It is an exciting time to be a makeup artist in Georgia as the state’s film industry is experiencing record levels of growth. The Georgia Department of Economic Development recported that 142 film and TV projects brought in around $940 in direct spending in fiscal year 2013. Atlanta in particular is a major site for production work, and The Walking Dead is shot there.
Georgia’s wedding industry is also a big employer of makeup artists. Many couples who dream of a Southern wedding come to Savannah for their big day, and it is the third most popular wedding destination in the country.
Salaries of Makeup Artists in Georgia
The average salary of a makeup artist in Georgia in 2012 was about the national average for 2013. These artists earned an average of $67,921 a year in 2012 according to the Georgia Department of Labor. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the national average for this field to be $66,330 in 2013.
While inexperienced makeup artists have much lower salaries in many parts of the country, those in Georgia were relatively well paid. They earned $62,379 a year, while experienced professionals averaged $79,200.
Levels of Georgia Makeup Artist Employment and Job Increases
The number of makeup artists in Georgia is increasing according to the state’s Department of Labor. It expects the number of these jobs to grow by 1.8% a year in the ten-year period ending in 2012.
Most of Georgia’s makeup artists were in the Fulton County workforce region in 2010. All 38 of these professionals were located in the Atlanta area. The Cobb and DeKalb County regions had equal levels of employment with 32 makeup artists in each of these areas. Employment has likely grown substantially since this time given the rapid growth of the motion picture industry in Georgia.