Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance Salary: $122,805 Median Pay (2026 stats)
TL;DR
About 3,320 makeup artists, theatrical and performance nationally earn a mean of $122,805. Projections imply about 2.9% annual growth; CA accounts for about 920 jobs in our geographic extract.
Key Statistics
Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance: what the data shows
Common questions about makeup artists, theatrical and performance careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a makeup artists, theatrical and performance?
Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 39-5091.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 3,320 workers.
What does a makeup artists, theatrical and performance do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Thinking Creatively, Getting Information, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a makeup artists, theatrical and performance make?
BLS national median annual wage: $50,280 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $122,805 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $51,710 |
| 25th percentile | $74,870 |
| Median (50th) | $136,668 |
| 75th percentile | $139,373 |
| 90th percentile | $164,302 |
What education do you need?
For Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance, O*NET incumbent surveys in our extract most often report: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
These are education levels of current workers, not minimum legal requirements.
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Active Learning, and knowledge areas including Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Administration and Management, Fine Arts. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is makeup artists, theatrical and performance in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 2.9% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 15.5%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 33.4%.
Current U.S. headcount: 3,320.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do makeup artists, theatrical and performances work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 3,320 | 27.1% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 3,320 | 27.1% |
| Information | 1,260 | 10.3% |
| Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries | 1,160 | 9.5% |
| Motion Picture and Video Industries | 1,160 | 9.5% |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 350 | 2.9% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Graphic Designers | 214,260 | $61,300 |
| Floral Designers | 40,160 | $36,120 |
| Craft Artists | 4,370 | $38,480 |
| Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators | 10,000 | $60,560 |
| Helpers--Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons | 7,220 | $38,140 |
| Photographers | 51,230 | $42,520 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 75,710 | $155,020 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance workforce.
Employment Over Time
3,320 Workforce in 2023
The Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$122,805 Average Wage
In 2023, Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance earned an average of $122,805.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance.
Salary distribution for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance.
Employment Growth Projections
2.9% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
2,125 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 15.5%
2,454 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 33.4%
This occupation is projected to grow at 2.9% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance.
Wage Trends by Industry
3.8% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Total, All Industry: -26.6% growth (Current: $128,250)
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance.
Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 920 employees, $123,841 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 850 employees, $128,250 avg wage
- Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 60 employees, $65,584 avg wage
- San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD: 10 employees, $98,574 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance.
Diversity
Demographic information on Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance in 2023 was 3,320 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance in 2023 were Business Administration, Visual Arts, Fine Arts.
Common majors for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance workers.
Education level distribution for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance.
Skills
Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance need many skills, but most especially Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making.
Required skills for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance include Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Administration and Management, Fine Arts, Design.
Knowledge areas required for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance include Near Vision, Arm-Hand Steadiness, Manual Dexterity, Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression.
Required abilities for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance.
Daily Activities
Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance spend their time on activities such as Thinking Creatively, Getting Information, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates.
Most important work activities for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance.
About
Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance
The average yearly wage for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance was $122,805 in 2023.
SOC Code
39-5091 - Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance
Insights and Analysis
High earnings profile: Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance reports an average salary of $122,805, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 3,320 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 2.9%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.