What do they do?

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

Also known as:

Commercial Makeup Artist (Commercial MUA), Hair and Makeup Designer, Makeup Artist (MUA), Prosthetic Makeup Designer, Special Effects Makeup Artist (Special Effects MUA), Special Makeup Effects Artist, TV and Film Makeup Artist (Television and Film Makeup Artist)

Typical Wages

Projected Growth Rate

Employment of Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance is projected to show little or no change from 2022 to 2032.

Projected Employment in OH

No Data Available
  • 0%

    Change

    Ranks #11 in job growth rate
    10

    Job Openings

    Ranks #8 in net job growth

Best colleges for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance

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Education Level

Percent of workers in this field with these degrees:

  • High school diploma equivalent  (35%)
  • Some college, no degree  (28%)
  • Bachelor's degree  (14%)
  • Associate's degree  (10%)
  • Less than high school diploma  (6%)
  • Master's degree  (6%)
  • Doctorate or Professional Degree  (1%)

Typical College Majors

Most Popular Majors that prepare Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance

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People in this career often have these skills:

  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

People in this career often know a lot about:

  • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
  • Fine Arts - Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
  • Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
  • Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

People in this career often have talent in:

  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • Visual Color Discrimination - The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
  • Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
  • Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

People in this career often do these activities:

  • Clean equipment or supplies.
  • Clean tools or equipment.
  • Apply makeup to alter or enhance appearance.
  • Review production information to determine costume or makeup requirements.
  • Collaborate with others to determine production details.
  • Order materials, supplies, or equipment.
  • Manage budgets for personal services operations.
  • Prepare operational reports or records.
  • Assess skin or hair conditions.
  • Apply cleansing or conditioning agents to client hair, scalp, or skin.
  • Design costumes or cosmetic effects for characters.
  • Demonstrate activity techniques or equipment use.
  • Teach health or hygiene practices.
  • Groom wigs or hairpieces.

This page includes data from:

O*NET OnLine Career data: O*NET 30.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (“USDOL/ETA”). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Logo Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics

careeronestop logo Videos: CareerOneStop, USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development

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