What are the main factors that influence a Retail Makeup Artist's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Retail Makeup Artist's salary?

A Retail Makeup Artist's salary grows with experience: a Retail Makeup Artist (0-1 years)earns $33,358, a Cook II (1-3 years)earns $37,149, a Cook III (3-5 years)earns $41,848, a Sous Chef (5+ years)earns $54,979,

What are the highest paying states for a Retail Makeup Artist?

Retail Makeup Artist salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Retail Makeup Artist roles are District of Columbia $37,152, California $37,011, Massachusetts $36,518. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Retail Makeup Artist roles make?

Salaries for Retail Makeup Artist level roles vary by specialization: Makeup Consultant: $81,426; Mac Makeup Artist: $73,662; Special Effects Makeup Artist: $62,044; Makeup Artist: $61,556; 3D Production Artist - Retail Visualization Special: $59,598.

How do different companies affect a Retail Makeup Artist's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Retail Makeup Artist roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Retail Makeup Artist Salary in the United States

How much does a Retail Makeup Artist make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Retail Makeup Artist in the United States is $33,555 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $16.

However, a Retail Makeup Artist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $38,680
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $31,417 to $36,238
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $29,471

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Retail Makeup Artist Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$36,238	$3,020	$697	$17
Average	$33,555	$2,796	$645	$16
25th Percentile	$31,417	$2,618	$604	$15

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Key Factors That Influence Retail Makeup Artist Salaries

A Retail Makeup Artist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Retail Makeup Artist Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Retail Makeup Artists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $37,152.
California: $37,011.
Massachusetts: $36,518.

District of Columbia $37,152 California $37,011 Massachusetts $36,518 Washington $36,384 New Jersey $36,370 Alaska $36,324 Connecticut $35,860 New York $35,673

Hawaii $35,072 Rhode Island $34,790 Maryland $34,599 Minnesota $34,337 Colorado $34,236 Illinois $34,203 Oregon $34,075 Delaware $33,981

New Hampshire $33,922 Virginia $33,790 Pennsylvania $33,404 Nevada $33,210 North Dakota $33,146 Michigan $33,045 Wisconsin $33,008 Vermont $32,934

Texas $32,730 Maine $32,716 Arizona $32,696 Ohio $32,673 Georgia $32,364 Indiana $32,210 Wyoming $32,179 Utah $32,132

Iowa $32,112 Kansas $31,951 Louisiana $31,904 North Carolina $31,888 Missouri $31,881 Florida $31,750 Montana $31,679 Nebraska $31,612

Kentucky $31,575 South Carolina $31,441 Tennessee $31,357 Idaho $31,324 New Mexico $31,079 Oklahoma $31,025 Alabama $30,827 South Dakota $30,495

Arkansas $30,314 West Virginia $30,216 Mississippi $29,925

Top Paying Cities for Retail Makeup Artists

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $42,323
San Francisco: $41,860
Oakland: $40,978

