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
Top-level makeup artist earnings begin at:
$21.40 per hour
$44,511 per year
Senior-level makeup artist earnings begin at:
$14.73 per hour
$30,638 per year
Mid-level makeup artist earnings begin at:
$9.73 per hour
$20,231 per year
Junior-level makeup artist earnings begin at:
$6.42 per hour
$13,360 per year
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 postal service workers but more than shipping and receiving clerks.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Shipping and receiving clerk salary | $20K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)