Money · 1 of 5
What makeup artists make
Working artist
$42,000
Counter or junior artist
$31,000
Film, TV or top bridal
$62,000
Job Bank does not have a page just for makeup artists. It pools them with estheticians under one occupation code, and the closest page is permanent make-up artist: a median of $20 an hour, about $42,000 a year full time, with a low of $15 and a high of $30. Freelance bridal and film artists earn per job, so real yearly totals range far wider than this.