How to Price Esthetician Services, With Two Real Facial Menus
Published October 3, 2026 · By the LaunchKit team · How these guides are written
TL;DR: Thumbtack puts the national average facial at $134, with most prices between $96 and $189 (Thumbtack's 2025 facial price guide, checked 2026-10-01). Don't copy that number. Work out what each hour of your time must earn, then price every service by its length, so short add-ons pay their way.
How much do estheticians charge for a facial?
Thumbtack's guide (labeled 2025) tracks estimates customers get from local pros:
| Measure | Price |
|---|---|
| National average facial | $134 |
| Most common low price | $96 |
| Most common high price | $189 |
That's a starting check, not your price. Your rent, your products and your area all change the answer.
Two real menus, priced by the hour
Thumbtack's guide prints two real menus with times. We divided each price by its time to show what each service earns per hour.
Little Morocco Skin & Body:
| Service | Price | Time | Per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signature facial | $75 | 50–60 min | $75–$90 |
| Microdermabrasion | $90 | 60 min | $90 |
| Dermaplaning only | $50 | 30 min | $100 |
| Jessner's peel | $75 | 30 min | $150 |
Reflect and Restore Spa:
| Service | Price | Time | Per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Custom facial | $90 | 60 min | $90 |
| Custom facial | $115 | 90 min | $76.67 |
| Fix it Fast | $60 | 30 min | $120 |
| Rezenerate | $145 | 60 min | $145 |
Two things stand out:
- Short services can earn more per hour. At both spas, the 30-minute services earn more per hour than the standard 60-minute facial. The exception is a specialty treatment, like Rezenerate, priced for its equipment.
- Longer isn't always better for you. At Reflect and Restore, the 90-minute custom facial earns about $13 less per hour than the 60-minute one.
Treatments that need equipment, like microdermabrasion or ultrasonic facials, cost more. Thumbtack says that's because the esthetician has to buy the equipment and take specialty training.
How to price your own services: step by step
Step 1: Work out what one hour must earn
Add up a month of costs:
- room or suite rent
- products and disposables
- insurance (get two or three quotes from licensed agents)
- booking software, card fees, laundry
- what you need to pay yourself
Then count the hours you'll actually spend with clients that month, not the hours you're open. Divide costs by booked hours. That's your floor rate per hour.
If you're self-employed, remember self-employment tax. The IRS rate is 15.3% (Social Security plus Medicare), on top of income tax.
Our hair salon menu pricing guide walks through this booked-hour method in detail. It works the same for esthetics.
Step 2: Price each service by its time
Multiply your hourly rate by each service's real time, including setup, consultation and cleanup.
A 60-minute facial that needs 10 minutes of setup and cleanup is a 70-minute service. Price it that way.
Step 3: Add product cost on top
A chemical peel or a high-end mask costs you more in product than a basic facial. Add the product cost for each service, so you don't lose it inside your hourly rate.
Step 4: Check your prices against your area
Look at three or four local spas or studios with the same kind of space. Compare like for like: room versus suite, 60 minutes versus 60 minutes.
If you're far below them, check your costs again before you lower anything.
Step 5: Build packages carefully
Thumbtack's guide gives a real example: Reflect and Restore sold Rezenerate facials as 3 for $360 or 6 for $600. But it lists the single price as $145 in one place and $125 in another, so check the math against your own price before copying the idea.
A package should still cover your hourly floor. Work out the per-visit price of each pack before you print it.
Step 6: Write a menu clients can read
List the service, the time, and the price. Say what's included. If a price is "from", say what pushes it up.
Keep it honest. Our truthful advertising checklist covers price claims.
Tools that help
The Beauty Salon Pricing Calculator ($14.99) is an Excel workbook with tabs for service pricing, a quote builder, a job log, expenses and a dashboard, so you can price from your own costs. The Beauty Salon Price List & Service Menu ($4.99) is an editable one-page menu in HTML and Word that prints on US Letter.
FAQ
How much do estheticians charge for a facial?
Thumbtack's 2025 guide puts the national average at $134, with most between $96 and $189. Local prices vary.
How do I price esthetician services as a beginner?
Start from your costs and your booked hours, not from what the spa down the street charges. Then check your prices against local competitors.
Should I charge by the hour or by the service?
Clients usually see a price per service. Work out each price from an hourly rate, so every service earns at least your floor.
Why do 30-minute services cost so much per hour?
Setup, cleanup and booking gaps take about the same time for a short service as a long one. On the two real menus above, the 30-minute services earn more per hour than the standard facials.
Sources
Checked October 1, 2026.
- Thumbtack, "2025 Facial Prices" (last updated Wed, Oct 15; national average $134; $96–$189; Little Morocco Skin & Body and Reflect and Restore Spa menus; equipment and training raise prices; package example)
- IRS, Self-employment tax (15.3%: 12.4% Social Security, 2.9% Medicare)
This is general information, not financial or tax advice. Prices shown are one guide's data and two spas' published menus. Check current local prices before you set yours.
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