As of November 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Makeup Artist in Washington, DC is $67,816, equivalent to $33 per hour, $1,304 weekly, or $5,651 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Makeup Artist in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for Makeup Artist in Washington, DC vary widely, spanning from $44,555 to $82,115. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($55,641) and 75th percentile ($75,301), while top earners (90th percentile) make $82,115 per year. This $19,660 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Customer Service or Credit Card, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, Washington Makeup Artist often earn 0.5% higher than national averages. However, Washington currently ranks 79 statewide for Makeup Artist job salary. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like Healthcare to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Makeup Artist Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Makeup Artist Salary $44,555 Washington, DC November 01, 2026
25th Percentile Makeup Artist Salary $55,641 Washington, DC November 01, 2026
50th Percentile Makeup Artist Salary $67,816 Washington, DC November 01, 2026
75th Percentile Makeup Artist Salary $75,301 Washington, DC November 01, 2026
90th Percentile Makeup Artist Salary $82,115 Washington, DC November 01, 2026
25% $55,641 10% $44,555 90% $82,115 75% $75,301 $67,816 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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What is a Makeup Artist ?

A make-up artist or makeup artist is an artist whose medium is the human body, applying makeup and prosthetics on others for theatre, television, film, fashion, magazines and other similar productions including all aspects of the modeling industry. Awards given for this profession in the entertainment industry include the Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling and even several entertainment industry awards such as the Emmy Awards and the Golden Globes. In the United States as well as the other parts of the globe, professional licenses are required by agencies in order for them to hire t...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/18/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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Job Openings for Makeup Artist in Washington, DC

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Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
55641
75301
67816

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
56978
73409
64338
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Makeup Artist in Washington, DC. The base salary for Makeup Artist ranges from $55,641 to $75,301 with the average base salary of $67,816. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $56,978 to $73,409 with the average total cash compensation of $64,338.

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55641
75301

 

About Washington, District of Columbia    Washington, D.C. is located in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. East Coast. Due to the District of Columbia retrocession, the city has a total area....More

Washington, District of Columbia  area prices were up 1.3% from a year ago

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