SOC 39-5091.00Bright outlook

    Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance

    Apply makeup to performers to reflect period, setting, and situation of their role.

    Median pay
    $97,150
    Growth
    +6.1%
    Faster than average
    Openings a year
    600
    Typical education
    Postsecondary certificate

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $23,360
    Median
    $97,150
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $167,470
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    2,340 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Theatrical and performance makeup artists apply cosmetics to performers to match the setting and period of their roles. The career offers a median annual pay of $97,150, with employment opportunities growing faster than average.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What makeup artists, theatrical and performance do

    Job Zone 3: Medium preparation

    Apply makeup to performers to reflect period, setting, and situation of their role.

    Usually vocational training, an associate degree or related experience.

    What the work is like

    These professionals spend their days transforming performers to fit specific roles, eras, and environments. The job heavily relies on an artistic interest area, requiring workers to think creatively and apply knowledge of fine arts, design, and chemistry. Day-to-day tasks involve establishing interpersonal relationships, communicating with team members, and organizing, planning, and prioritizing work schedules.

    To succeed, makeup artists must possess strong skills in speaking, active listening, and critical thinking. They must pay close attention to detail, show innovation, and remain highly adaptable in fast-paced production environments. Because they work closely with actors, directors, and production crews, having a strong social orientation, cooperation, and dependability are essential work styles for managing the daily demands of the job.

    How to get there

    Entering this field typically requires medium preparation, which often includes vocational training, an associate degree, or related hands-on experience. The typical educational credential needed to enter the profession is a postsecondary certificate.

    Students preparing for this career often major in cosmetology and related personal grooming services. Depending on where you plan to work, some states list a license for this line of work. Building a portfolio and gaining practical experience are common ways to prepare for employment under various titles, such as character artist, beauty specialist, or hair and makeup artist.

    Pay and outlook explained

    The median annual pay for these makeup artists is $97,150. Individual earnings can vary widely based on experience, location, and the specific production budget. The lowest 10% of earners make less than $23,360, while the highest 10% earn more than $167,470.

    There are currently 2,340 people employed in this field. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 6.1%, which is faster than the average for all occupations. This growth is expected to result in approximately 600 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    56 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    6 / 100
    Artistic (A) · strongest
    95 / 100
    Social (S)
    33 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    35 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    34 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code ARE. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    90
    Thinking Creatively
    89
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    86
    Getting Information
    85
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    81
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    74
    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    73
    Scheduling Work and Activities
    70
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    68
    Assisting and Caring for Others
    66
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Speaking
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Active Listening
    • Critical Thinking
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Active Learning
    • Coordination
    • Monitoring
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Service Orientation

    Knowledge

    • Customer and Personal Service
    • English Language
    • Fine Arts
    • Communications and Media
    • Design
    • Administration and Management
    • Psychology
    • Education and Training
    • Sales and Marketing
    • Chemistry

    Abilities

    • Near Vision
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    • Oral Expression
    • Visual Color Discrimination
    • Finger Dexterity
    • Manual Dexterity
    • Visualization
    • Fluency of Ideas
    • Originality

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Innovation
    • Dependability
    • Social Orientation
    • Adaptability
    • Cooperation
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Self-Confidence
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Perseverance

    Also called

    Beauty Advisor · Beauty Specialist · Beauty Stylist · Beauty Therapist · Body Make-Up Artist (Body MUA) · Certified Technician (Certified Tech) · Character Artist · Commercial Makeup Artist (Commercial MUA) · Eyelash Technician (Eyelash Tech) · Hair and Makeup Artist

    Career pathway

    From your interests to makeup artists, theatrical and performance

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance$97,150 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1Clover Park Technical College logo
      Clover Park Technical College

      Lakewood, WA · Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services · Associate

      1 yr after
      $31,122
      4 yrs after
      $33,290
      Median debt
      Not reported
    2. 2Douglas Education Center logo
      Douglas Education Center

      Monessen, PA · Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services · Associate

      1 yr after
      $24,344
      4 yrs after
      $32,245
      Median debt
      $12,000
    3. 3Central New Mexico Community College logo
      Central New Mexico Community College

      Albuquerque, NM · Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services · Associate

      1 yr after
      $22,359
      4 yrs after
      $27,398
      Median debt
      Not reported
    4. 4Central Piedmont Community College logo
      Central Piedmont Community College

      Charlotte, NC · Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services · Associate

      1 yr after
      $24,015
      4 yrs after
      $26,550
      Median debt
      Not reported
    5. 5Bevill State Community College logo
      Bevill State Community College

      Jasper, AL · Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services · Associate

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $23,086
      Median debt
      Not reported
    6. 6
      Coahoma Community College

      Clarksdale, MS · Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services · Associate

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $22,918
      Median debt
      Not reported
    7. 7Houston Community College logo
      Houston Community College

      Houston, TX · Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services · Associate

      1 yr after
      $24,421
      4 yrs after
      $22,631
      Median debt
      $18,626
    8. 8Gadsden State Community College logo
      Gadsden State Community College

      Gadsden, AL · Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services · Associate

      1 yr after
      $15,398
      4 yrs after
      $18,504
      Median debt
      Not reported

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What makeup artists, theatrical and performance may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General
    • Make-Up Artist/Specialist
    • Permanent Cosmetics/Makeup and Tattooing

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    13 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about makeup artists, theatrical and performance

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some alternative job titles for this career?

    People in this field are also known as beauty advisors, character artists, commercial makeup artists, body makeup artists, and hair and makeup artists.

    What is the typical education needed to start working in this field?

    Most workers enter the field with a postsecondary certificate. The preparation typically involves vocational training, an associate degree, or equivalent field experience.

    Is a license required to work as a theatrical makeup artist?

    Licensing requirements vary by location, as some states list a license for this specific work.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.