Pennsylvania esthetician exam
State-specific examWhat it takes to get licensed as an esthetician in Pennsylvania, from the state's official board and exam vendor.
- License
- Esthetician
- Training hours
- 300 (early testing permitted at 250 hours; license issued only after full 300)
- Written exam
- State-specific exam
- Exam vendor
- Pearson VUE (creates, scores, and reports the exam under contract with the PA State Board of Cosmetology)
Exam details & notes
Single combined computer-based Theory/Procedural Skills exam — no hands-on practical ('Candidates are not required to take and pass a hands-on practical examination'). Esthetician exam: 100 total items (85 scored = 75 general + 10 state-law; 15 unscored pretest), 1 hr 45 min, scaled passing score 75. Built-in state-specific section referenced to PA Cosmetology Regulations (Title 49 Ch.7), Act 86 of 1933, and Act 48 of 1993. PA-specific content, not NIC. Exam fee $93 per attempt; offered in English, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese, Simplified Chinese. Unlimited retakes within the 1-year authorization. Apprenticeship path exists only for cosmetologists (2,000 hours), not estheticians. No esthetician reciprocity with CT, CO, FL, HI, NJ, NM, RI, or UT. Verified from the February 2026 Pearson VUE PA Candidate Handbook.
Preparing for the Pennsylvania exam
PrepTempo's Esthetician course covers the NIC national theory core — infection control, skin sciences, skin analysis, and treatments. Pennsylvania runs its own written exam, but it covers largely the same core science and safety material, so the course is strong preparation. Study your Pennsylvania law-and-rules section from the board on top of the core.
Start the Esthetician course →Official sources
Educational information only, researched July 2026 — not legal or licensing advice. Requirements change; confirm with the Pennsylvania board. PrepTempo is not affiliated with any state board, the National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC), or any exam vendor, and they do not endorse this product.