
• Methods of extraction
• Performing client consultation and documentation
• Services like facial, body, eyelash and eyebrow treatments, hair removal, and wellness
• Skin analysis
• Steaming procedures
• Treatment protocol

Practical Written Exam

In South Dakota, the practical exam is also a written one. The NIC esthetics written practical examination is only in English.

You have 120 minutes to complete 70 questions, of which 60 contribute to your final score. The test splits into the following sections:

Domain I: Scientific Concepts (35%)

• Basic chemistry
• Function and composition of the hair
• Infection control procedures
• Safety procedures and guidelines
• Skin disorders and diseases

Domain II: Skin Care and Services (65%)

• Cleansing procedures
• Client protection
• Conclusion of facial services
• Contraindications for skin services
• Electrical equipment used in skin services
• Exfoliation procedures
• Makeup
• Masks
• Massage movements
• Methods of extraction
• Performing client consultation and documentation
• Services like facial, body, eyelash and eyebrow treatments, hair removal, and wellness
• Skin analysis
• Steaming procedures
• Treatment protocol

Before the test, your school should have turned in your Student Education Record (SER). Then, if you pass your tests, you get your license immediately.

If the commission hasn't gotten your SER, you won't receive the license until it does.

ADA Accommodations

The SDCC follows the Americans with Disabilities Ac and is likely to provide exam accommodations to individuals with disabilities. You may need to contact the board ahead of time and provide documentation of your disability and how it could affect your exams.

South Dakota Esthetician License Reciprocity

You may get your South Dakota esthetics license via reciprocity if you have one in another state. That license must be valid and meet or exceed South Dakota licensure requirements.

If your training took fewer than 600 hours, you can substitute up to 300 hours with work experience. The SDCC can only count work experience gained in the state where you're licensed. For every two hours of work experience, you gain one educational training hour.

For example, if you worked 200 hours, you could count 100 training hours. If your work experience hours are more than five years old, you must also take a safety/sanitation course.

Aside from the training hours requirement, to obtain a reciprocal South Dakota esthetics license, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Pass the South Dakota written laws and rules test
• Pass a theory exam
• Submit an application for reciprocity
• Pay a $100 fee

Esthetician Specialties in South Dakota

If you want to advance your skills, you can take extra, one-time courses in specific treatments. You must pay a $35 verification fee for each one. The programs available are:

• Eyelash Extensions (16 training hours required)
• Microdermabrasion (16 training hours required)
• Electric Nail Filing (8 training hours required)

License Renewal

All esthetics licenses in South Dakota must be renewed annually, on or before your birth date. It costs $25 to renew your license. If you postmark or pay your fees after the deadline, a $20 penalty fee is charged.

If your license expires, you must pay lapsed renewal fees plus $20 for each expired year up to five years.

After five years of a lapsed license, you have still have to pay those fees. But you must also take all three exams or pass a two-hour safety and infection control course.

There are no continuing education requirements for standard esthetician licenses in the state. But, you should keep up with new techniques to offer your clients and to stay relevant in the industry.

South Dakota Esthetics Careers

In South Dakota, the average salary for estheticians is $36,380, or $17.49 per hour. This is less than the national average of $37,300. But, the cost of living in South Dakota is 4% lower than the national average, too.

Salaries range from $28,760 to $49,300. Amounts vary based on factors like location, services, and experience level.

South Dakota doesn't publish its expected esthetician growth rate. Nationwide, the field should grow by 17% nationwide.

Contact the South Dakota State Board of Esthetics