San Jose, CA $42,323

San Francisco, CA $41,860

Oakland, CA $40,978

New York, NY $38,635

Paramus, NJ $38,165

Queens Village, NY $38,164

Passaic, NJ $38,132

Bergenfield, NJ $38,129

Stamford, CT $38,055

Huntington, NY $38,041

Newark, NJ $37,793

Bridgeport, CT $37,722

Vallejo, CA $37,656

New Brunswick, NJ $37,642

Petaluma, CA $37,622

Middlesex, NJ $37,558

Somerset, NJ $37,535

Santa Cruz, CA $37,491

Boston, MA $37,287

Monterey, CA $37,169

Seattle, WA $37,092

Santa Rosa, CA $37,085

Los Angeles, CA $37,075

Juneau, AK $36,988

Washington, DC $36,951

Orange, CA $36,832

Santa Ana, CA $36,743

Long Beach, CA $36,709

Anaheim, CA $36,703

Anchorage, AK $36,686

Santa Maria, CA $36,585

Everett, WA $36,579

Danbury, CT $36,460

Bremerton, WA $36,414

Tacoma, WA $36,293

New Suffolk, NY $36,293

Sacramento, CA $36,283

Santa Barbara, CA $36,246

Trenton, NJ $36,209

San Diego, CA $36,209

Brockton, MA $36,173

Fairbanks, AK $36,090

Lompoc, CA $36,005

Lowell, MA $35,978

Ventura, CA $35,971

Nashua, NH $35,964

Stockton, CA $35,961

Modesto, CA $35,716

Poughkeepsie, NY $35,642

Olympia, WA $35,579

Kennewick, WA $35,579

New Haven, CT $35,565

Lawrence, MA $35,444

Hartford, CT $35,411

Riverside, CA $35,404

New Bedford, MA $35,371

Richland, WA $35,371

Bakersfield, CA $35,324

San Bernardino, CA $35,310

New Britain, CT $35,307

Atlantic City, NJ $35,307

New London, CT $35,293

Norwich, CT $35,283

Portsmouth, NH $35,277

Boulder, CO $35,205

Portland, OR $35,159

Worcester, MA $35,156

Minneapolis, MN $35,052

Philadelphia, PA $35,005

Honolulu, HI $34,894

Saint Paul, MN $34,878

Vineland, NJ $34,871

Providence, RI $34,773

Chicago, IL $34,676

Bellingham, WA $34,636

Springfield, MA $34,609

Baltimore, MD $34,599

Chico, CA $34,515

Pittsfield, MA $34,424

Manchester, NH $34,361

Spokane, WA $34,213

Denver, CO $34,210

Albany, NY $34,052

Troy, NY $34,038

Nassau, NY $34,002

Schenectady, NY $33,968

Wilmington, DE $33,941

Burlington, VT $33,894

Salem, OR $33,881

Portland, ME $33,777

Yakima, WA $33,743

Rochester, MN $33,639

Reno, NV $33,622

Fresno, CA $33,622

Milwaukee, WI $33,592

Detroit, MI $33,559

Ann Arbor, MI $33,553

Allentown, PA $33,548

Colorado Springs, CO $33,491

Syracuse, NY $33,475

Carson City, NV $33,475

Houston, TX $33,428

Eugene, OR $33,411

Gary, IN $33,371

Springfield, OR $33,344

Bismarck, ND $33,337

Galveston, TX $33,314

Medford, OR $33,263

Fort Collins, CO $33,250

Concord, NH $33,233

Austin, TX $33,223

Mesa, AZ $33,153

Reading, PA $33,149

Phoenix, AZ $33,146

Dallas, TX $33,136

Saint Cloud, MN $33,104

Madison, WI $33,059

Utica, NY $32,968

Rochester, NY $32,914

Des Moines, IA $32,911

Raleigh, NC $32,908

Atlanta, GA $32,857

Battle Creek, MI $32,847

Salt Lake City, UT $32,837

Lancaster, PA $32,787

Harrisburg, PA $32,740

Kansas City, MO $32,706

Champaign, IL $32,700

Kansas City, KS $32,700

Fort Worth, TX $32,696

Columbus, OH $32,690

Boca Raton, FL $32,683

Pittsburgh, PA $32,669

Richmond, VA $32,656

Indianapolis, IN $32,649

Cleveland, OH $32,646

Las Vegas, NV $32,606

Cincinnati, OH $32,606

Petersburg, VA $32,555

Huntsville, AL $32,505

Lansing, MI $32,482

Lebanon, PA $32,478

Pueblo, CO $32,475

Appleton, WI $32,465

Buffalo, NY $32,451

Dayton, OH $32,441

Racine, WI $32,434

Charlotte, NC $32,431

Saint Louis, MO $32,421

York, PA $32,401

Elkhart, IN $32,401

Gastonia, NC $32,395

Billings, MT $32,386

Beaumont, TX $32,377

Lorain, OH $32,371

Benton Harbor, MI $32,364

Toledo, OH $32,357

Binghamton, NY $32,341

Rock Hill, SC $32,337

Rockford, IL $32,320

Springfield, IL $32,307

Elyria, OH $32,304

