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Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks

SOC 39-5091 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data

Median Annual Salary
$97,157
$46.71/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026

Is this a competitive Makeup Artists salary in 2026?

Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.

$Competitive · ~P50
P10$23K
P25$35K
P50$97K
P75$143K
P90$167K
Drag the dot or type an amount above.
⚡
Demand: ACTIVE. Demand is active -- retail openings are at 4.8% (JOLTS, June 2026). A balanced market where the median is a solid, competitive anchor.
📈
Merit budget: Wages in retail trade are rising about 3.4% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 3.0-3.5% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $97,157 to $143,229 (market median to the 75th percentile). The median-to-P75 range keeps offers competitive.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.

How Makeup Artists pay is moving in 2026

Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI

Pay trend

BLS's May 2025 median estimate for this role is 93.3% above its May 2024 estimate. A swing that large usually reflects survey sampling or classification changes between OEWS vintages rather than actual pay changes, so lean on the sector wage-growth benchmark (3.4% per year, BLS ECI) for planning.

Hiring demand · MODERATE

Retail Trade is running a 4.8% job-openings rate with quits at 3.0% (BLS JOLTS). Demand has tightened for 2 straight months (4.2% up to 4.8%).

Pay spread

Top earners (P90) make about 7.2 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is wider than typical, so expect large pay differences by experience, employer size, and geography; build generous ranges and differentiate strongly.

What changed recently
  • Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings climbed to 4.8% and quits returned to 3.0%. Frontline churn pressure is building again.
  • Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: sector wages growing 3.4% per year, up from 3.1%, one of the few sectors accelerating.

Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.

Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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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
IndustryWorkforce Median Pay
Motion Picture and Video Industries
NAICS 512100
1K$140,870
Amusement Parks and Arcades
NAICS 713100
140N/A
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
NAICS 541900
110N/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)
PercentileHourly RateAnnual 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
4.8%
Quits Rate
3.0%

Retail openings rose to 774K (+49K) in June, rate up to 4.8%. Frontline turnover picked back up with the quit rate at 3.0% -- expect continued churn-driven wage pressure in hourly roles.

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.

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Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance Salary by State

Top 5 states by employment
California830 workersFlorida250 workersGeorgia200 workersNew York190 workersDistrict of Columbia60 workers

About This Data

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.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

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