Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance Salary in the US
A makeup artists, theatrical and performance earns a national median of $97,150 a year (mean $102,240) — BLS OEWS May 2025, ranked #152 of 825.
How much does a makeup artists, theatrical and performance earn in the US?
A makeup artists, theatrical and performance in the United States earns a median of $97,150 a year (mean $102,240), per BLS OEWS May 2025. That is 91% above the US all-occupations median of $50,980. About 2,340 people work in this occupation (SOC 39-5091), ranked #152 of 825 by national median pay. Updated annually from BLS OEWS.
Median
$97,150
per year
Mean
$102,240
per year
Employment
2,340
US workers
National rank
#152
of 825 by median
What a makeup artists, theatrical and performance earns in the US
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025 national estimates, a makeup artists, theatrical and performance (SOC 39-5091) earns a median annual wage of $97,150 and a mean (average) of $102,240. The median is the midpoint — half of makeup artists, theatrical and performance earn more and half earn less — and is 91% above the US all-occupations median of $50,980. The mean is higher than the median when a minority of very high earners pull the average up.
Note: BLS top-codes any annual wage at or above $239,200/year, so occupations at that ceiling share the same figure.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average salary for a makeup artists, theatrical and performance in the US?
- The BLS OEWS May 2025 national annual median wage for makeup artists, theatrical and performance is $97,150, and the mean (average) is $102,240. The median is the midpoint — half of makeup artists, theatrical and performance earn more and half earn less.
- How does makeup artists, theatrical and performance pay compare to the US average?
- At $97,150, a makeup artists, theatrical and performance earns 91% above the US all-occupations median of $50,980 (BLS OEWS May 2025). The all-occupations US median is $50,980.
- How many makeup artists, theatrical and performance are employed in the US?
- BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates about 2,340 makeup artists, theatrical and performance employed nationally (SOC 39-5091), across all industries.
- Where does this makeup artists, theatrical and performance salary data come from?
- From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 national release — cross-industry, all-ownership estimates, SOC code 39-5091. As US federal government work it is public domain. GeraJobs publishes the figures verbatim; suppressed cells are shown as "—", never estimated.
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Find makeup artists, theatrical and performance jobs with salary ranges
GeraJobs lists live US vacancies with employer-stated salary ranges — see which makeup artists, theatrical and performance roles pay above the BLS benchmark.
Data source
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) · May 2025 national estimates · SOC 39-5091 · Public domain (U.S. federal government work)
Published verbatim by GeraJobs. Last updated: 2026-06-27. ← All US salaries