The average salary for a makeup artist in California is around $140,870 per year.
Avg Salary
Makeup artists earn an average yearly salary of $140,870.
Wages typically start from $76,340 and go up to $169,590.
70% above national average Updated in 2025
Makeup artist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level makeup artist earnings begin at:
$81.54 per hour
$169,590 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level makeup artist earnings begin at:
$68.96 per hour
$143,450 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level makeup artist earnings begin at:
$67.73 per hour
$140,870 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level makeup artist earnings begin at:
$60.00 per hour
$124,800 per year
10th percentile
Starting level makeup artist earnings begin at:
$36.70 per hour
$76,340 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 California. On average, they make less than film directors but more than arbitrators.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Film director salary | $130K |
| Filmmaker salary | $130K |
| Makeup artist salary | $141K |
| Multimedia animator salary | $131K |
| Detective salary | $125K |
| Naval architect salary | $111K |
| Arbitrator salary | $98K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)