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How much do makeup artists make? Pay data for 2026

Makeup artists on film, TV and theater payrolls earned a median of $97,150 a year ($46.71 an hour) in May 2025, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). That figure covers only about 2,340 salaried jobs, most of them in film and television. About half of all makeup artists are self-employed, and freelance, bridal and salon artists are paid per client: brides paid $150 on average for their makeup in 2025. Below are the official numbers, what artists charge, and why the two differ.

By Nina Mua, Founder of Online Makeup Academy | Last updated: October 28, 2026

Makeup artist salary: the official numbers

BLS publishes pay for one makeup occupation, "makeup artists, theatrical and performance": artists who work on film, TV, theater and similar productions. Its latest survey (May 2025, released May 15, 2026) found:

  • Median: $97,150 a year, or $46.71 an hour (half earned more, half less)

  • Average: $102,240 a year

  • Middle half: $34,530 to $143,230 a year

  • Lowest 10%: under $23,360 a year; top 10%: over $167,470

  • Jobs counted: 2,340 payroll jobs; self-employed artists aren't included

Treat the median with care: the sample is small and it swings from year to year. The same BLS series put it at $47,390 in May 2023 and $50,280 in May 2024. Counting the self-employed (48% of the field), BLS estimates 4,300 jobs in this occupation in 2025 and projects 4,600 by 2035. Sources: BLS wage data, May 2025 and BLS employment projections.

Pay by industry, state and city

  • Film and video production: median $140,870 a year, with 1,140 of the 2,340 jobs

  • Performing arts companies (theater, dance, opera): median $66,890

  • States: Georgia $143,230, California $140,870, New York $97,150, Florida $82,400

  • Metro areas: Atlanta $160,190, Los Angeles $140,870, Orlando $108,520, New York $97,150, Washington, DC $95,730

These are BLS medians for May 2025. The pay follows film and TV production: the Los Angeles area alone has 780 of the jobs.

Being an SFX makeup artist means you get paid to play with glue, paint, and fake blood, and somehow make it look real enough to scare people! It’s one of the few jobs where making someone look like a zombie, alien, or accident victim is actually a compliment.

Compared with cosmetologists and estheticians

Many makeup artists also work in salons, spas and at beauty counters, where pay looks more like these BLS occupations (May 2025 medians):

  • Hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists: $35,790 a year ($17.21 an hour), 305,710 jobs

  • Skincare specialists (estheticians): $45,330 a year ($21.79 an hour), 72,890 jobs

  • All US jobs: $50,980 a year

The BLS career handbook files wedding makeup artists under barbers, hairstylists and cosmetologists, a field it expects to grow 7% from 2025 to 2035.

What freelance and bridal makeup artists charge

Freelancers earn per client, so income is rate times bookings, minus kit, travel and business costs. Current price benchmarks:

  • Bridal makeup: $150 on average for the bride and $100 for each bridal party member, in The Knot's survey of 10,474 couples married in 2025; trials ran $225 to $350 and tips 15% to 25%. The Knot

  • Any occasion: $156 to $178 per person on average, and $218 to $424 for wedding makeup, in Thumbtack's 2025 price data.

  • Union film and TV work in New York: IATSE Local 798's minimum is $588.30 a day for a makeup artist and $622.33 for a makeup department head (8-hour day, March 2026 to February 2027). Local 798 wage rates

Prices by type of job

Thumbtack's 2025 averages per person: photoshoot $117 to $228, special occasion $120 to $232, fashion show $124 to $242, theatrical production $132 to $256, video production $136 to $264, and wedding $218 to $424.

Wedding hair and makeup by region

What brides paid for hair and makeup together in 2025, by region (The Knot): Northeast $360, Mid-Atlantic $360, West $320, South $290, Southwest $280, Midwest $260.

Being a makeup artist means you’re part artist, therapist, and magician, all in one! You can completely change someone’s mood with a few brushes and colors. It’s one of the only jobs where making someone feel beautiful is literally part of the job description.

Why the numbers differ so much

The BLS median describes payroll jobs on productions, many of them union jobs in Los Angeles, Atlanta and New York. Most makeup artists don't work that way: about half are self-employed, and freelancers set a price per face and fill their calendar around weddings, events and shoots. Two artists with the same skills can earn very different amounts depending on where they work, how many clients they book and what they charge.

How makeup artists raise their pay

  • Choose a market that pays. Film and TV pays the most in the BLS data. Weddings are the biggest freelance market, and wedding makeup costs more than other occasions in Thumbtack's data.

  • Join the union if film and TV is your goal. See how Local 706 and Local 798 membership works in our guide to union cards.

  • Price your work. Our guide to makeup artist prices covers rates, packages and trials.

  • Show your work. A strong makeup portfolio is what books paying clients.

  • Cut your kit costs. Pro discounts take 20% to 40% off at many pro brands.

Training and what it costs

OMA's Master Makeup Program ($899, pro kit included) teaches the techniques, and the Elite Career Path ($1,599) adds the business side: building a portfolio, getting clients and pricing your services. For scale: $899 is about six brides' makeup at The Knot's 2025 average of $150, before kit and travel costs. That's arithmetic, not a forecast; what you earn depends on your market and bookings. Specializing? See the Bridal Makeup and Hair Program or the Special FX Program.

Frequently asked questions about makeup artist pay

How much do makeup artists make a year?

Makeup artists on film, TV and theater payrolls earned a median of $97,150 in May 2025, and the middle half earned $34,530 to $143,230 (BLS). Freelance and salon artists aren't in that count; they earn per client, and brides paid $150 on average for their makeup in 2025 (The Knot).

How much do makeup artists make an hour?

The BLS median for theatrical and performance makeup artists was $46.71 an hour in May 2025. Freelancers usually price per face rather than per hour: Thumbtack's 2025 data puts the average at $156 to $178 per person.

How much do bridal makeup artists make?

There's no official salary figure for bridal artists, because most are self-employed. Their prices are known: in The Knot's survey of couples married in 2025, brides paid $150 on average for makeup and $100 for each bridal party member, plus trials of $225 to $350 and tips of 15% to 25%. A bridal artist's income is those rates times bookings, minus kit, travel and business costs.

What type of makeup artist makes the most money?

In BLS data, film and video production pays the most: a median of $140,870 in May 2025, with Atlanta ($160,190) and Los Angeles ($140,870) the best-paid metro areas. Union minimums in New York run $588.30 to $622.33 for an 8-hour day.

How much do celebrity makeup artists make?

No official source tracks celebrity makeup artists. The closest public figures are film and TV pay (a BLS median of $140,870 in May 2025) and union day rates ($588.30 to $622.33 in New York, March 2026 to February 2027).

Can makeup artists make good money?

In some paths, yes: half of the payroll theatrical and performance makeup artists earned more than $97,150 in May 2025, and the top 10% more than $167,470. Most artists work as freelancers instead, where income depends on their rates, bookings and costs.