Quick answer
Aesthetic nurses are registered nurses: the official US median RN pay is $97,550 a year, from $77,080 in Alabama to $140,270 in California (BLS, May 2025). Nurse practitioners earn a $132,300 median. Aesthetics-specific estimates range from about $80,000 to over $240,000 because they measure different roles and pay structures — and commission on injectables is a large part of what top earners make.
$97,550
US median, registered nurses
$132,300
US median, nurse practitioners
$80k–$112k
middle half of US RN pay
Pay by state
Official annual pay from the BLS May 2025 survey — the baseline aesthetics pay is built on — next to how many Google searches for med spa treatments each state draws a month, a rough read on aesthetics demand.
| State | RN median | RN middle half | NP median | Med spa searches / mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $140,270 | $122k–$173k | $168,520 | 1.44M |
| Hawaii | $136,320 | $101k–$144k | $135,570 | 45k |
| Oregon | $129,010 | $107k–$134k | $155,680 | 135k |
| Washington | $124,200 | $103k–$134k | $156,100 | 278k |
| Alaska | $109,480 | $98k–$129k | $155,170 | 18k |
| New York | $109,440 | $95k–$130k | $153,510 | 774k |
| New Jersey | $106,500 | $100k–$128k | $159,310 | 331k |
| Massachusetts | $104,550 | $87k–$136k | $142,440 | 235k |
| Nevada | $103,670 | $87k–$120k | $140,670 | 118k |
| Connecticut | $102,740 | $86k–$122k | $138,470 | 111k |
| District of Columbia | $102,540 | $86k–$128k | $135,880 | — |
| Minnesota | $101,510 | $89k–$115k | $133,260 | 161k |
| Rhode Island | $100,640 | $82k–$107k | $135,970 | 33k |
| Colorado | $100,260 | $85k–$109k | $132,930 | 229k |
| Maryland | $99,790 | $84k–$107k | $131,110 | 193k |
| New Hampshire | $99,700 | $83k–$108k | $137,550 | 40k |
| Delaware | $99,520 | $86k–$112k | $131,040 | 30k |
| Arizona | $99,500 | $82k–$109k | $134,420 | 269k |
| Vermont | $97,460 | $82k–$105k | $134,740 | 14k |
| Pennsylvania | $96,430 | $81k–$105k | $130,140 | 352k |
| Illinois | $95,990 | $80k–$106k | $130,680 | 406k |
| Texas | $95,970 | $79k–$105k | $131,670 | 1.13M |
| Wisconsin | $95,530 | $82k–$103k | $131,980 | 144k |
| New Mexico | $94,340 | $81k–$103k | $137,520 | 57k |
| Michigan | $94,300 | $82k–$103k | $131,450 | 266k |
| Virginia | $93,600 | $80k–$103k | $127,810 | 291k |
| Georgia | $93,550 | $79k–$106k | $129,430 | 363k |
| Idaho | $92,460 | $81k–$102k | $132,540 | 67k |
| Maine | $86,990 | $80k–$101k | $130,260 | 38k |
| Montana | $85,280 | $80k–$101k | $137,210 | 29k |
| Nebraska | $84,730 | $79k–$100k | $132,130 | 54k |
| Utah | $84,600 | $80k–$105k | $130,920 | 131k |
| North Carolina | $84,350 | $79k–$102k | $128,990 | 337k |
| Florida | $84,190 | $79k–$101k | $129,510 | 882k |
| Wyoming | $83,760 | $78k–$101k | $132,200 | 15k |
| Indiana | $83,500 | $79k–$100k | $128,830 | 167k |
| Oklahoma | $82,920 | $77k–$99k | $133,390 | 111k |
| Ohio | $82,510 | $79k–$99k | $124,870 | 309k |
| South Carolina | $82,360 | $77k–$97k | $123,290 | 156k |
| Missouri | $81,780 | $76k–$99k | $129,930 | 171k |
| Tennessee | $81,500 | $75k–$95k | $117,590 | 213k |
| Kentucky | $81,040 | $76k–$97k | $122,870 | 112k |
| North Dakota | $80,730 | $70k–$93k | $130,070 | 20k |
| Louisiana | $80,230 | $69k–$94k | $125,600 | 122k |
| West Virginia | $80,130 | $68k–$100k | $127,320 | 42k |
| Kansas | $79,320 | $73k–$95k | $126,650 | 141k |
| Arkansas | $78,940 | $67k–$90k | $125,660 | 79k |
| Iowa | $78,630 | $68k–$86k | $130,160 | 75k |
| South Dakota | $78,060 | $65k–$84k | $128,840 | 21k |
| Mississippi | $77,090 | $65k–$85k | $124,730 | 66k |
| Alabama | $77,080 | $64k–$83k | $105,750 | 135k |
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates (registered nurses 29-1141, nurse practitioners 29-1171). Search demand: RankMedSpa / DataForSEO.
