Average Makeup Artists, Theatrical And Performance Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Makeup Artists, Theatrical And Performance is $97,150 per year. The middle 50% earn between $34,530 and $143,230, with 2,340 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 6 states and 5 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Makeup Artists, Theatrical And Performance pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $23,360
- 25th
- $34,530
- Median
- $97,150
- 75th
- $143,230
- 90th
- $167,470
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Pay is well above the national median for all US workers. This is an upper-income occupation.
The pay band is unusually wide for this occupation. Experience, employer, and specialization can double or even triple an early-career salary, so what makeup artists, theatrical and performance earn depends heavily on where they are in their career and who they work for.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for makeup artists, theatrical and performance from 2024 to 2034. Makeup Artists, Theatrical And Performance are projected to grow much faster than average, more than double the roughly 4% growth rate for all US occupations. Demand is strong and outpacing most of the labor market.
- Projected growth
- +8.1%
- 600 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 1,100
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings are high relative to the workforce size, reflecting meaningful turnover and new-hire volume.
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
Postsecondary training beyond high school is typically required, but a full four-year degree is not always necessary.
Where Makeup Artists, Theatrical And Performance earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where makeup artists, theatrical and performance work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is Georgia at $143,230, about 47.4% above the national median. At the metro level, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA leads with a median of $160,190.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | $143,230 | 200 |
| California | $140,870 | 830 |
| Louisiana | $129,580 | N/A |
| New York | $97,150 | 190 |
| District of Columbia | $95,730 | 60 |
| Florida | $82,400 | 250 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $160,190 | 140 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $140,870 | 780 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $108,520 | 160 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $97,150 | 180 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $95,730 | 70 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see makeup artists, theatrical and performance pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Makeup Artists, Theatrical And Performance rose from $75,730 to $97,150, a gain of +28.3% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $75,730 would need to be worth $95,365 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $97,150 is $1,785 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +1.9% in purchasing power.
Wages have roughly kept pace with inflation. Nominal pay rose by 28.3%, but inflation absorbed most of it.
- Nominal change
- +28.3%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- +1.9%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Makeup Artists, Theatrical And Performance median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $97,150
- 2024
- $50,280
- 2023
- $47,390
- 2022
- $96,370
- 2021
- $134,750
- 2020
- $106,920
- 2019
- $75,730
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Skincare Specialists
- $45,330
- Barbers
- $38,210
- Manicurists And Pedicurists
- $35,760
- Shampooers
- $32,600
- Embalmers
- $58,780
Common salary questions for Makeup Artists, Theatrical And Performance
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Makeup Artists, Theatrical And Performance workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.