Iowa offers opportunities for makeup artist to earn good salaries in such areas as the state’s robust wedding industry, to chic salons in metro areas like Des Moines, to the chance to discretely improve the appearance of potential presidential contenders at the Iowa caucuses.
Weddings are big business in Iowa, and their market value was $449 million in 2013 according to TheWeddingReport.com. Couples get married throughout much of the year in Iowa providing an income source to the makeup artists who beautify brides and their bridal parties.
Politicians who prepare to face the unflattering camera are another source of income for makeup artists in Iowa. Johnston is home to prominent makeup artist Lindsay Donald who told the West Des Moines Patch about her experience working with aspiring presidential candidates to prepare them for their time in the spotlight. Men, in particular, want their improvements to be undetectable, so this type of work requires a combination of artistry and discretion that commands a respectable salary
Iowa’s Makeup Artist Salary Potential
The job site Indeed.com provides salary information for makeup artist positions in Iowa. This site summarizes the salaries offered over the previous year to arrive at an average salary for each job listing.
The average salary for a makeup artist in Iowa was $40,000 as of January 2015, and salaries were similar in Iowa’s major cities. Those in Davenport and Sioux City started at $41,000, while the average starting salary for makeup artists in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids was $38,000.
The most highly paid makeup artists were micro artists. Positions for professionals with this specialty were advertised at more than 2.5 times the salary for makeup artists. Their average salary in Iowa was $104,000.
Makeup artists will generally make more money than these salary figures suggest, because most of their clients will tip them for their services. This can increase their income by 10 to 25%.
Many makeup artists are independent contractors, and this is particularly true for high-level makeup artists. They keep all profits from their business and are likely to make more money than professionals that have salaried positions.