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The national median salary for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance is $97,157 per year ($46.71/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $34,528 and $143,229 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $167,461 per year. There are approximately 2,340 makeup artists, theatrical and performance employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Apply makeup to performers to reflect period, setting, and situation of their role.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+8.1%
Much faster than average
Annual openings
1K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
7K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
5% from new growth95% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Motion Picture and Video Industries
NAICS 512100
1K
$140,870
Amusement Parks and Arcades
NAICS 713100
140
N/A
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
NAICS 541900
110
N/A
Employment Services
NAICS 561300
80
$132,140
Performing Arts Companies
NAICS 711100
60
$66,890
Wage range across top 5 industries: $66,890 to $140,870 (111% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$11.23
$23,358
P25
$16.60
$34,528
P50MEDIAN
$46.71
$97,157
P75
$68.86
$143,229
P90
$80.51
$167,461
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · retail sector
Active
Openings Rate
4.6%
Quits Rate
3.1%
Retail openings rose to 737K (+52K) in March, rate up to 4.6%. Hires increased to 684K (+73K). Frontline turnover persists with quit rate at 3.1%.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average makeup artists, theatrical and performance salary?
The national median salary for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance is $97,157 per year ($46.71/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $34,528 and $143,229 annually.
How much do top-earning makeup artists, theatrical and performance make?
The 90th percentile salary for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance is $167,461 per year ($80.51/hr). The 75th percentile is $143,229 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for makeup artists, theatrical and performance?
Entry-level Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance (10th percentile) earn approximately $23,358 per year ($11.23/hr). The 25th percentile is $34,528 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.