The average wage for a makeup artist in the United States is around $9.73 per hour.
Avg Wage
Makeup artists earn an average hourly wage of $9.73.
Salaries typically start from $4.42 per hour and go up to $21.40 per hour.
63% below national average Updated in 2023
Makeup artist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level makeup artist earnings begin at:
$21.40 per hour
$44,511 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level makeup artist earnings begin at:
$14.73 per hour
$30,638 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level makeup artist earnings begin at:
$9.73 per hour
$20,231 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level makeup artist earnings begin at:
$6.42 per hour
$13,360 per year
10th percentile
Starting level makeup artist earnings begin at:
$4.42 per hour
$9,196 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 about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than family social workers but more than filmmakers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Family social worker salary | $28K |
| Postal service worker salary | $27K |
| Museum conservator salary | $26K |
| Film and video editor salary | $26K |
| Courier salary | $26K |
| Makeup artist salary | $20K |
| Stock clerk salary | $23K |
| Camera operator salary | $20K |
| Esthetician salary | $21K |
| Filmmaker salary | $18K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)