Fargo, ND $32,304

Flagstaff, AZ $32,280

Fort Lauderdale, FL $32,260

Duluth, MN $32,240

Miami, FL $32,240

Cheyenne, WY $32,216

Grand Forks, ND $32,216

Bangor, ME $32,143

Cedar Rapids, IA $32,106

Durham, NC $32,092

Louisville, KY $32,089

Grand Rapids, MI $32,082

Hialeah, FL $32,079

Casper, WY $32,032

Scranton, PA $31,992

New Orleans, LA $31,981

Virginia Beach, VA $31,978

Akron, OH $31,961

Peoria, IL $31,918

Sarasota, FL $31,911

Nashville, TN $31,888

Omaha, NE $31,888

Green Bay, WI $31,888

Baton Rouge, LA $31,871

Charleston, SC $31,864

Jamestown, NY $31,847

Davenport, IA $31,847

Tucson, AZ $31,830

Saint Petersburg, FL $31,810

Tampa, FL $31,804

Evansville, IN $31,783

Port Arthur, TX $31,783

Bradenton, FL $31,770

Santa Fe, NM $31,710

Orlando, FL $31,649

Clearwater, FL $31,639

Canton, OH $31,569

La Crosse, WI $31,569

Albuquerque, NM $31,549

Newport News, VA $31,545

High Point, NC $31,535

Ogden, UT $31,522

Corpus Christi, TX $31,495

Norfolk, VA $31,475

Laramie, WY $31,475

Rock Island, IL $31,455

Saginaw, MI $31,448

Jacksonville, FL $31,445

Salisbury, NC $31,438

Boise, ID $31,431

Moline, IL $31,414

Fort Myers, FL $31,404

Memphis, TN $31,398

Tulsa, OK $31,381

Waterloo, IA $31,361

Spartanburg, SC $31,327

Lincoln, NE $31,310

Fort Wayne, IN $31,304

Provo, UT $31,300

Cedar Falls, IA $31,260

San Antonio, TX $31,247

Greensboro, NC $31,233

South Bend, IN $31,230

Savannah, GA $31,193

Muskegon, MI $31,179

Birmingham, AL $31,176

Winston Salem, NC $31,160

Lake Charles, LA $31,079

Anderson, IN $31,072

Lexington, KY $31,062

Augusta, GA $31,052

Greenville, SC $31,052

Lima, OH $31,025

Wichita, KS $31,022

Tuscaloosa, AL $31,022

Columbia, SC $30,992

Springfield, OH $30,985

Asheville, NC $30,931

Bloomington, IN $30,908

Knoxville, TN $30,787

Shreveport, LA $30,784

Wilmington, NC $30,740

Roanoke, VA $30,740

Topeka, KS $30,680

Frankfort, KY $30,676

Oklahoma City, OK $30,653

Chillicothe, OH $30,639

Longview, TX $30,636

Melbourne, FL $30,633

Sioux Falls, SD $30,579

Mobile, AL $30,575

Terre Haute, IN $30,562

Altoona, PA $30,542

Amarillo, TX $30,518

Killeen, TX $30,508

Fayetteville, AR $30,482

Chattanooga, TN $30,471

Sioux City, IA $30,441

Idaho Falls, ID $30,435

Lynchburg, VA $30,408

Gainesville, FL $30,364

Portsmouth, OH $30,347

Little Rock, AR $30,341

Lafayette, LA $30,327

Youngstown, OH $30,327

Daytona Beach, FL $30,307

Clarksville, TN $30,304

Pensacola, FL $30,300

Temple, TX $30,298

Hopkinsville, KY $30,200

Erie, PA $30,193

Florence, SC $30,180

Charleston, WV $30,126

Great Falls, MT $30,109

Macon, GA $30,062

Tallahassee, FL $30,059

Fayetteville, NC $30,052

Waco, TX $30,045

Helena, MT $30,022

Pine Bluff, AR $30,009

Vincennes, IN $29,968

Lubbock, TX $29,955

Alamogordo, NM $29,935

Twin Falls, ID $29,904

Rapid City, SD $29,894

Jackson, MS $29,834

Huntington, WV $29,832

Greenville, MS $29,831

Parkersburg, WV $29,796

Montgomery, AL $29,790

Wichita Falls, TX $29,757

Springfield, MO $29,757

Biloxi, MS $29,740

Monroe, LA $29,706

Johnstown, PA $29,683

Sumter, SC $29,670

Columbus, GA $29,666

Pascagoula, MS $29,602

Abilene, TX $29,602

Kingsport, TN $29,515

Albany, GA $29,515

Gulfport, MS $29,505

Alexandria, LA $29,394

Fort Smith, AR $29,310

El Paso, TX $29,220

Las Cruces, NM $29,069

Harlingen, TX $28,984

Pocatello, ID $28,978

Florence, AL $28,935

Brownsville, TX $28,928

Mcallen, TX $28,857

Dothan, AL $28,810

Columbus, MS $28,611

Altus, OK $28,455

Lawton, OK $28,391

Pierre, SD $28,270

