The average salary for a make-up artist in the United States is around $97,150 per year.
Avg Salary
Make-Up artists earn an average yearly salary of $97,150.
Wages typically start from $23,360 and go up to $167,470.
46% above national average Updated in 2025
Make-Up artist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level make-up artist earnings begin at:
$80.51 per hour
$167,470 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level make-up artist earnings begin at:
$68.86 per hour
$143,230 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level make-up artist earnings begin at:
$46.71 per hour
$97,150 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level make-up artist earnings begin at:
$16.60 per hour
$34,530 per year
10th percentile
Starting level make-up artist earnings begin at:
$11.23 per hour
$23,360 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Make-Up 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 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,350 |
| Texas | $42,550 |
| New Jersey | $41,000 |
| Puerto Rico | $38,610 |
| Nevada | $23,730 |
| Georgia | $143,230 |
| California | $140,870 |
| Louisiana | $129,580 |
How do make-up artist salaries compare to similar careers?
Make-Up artists earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than naval architects but more than energy auditors.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Naval architect salary | $112K |
| Film director salary | $90K |
| Filmmaker salary | $90K |
| Multimedia animator salary | $102K |
| Architect salary | $99K |
| Make-Up artist salary | $97K |
| Detective salary | $94K |
| Mail superintendent salary | $97K |
| Urban planner salary | $89K |
| Energy auditor salary | $83K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)