Although Arkansas has long provided jobs for makeup artists in such traditional areas as the bridal industry and theatre companies, the recent buzz in the film industry about Arkansas bodes well for the prospects of these professionals in the state.
The groundbreaking film Mud brought attention to Arkansas as a site for film production. In 2013, the state’s film commissioner Christopher Crane spoke about how the state is likely to attract and develop more of these types of projects.
Arkansas diverse landscape, ranging from the foothills of the Boston Mountains to the Delta, not addition to its urban backdrops, make it a perfect locale for many movies.
Makeup artist salaries vary widely depending on the specialty and skill of the professionals. For instance, salary information from the job site Indeed.com shows that different types of makeup artist positions pay at greatly different levels in Arkansas.
Salaries of Different Types of Makeup Artists in Arkansas
Indeed.com provides a summary of the salaries offered for a particular job title over the course of the previous year. Beginning makeup artists may start in retail positions where they advise customers who want to purchase makeup. As of January 2015, an esthetician makeup artist salesperson earned an average of $20,000.
Salon positions for makeup artists averaged $42,000 a year in Arkansas in January 2015. Tips are common for this type of work, so professionals who work with individual clients will take home more money than their salaries would indicate.
More experienced makeup artists may branch out to freelance consulting such as making brides look stunning for their weddings. Little Rock is a good area for this type of work. Weddings are so popular there that the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau provides advice on venues for them.
With the increasing prominence of the film industry in Arkansas, the salaries for makeup artists are likely to increase. Nationally, makeup artists who work for motion pictures tend to make three times more than those who work with individual clients according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Makeup Artist Salaries Throughout Arkansas
Since job options for makeup artists vary throughout Arkansas, their salaries can differ a great deal depending on where they are located.
The average salary for a makeup artist in Fort Smith was much higher than the state’s average because of its active performing arts scene. Makeup artists there earned $62,000 a year on average in January 2015, since applying makeup to performers requires a great deal of skill and generally pays better.
The salaries for makeup artists in the other major cities in Arkansas were roughly similar to each other and ranged from $38,000 in Little Rock to $39,000 in Fayetteville. The average salary for a makeup artist in Springdale was slightly higher at $40,000.