Florida·Personal Care and Service Occupations·SOC 39-5091

Best Makeup Artist programs in Florida, ranked by enrollment

Apply makeup to performers to reflect period, setting, and situation of their.

106 schools in Florida run programs that feed this job, graduating 4,155 people a year. The job pays a median of $82,400 in Florida across about 250 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Also calledMakeup Artist (MUA)Hair and Makeup DesignerSpecial Effects Makeup Artist (Special Effects MUA)TV and Film Makeup Artist (Television and Film Makeup Artist)Makeup WorkerBeauty AdvisorBeauty StylistBeauty Therapist
Graduates / yr
4,155
in Florida
Median pay · Florida
$82,400
BLS OEWS May 2025
Jobs in state
250
people employed
Schools
106
with a feeder program
Avg graduation rate
70%
across those schools
Median net price
$19,631
per year, IPEDS

Fields of study in Florida that lead to this job

Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.

2 programs in Florida that lead to this job

Ranked by graduates per year in Florida (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Florida page.

Degree programs that lead to this occupation, ranked by graduates per year
#ProgramGraduates / yrShare of pipelineSchoolsGrad earnings (1 yr)Median debt
1
CIP 12.0401In Florida
4,094
98.5%
106$17,113$10,000
2
CIP 12.0406In Florida
61
1.5%
4$17,113$10,000

Top 25 schools in Florida

Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 73 of the 106 schools in this state.

Schools ranked by graduates per year into this occupation
#SchoolGraduates / yrTop feeder programGrad earnings (1 yr)Grad rateNet priceAcceptance
1Aveda Institute - South Florida
Davie, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
278Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$17,80673%$27,329
2Aveda Institute - Tampa Bay
Clearwater, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
207Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$19,45671%$23,585
3Celebrity School of Beauty
Miami, FL Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs
152Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$13,30571%$6,774
4Nouvelle Institute
Miami, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
141Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General87%$12,910
5Daytona State College
Daytona Beach, FL Public · 1 feeder programs
116Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$20,21243%
6Beauty Academy of South Florida
Hialeah Gardens, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
108Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$13,86672%$13,226
7Aveda Institute - Fort Myers
Fort Myers, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
85Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$18,75268%$27,723
8Indian River State College
Fort Pierce, FL Public · 1 feeder programs
85Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$18,41145%
9Empire Beauty School - Lakeland
Lakeland, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
84Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$18,63959%$18,857
10Summit Salon Academy
Tampa, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
82Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$20,15382%$20,233
11Palm Beach State College
Lake Worth, FL Public · 1 feeder programs
80Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$24,36141%
12Paul Mitchell the School - Jacksonville
Jacksonville, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
79Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$19,23479%$21,903
13Robert Fiance Beauty Schools
Boynton Beach, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
78Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$15,73671%$29,356
14Paul Mitchell the School - Orlando
Oviedo, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
77Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$16,46461%$21,108
15Sheridan Technical College
Hollywood, FL Public · 1 feeder programs
77Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$15,33869%
16Futura Career Institute
Hialeah, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
73Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$14,06189%$22,298
17Florida State College at Jacksonville
Jacksonville, FL Public · 1 feeder programs
71Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$29,66837%
18Boca Beauty Academy
Boca Raton, FL Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs
65Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$16,73090%$22,132
19La Belle Beauty School
Hialeah, FL Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs
63Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$12,40289%$12,731
20Orange Technical College - West Campus
Ocoee, FL Public · 1 feeder programs
61Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$15,94471%
21Summit Salon Academy - Gainesville
Gainesville, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
60Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$18,06776%$17,404
22Empire Beauty School - Tampa
Tampa, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
58Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$15,67954%$20,277
23Boca Beauty Academy - Parkland
Parkland, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
57Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$16,73086%$17,482
24The Salon Professional Academy - Melbourne
Melbourne, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
56Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$18,27586%$22,463
25Lake Technical College
Eustis, FL Public · 1 feeder programs
54Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General$21,73847%

All 106 schools in Florida

Every school in Florida with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.

