Arizona’s climate and natural beauty have long drawn new residents and tourists. This provides an array of job opportunities for makeup artists. High fashion in Arizona is alive and well, partly due to an influx of people from Los Angeles who have created fashion companies in Phoenix.
Makeup artists are critical to the success of Arizona’s fashion editorials and photoshoots. Both Phoenix and Tucson have high-profile fashion weeks that draw celebrities from around the globe.
Many people also come to Arizona to get married, and the bridal industry is in high gear in the state and is showcased in the magazine Arizona Weddings. Preparing for weddings is big business in Arizona, and many brides rely closely on makeup artists to prepare them and their wedding party for their special day.
Recent legislation that has allowed same-sex marriage in Arizona is upping the profile of the wedding industry in the state. A recent UCLA study estimates that resident same-sex couples and their guests could spend up to $39 million on their weddings and travel during the first year! This will surely be a boon to makeup artists.
Salaries of Makeup Artists in Arizona
The salaries for makeup artists in Arizona are all over the map depending on their level of experience and type of clientele. Although retail is relatively low paying, these types of jobs provide income for makeup artists just starting out.
For instance, an esthetician makeup artist salesperson position was advertised at $16,000 in the year leading up to January 2015. The job site Indeed.com provides this information by analyzing the advertised salaries over the course of a year and reporting the average
The average salary for a makeup artist in Arizona was $33,000. This figure was slightly higher for makeup artists in the state’s major cities. The average salaries in Phoenix, Tucson, and Mesa were $34,000.
Makeup artists who work with clients usually get tips, so they make more money than this figure suggests. This is not the case for makeup artists in the performing arts, although they generally make a much higher salary than professionals who work with individual clients.