The average salary for a makeup artist in the United States is around $97,150 per year.
Avg Salary
Makeup artists earn an average yearly salary of $97,150.
Wages typically start from $23,360 and go up to $167,470.
49% above national average Updated in 2025
Makeup artist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level makeup artist earnings begin at:
$80.51 per hour
$167,470 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level makeup artist earnings begin at:
$68.86 per hour
$143,230 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level makeup artist earnings begin at:
$46.71 per hour
$97,150 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level makeup artist earnings begin at:
$16.60 per hour
$34,530 per year
10th percentile
Starting level makeup artist earnings begin at:
$11.23 per hour
$23,360 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Makeup artist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $97,150 |
| District of Columbia | $95,730 |
| Florida | $82,400 |
| Tennessee | $77,560 |
| Hawaii | $47,720 |
| Colorado | $45,980 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,350 |
| Texas | $42,550 |
| New Jersey | $41,000 |
| Puerto Rico | $38,610 |
| Illinois | $30,100 |
| Nevada | $23,730 |
| Georgia | $143,230 |
| California | $140,870 |
| Louisiana | $129,580 |
How do makeup artist salaries compare to similar careers?
Makeup artists earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than naval architects but more than arbitrators.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Naval architect salary | $112K |
| Filmmaker salary | $90K |
| Film director salary | $90K |
| Multimedia animator salary | $102K |
| Makeup artist salary | $97K |
| Detective salary | $94K |
| Industrial designer salary | $84K |
| Fashion designer salary | $81K |
| Arbitrator salary | $76K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)