Why aesthetics pay estimates disagree
BLS doesn't count aesthetic nurses separately, so aesthetics figures come from salary sites built on job postings and self-reports — and they measure different things:
ZipRecruiter, via Boulevard
$80,321 a year (about $38.62 an hour)
"Medical spa nurse" job postings
SourceSalary.com
$247,666 a year (middle half $233,230–$285,955)
"Aesthetic injector" — role not defined; likely mixes in nurse practitioner and PA injectors
Source- Role: “injector” can mean an RN, a nurse practitioner or a PA — and NPs earn a much higher baseline.
- Pay structure: base-only figures miss commission; figures with commission depend on a clinic's volume.
- Method: postings show what clinics advertise, not what people earn.
How injectors are paid
Hourly or salary
Predictable for both sides; common for new injectors and for clinics still building volume.
Base plus commission
A lower base with a share of treatment revenue or a per-unit or per-syringe bonus — where experienced injectors in busy clinics earn the most.
Per treatment
Paid per procedure performed, common for part-time and contract injectors.
Independent contractor
The injector sets a rate and may bring their own patients; check your state's rules on supervision and who owns the patient relationship.
Hiring? Who you can hire depends on your state — in some states an RN can inject only after a physician or NP exam and order. See the medical director guide for your state's delegation rules, and budget the role in your business plan.
Quick questions
How much do aesthetic nurses make?
Aesthetic nurses are registered nurses, and the official US median RN pay is $97,550 a year (BLS, May 2025). Aesthetics-specific estimates disagree widely: ZipRecruiter puts medical spa nurses around $80,321, while Salary.com reports $247,666 for "aesthetic injectors", a role that likely includes nurse practitioners and PAs. Commission and per-treatment pay make total earnings vary more than in hospital nursing.
Which state pays aesthetic nurses the most?
By official registered-nurse pay, California is highest at a $140,270 median, and Alabama lowest at $77,080 (BLS, May 2025). BLS doesn't report aesthetic nurses separately, so local aesthetics pay follows the RN market plus whatever commission a clinic offers.
How much does a nurse practitioner injector make?
The official US median for nurse practitioners is $132,300 a year (BLS, May 2025). NPs can often perform exams and treatments that RNs can't without a physician order, which is part of why NP injectors tend to earn more — check your state's rules.
How are nurse injectors paid?
Usually an hourly rate or salary, often with commission or a per-treatment or per-unit bonus on injectables; some work as independent contractors. Because the structures differ so much, compare total expected pay — base plus realistic commission at the clinic's actual volume — not the base rate alone.
What should a med spa pay a nurse injector?
Start from your state's registered-nurse pay as the floor for a competitive base, then decide how much of the upside you share through commission or bonuses. Who you can hire also depends on your state's delegation rules — in some states an RN needs a physician or NP exam and order before every treatment.
Keep reading
All guides
Official figures are BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates for all registered nurses and nurse practitioners, not aesthetics alone; third-party estimates are linked. Refreshed when BLS publishes new estimates.