Manicurists and Pedicurists
Median $35,760
Occupation · SOC 39-5091
Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance: pay and where the jobs are
What makeup artists, theatrical and performance earn in the U.S., how pay varies across workers and states, and tools to plan around it.
National pay, May 2025
$97,150 median annual wage
- Mean (average) annual wage
- $102,240
- Median hourly wage
- $46.71
- Mean hourly wage
- $49.16
- Employment
- 2,340
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 39-5091.
Check your pay
See where your pay falls among makeup artists, theatrical and performance nationally and in your state. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
Enter your pay to see where it falls.
Use these numbers
How much do makeup artists, theatrical and performance make?
The median annual wage for makeup artists, theatrical and performance was $97,150 in May 2025, so half of workers earned more and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $23,360 and the highest-paid 10% more than $167,470. As an hourly rate, the median is $46.71. About 2,340 people work in this occupation nationwide. The highest state medians are in Georgia ($143,230), California ($140,870) and Louisiana ($129,580). After taxes and local prices, though, a median paycheck goes furthest in Louisiana.
Pay ladder
What each step of the pay range for makeup artists, theatrical and performance looks like per month. Take-home here includes federal tax, Social Security and Medicare for a single filer; add your state in the paycheck calculator.
| Step | Annual | Hourly | Monthly gross | Monthly after federal tax & FICA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $23,360 | $11.23 | $1,947 | $1,737 |
| 25th percentile | $34,530 | $16.60 | $2,878 | $2,494 |
| Median | $97,150 | $46.71 | $8,096 | $6,431 |
| 75th percentile | $143,230 | $68.86 | $11,936 | $9,097 |
| 90th percentile | $167,470 | $80.51 | $13,956 | $10,478 |
Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance: pay by state
6 states and territories have a published median, sorted from highest to lowest. The last two columns are our estimates: the median after 2026 federal and state taxes, and that take-home restated in national-average prices.
1
$109,212 take-home in national prices
2
$106,721 take-home in national prices
3
$87,485 take-home in national prices
Where a median makeup artists, theatrical and performance paycheck goes furthest after 2026 taxes and BEA price levels.
| State | Employment | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Median after tax* | In national prices† |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 200 | $143,230 | $64,480 | $162,190 | $102,765 | $106,721 |
| California | 830 | $140,870 | $76,340 | $169,590 | $96,863 | $87,485 |
| Louisiana | Not published | $129,580 | $22,200 | $131,970 | $96,333 | $109,212 |
| New York | 190 | $97,150 | $78,260 | $192,840 | $72,040 | $66,753 |
| District of Columbia | 60 | $95,730 | $52,000 | $111,870 | $71,008 | $64,610 |
| Florida | 250 | $82,400 | $32,040 | $213,850 | $66,798 | $64,593 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 39-5091. *Our estimate for a single filer paid biweekly with no pre-tax deductions or local tax, 2026 federal and state rules. †Take-home ÷ BEA Regional Price Parity × 100 (2024 price levels).
Sources
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25nat.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25st.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.