SOC 39-5091 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance — Los Angeles
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
The median wage for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance in Los Angeles, CA is $140,870 per year, well above the national median of $97,150.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance in Los Angeles, CA is $140,870 per year, well above the national median of $97,150. The gap of 45.0% is among the widest recorded for this occupation. Pay ranges from under $76,340 at the tenth percentile to more than $169,590 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $135,060 to $143,450.
The area has 780 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 0.1 of every thousand jobs. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 61st of 740 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $76,340 | −21.4% |
| 25th | $135,060 | +39.0% |
| Median (50th) | $140,870 | +45.0% |
| 75th | $143,450 | +47.7% |
| 90th | $169,590 | +74.6% |
| Mean | $139,860 | +44.0% |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Los Angeles run 10.7% above the national average, so the median of $140,870 buys what $127,254 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 31.0% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$140,870as reported by BLSLocal price level
110.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$127,254US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $140,870 a year, 45.0% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $76,340 to $169,590 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 780 jobs in this occupation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance in Los Angeles, CA?
The median annual wage is $140,870, or $67.73 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $97,150, so pay in Los Angeles, CA is 45.0% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Los Angeles, CA earns more than $169,590 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $76,340 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 780 jobs in this occupation in Los Angeles, CA. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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