COMPENSATION SUPPLEMENT
AVERAGE ANNUAL COMPENSATION
For the 2017 study, respondents were asked to state the average annual compensation (including gratuities) received by full-
time service providers as well as directors and managers. Compensation levels vary considerably around the average levels,
both by category of employee and by spa type.
$69,700
SPA
DIRECTOR
$64,300
$84,100
$47,900
SPA
MANAGER
$46,600
$52,800
ALL SPAS
$48,100
DAY SPAS
$45,300
ESTHETICIAN
RESORT/HOTEL SPAS
$52,200
$45,300
MASSAGE
THERAPIST
$43,500
$54,400
$35,800
NAIL
TECHNICIAN
$34,200
$40,800
61%
When asked if
they have any
unstaffed
service provider positions that
they are actively trying to fill, 61
percent of spas answered in the affir-
mative, including 72 percent of
resort/hotel spas, 60 percent of day
spas and 55 percent of other spas.
18,780 Massage
therapists account
for the largest
number of unfilled
positions that
spas are
currently trying
to fill, representing
one in two
unfilled
positions
(57%).
75%
When asked to
select the
compensation
structure used for service provider
employees in respect of paid time off,
paid education/training or paid sick
leave, a large majority of spas in each
service provider category said they use
straight hourly pay , ranging from
71% for estheticians to 75% for nail
technicians.
95%
When asked
how they
handle gratu-
ities/tips , almost all spas (95%) said
they go directly to the service provider.
32,930 The number of
unfilled service provider
positions is estimated at
32,930 of which 14,580 are full
time and 18,350 part-time.
US$8.35 billion The spa industry is highly labor
intensive. This is reflected in the labor costs share of revenues, averaging 49
percent according to the businesses surveyed for this study. When set
against the estimated US$16.8 billion of revenue generated by the spa
industry in 2016, the payroll share of revenues translates into
US$8.35 billion in wages and salaries paid to persons employed in the
industry, either as employees or contractors. The size of the spa payroll is an
important economic impact of the spa industry, helping to sustain the local
communities in which staff live and work.
January/February 2018
■
PULSE
39