What Skills Can Increase a Retail Makeup Artist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Commitment (Mentioned in 10.31% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Square (Mentioned in 1.79% Job Postings): Square in geometry, a plane figure with four equal sides and four right (90°) angles. A square is a special kind of rectangle and a special kind of parallelogram.
Container (Mentioned in 1% Job Postings): Container is an object used for or capable of holding, esp for transport or storage, such as a carton, box, etc.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Commitment	10.31%
Square	1.79%
Container	1%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Retail Makeup Artist's salary.

Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Initiative: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Team Building: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Leadership	$35,233	5%
Initiative	$34,897	4%
Team Building	$34,897	4%
Presentation	$34,562	3%
Organizing	$34,562	3%
Catering	$34,562	3%

Get Latest Data

Retail Makeup Artist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Retail Makeup Artist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Financial Services and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Retail Makeup Artist positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Transportation typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Retail Makeup Artist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Retail Makeup Artist

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services	$50,333	$24.0	50%

How Education impacts a Retail Makeup Artist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Retail Makeup Artists enter the field with a No Diploma degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Retail Makeup Artist with a No Diploma is between $34,264 and $36,129).

Retail Makeup Artist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Retail Makeup Artist

No Diploma 10.9%

High School 29.7%

Associates 45.3%

Bachelors 14.1%

Masters 0.0%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	10.9%
High School	29.7%
Associates	45.3%
Bachelors	14.1%
Masters	0.0%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

Retail Makeup Artist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Retail Makeup Artist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026

$31,417

Average $33,555/year

$36,238

$2,618

Average $2,796/month

$3,020

$604

Average $645/week

$697

$15

Average $16/hour

$17

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$36,238	$3,020	$697	$17
Average	$33,555	$2,796	$645	$16
25th Percentile	$31,417	$2,618	$604	$15

Salaries of jobs related to Retail Makeup Artist

Salary Trends for Retail Makeup Artist

Salaries for a Retail Makeup Artist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $32,687 in 2023 to around $31,938 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Retail Makeup Artist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Retail Makeup Artist Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$32,687

2024

$32,552

2025

$31,938

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$32,687
2024	$32,552
2025	$31,938
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Retail Makeup Artist

Social Security

401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

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FAQ about Retail Makeup Artist

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Retail Makeup Artist?

The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Retail Makeup Artist roles, with salaries approximately 50% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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