The average salary for a make-up artist in California is around $140,870 per year.
Avg Salary
Make-Up artists earn an average yearly salary of $140,870.
Wages typically start from $76,340 and go up to $169,590.
71% above national average Updated in 2025
Make-Up artist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level make-up artist earnings begin at:
$81.54 per hour
$169,590 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level make-up artist earnings begin at:
$68.96 per hour
$143,450 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level make-up artist earnings begin at:
$67.73 per hour
$140,870 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level make-up artist earnings begin at:
$60.00 per hour
$124,800 per year
10th percentile
Starting level make-up artist earnings begin at:
$36.70 per hour
$76,340 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 California. On average, they make less than film directors but more than naval architects.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Film director salary | $130K |
| Filmmaker salary | $130K |
| Make-Up artist salary | $141K |
| Multimedia animator salary | $131K |
| Architect salary | $109K |
| Detective salary | $125K |
| Naval architect salary | $111K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)