Makeup artist earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level makeup artist earnings begin at:

$50.84 per hour

$105,750 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level makeup artist earnings begin at:

$44.62 per hour

$92,800 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level makeup artist earnings begin at:

$21.80 per hour

$45,350 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level makeup artist earnings begin at:

$12.94 per hour

$26,910 per year

10th percentile

Starting level makeup artist earnings begin at:

$8.82 per hour

$18,350 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Makeup artist salary by state

State Name Average Salary
Tennessee $77,560
Florida $75,670
Georgia $58,000
Hawaii $47,720
Colorado $45,980
Pennsylvania $45,350
Texas $42,550
New Jersey $41,000
Puerto Rico $38,610
Illinois $30,100
Louisiana $28,620
Nevada $23,730
California $164,090
New York $129,500
District of Columbia $101,480

How do makeup artist salaries compare to similar careers?

Makeup artists earn 6% less than similar careers in Pennsylvania. On average, they make less than art directors but more than fashion designers.

Career Median Salary
Art director salary $71K
Arbitrator salary $64K
Industrial designer salary $66K
Police officer salary $68K
Multimedia animator salary $53K
Makeup artist salary $45K
DJ salary $37K
Librarian salary $56K
Real estate appraiser salary $52K
Fashion designer salary $52K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)