Idaho’s natural beauty draws people from around the globe resulting in a $3.4 billion tourism industry in the state according to the Idaho Commerce’s Tourism Development site. In addition to makeup artists in the salon and spa industry working in Idah’s metro areas or serving tourists at destination resorts, the stunning scenery in the state contributes to media work for makeup artists in Idaho as featured in such magazines as Sun Valley.
The wedding industry is in full swing in Idaho, too, and the market value for weddings in the state was $297 million in 2013 according to TheWeddingReport.com. Both brides and bridesmaids frequently seek out the expertise of makeup artists to ensure that they look stunning on their special day.
Idaho is home to many other types of formal ceremonies ranging from proms and quinceaneras to a number of beauty pageants that rely heavily on makeup artists for their success. Prominent beauty pageants in Idaho include the Miss Idaho, Mrs. Idaho America, and the Idaho Princess Pageants.
The success of the cult film Napoleon Dynamite filmed in Preston helped to put Idaho on the map for filmmakers. While the Idaho film industry is primarily known for its post-production work, film production is increasing in Idaho. This industry is a heavy employer of makeup artists such as prominent Idaho resident Christi Colven, with the Winter 2015 issue of Sun Valley featuring Idaho’s growing film industry.
An Analysis of Salaries for Makeup Artists in Idaho
The salaries for makeup artists are available from the employment site Indeed.com. It provides the average starting salary for different types of jobs over the course of the previous year.
Makeup artist jobs in Idaho started at $27,000 a year in January 2015. Salaries were slightly higher in Idaho’s major cities and were $28,000 in Boise, Nampa, Meridian, and Idaho Falls.
The most highly paid types of makeup positions in Idaho were those for micro artists. These professionals have the training to use acupuncture techniques to permanent alter their clients’ appearance. This type of position paid an average of $70,000 a year.
Makeup artists with the expertise to advise on skin care in addition to makeup use made 11% more than makeup artists per se. The average salary for a makeup artist in Idaho was $27,000, while makeup artist skincare advisors earned an average salary of $30,000.
These figures underestimate the actual take home pay of Idaho’s makeup artists, because many of them will receive tips from their clients. Also, as makeup artists gain experience and a reputation for their work, they frequently branch into freelancing that can result in higher paying gigs.