All schools in Florida that feed this occupation
SchoolCityControlGraduates / yrFeeder programs
Aveda Institute - South FloridaDaviePrivate for-profit2781
Aveda Institute - Tampa BayClearwaterPrivate for-profit2071
Celebrity School of BeautyMiamiPrivate for-profit1522
Nouvelle InstituteMiamiPrivate for-profit1411
Daytona State CollegeDaytona BeachPublic1161
Beauty Academy of South FloridaHialeah GardensPrivate for-profit1081
Aveda Institute - Fort MyersFort MyersPrivate for-profit851
Indian River State CollegeFort PiercePublic851
Empire Beauty School - LakelandLakelandPrivate for-profit841
Summit Salon AcademyTampaPrivate for-profit821
Palm Beach State CollegeLake WorthPublic801
Paul Mitchell the School - JacksonvilleJacksonvillePrivate for-profit791
Robert Fiance Beauty SchoolsBoynton BeachPrivate for-profit781
Paul Mitchell the School - OrlandoOviedoPrivate for-profit771
Sheridan Technical CollegeHollywoodPublic771

What makeup artists, theatrical and performance earn in Florida

What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.

Median annual in Florida
$82,400
Mean annual
$101,330
Jobs in state
250
What the range looks like
10th pct$32,040Median$82,40090th pct$213,850
Versus the national median
-15.2%

U.S. median $97,150. Florida pays below the national figure.

Job concentration
1.68×

Concentrated here: Florida employs more of this job per worker than the U.S. average.

Metro areas in Florida

Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
$108,520median
160 jobs

Job outlook

Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.

Projected growth 2024–34
+8.1%
Much faster than average
Openings per year
1,100
new jobs plus replacements
Employment change
600
7,000 → 7,600
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award

Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.

How to get in

The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance page.

How to become a Makeup Artist

Job zone 3 of 5 · SVP 6.0 to < 7.0
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award

Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Top skills

SpeakingReading ComprehensionActive ListeningCritical ThinkingActive LearningMonitoring

The same job in other states

Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.

Related careers in Florida

Every major mapped to this job

The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.

All 3 majors mapped to Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance3 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
  • 12.0401Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General
  • 12.0406Make-Up Artist/Specialist
  • 12.0411Permanent Cosmetics/Makeup and Tattooing

Common questions

Answers for people weighing makeup artists, theatrical and performance programs in Florida.

What degree do you need to become a Makeup Artist?+

Postsecondary nondegree award is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General, which awarded 4,094 degrees in Florida in 2024-25, 98.5% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.

Which college majors lead to becoming a Makeup Artist?+

The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 2 programs to this occupation. The largest are Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services. Together they graduate about 4,155 people a year in Florida.

How much do makeup artists, theatrical and performance earn in Florida?+

The median is $82,400 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 15.2% below the U.S. median of $97,150. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.

Is demand for makeup artists, theatrical and performance growing?+

BLS projects a +8.1% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, much faster than average, with roughly 1,100 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.

How many schools offer programs for this career in Florida?+

106 institutions in Florida reported graduates from at least one of the 2 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.

What other job titles do makeup artists, theatrical and performance work under?+

Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Makeup Artist (MUA), Hair and Makeup Designer, Special Effects Makeup Artist (Special Effects MUA), TV and Film Makeup Artist (Television and Film Makeup Artist) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 39-5091.

Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance in other statesCaliforniaGeorgiaNew YorkLouisianaDistrict of Columbia

About the data on this page

Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).

  • BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics

    May 2025

    Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.

  • BLS Employment Projections

    2024–34

    Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.

  • IPEDS Completions

    2024-25 (provisional)

    Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.

  • College Scorecard, Field of Study

    2020-21 cohorts

    Median graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.

  • Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes

    latest available

    Graduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.

  • NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk

    CIP 2020 / SOC 2018

    Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.

  • O*NET Database 30.3

    30.3

    Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.

    Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA

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