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The differences between stylists and makeup artists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a stylist, becoming a makeup artist takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a makeup artist has an average salary of $41,026, which is higher than the $37,985 average annual salary of a stylist.
The top three skills for a stylist include good time management, POS and data entry. The most important skills for a makeup artist are customer service, product knowledge, and store events.
| Stylist | Makeup Artist | |
| Yearly salary | $37,985 | $41,026 |
| Hourly rate | $18.26 | $19.72 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 49,296 | 4,620 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Average age | 40 | 34 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
A stylist is responsible for providing fashion advice, choosing the appropriate clothing for models, maintaining the fashion style, and supervising photoshoots. Stylists must always be updated with the latest fashion trends for recommendations. A stylist must have excellent communication skills to connect with various brand management and fashion stores for purchasing items or inquiring about clothing collections. In some cases, stylists are usually consulted by a team of the fashion brand to give inputs on the appropriate style, including color schemes and overall design.
A makeup artist is a beauty enthusiast offering makeup services depending on the clients' needs and event purposes. Makeup artists must have a broad knowledge of the beauty and fashion industry to provide recommendations and create the best aesthetic looks for clients. Makeup artists also need to have an understanding of colors and styles, as well as extensive options on long-lasting makeup materials and cosmetic toolkits. A makeup artist in a professional setting often works alongside other stylists to manage the right looks for clients.
Stylists and makeup artists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Stylist | Makeup Artist | |
| Average salary | $37,985 | $41,026 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $53,000 | Between $21,000 And $77,000 |
| Highest paying City | Denver, CO | - |
| Highest paying state | Washington | - |
| Best paying company | Columbia International University | - |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | - |
There are a few differences between a stylist and a makeup artist in terms of educational background:
| Stylist | Makeup Artist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 41% |
| Most common major | Cosmetology | Cosmetology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between stylists' and makeup artists' demographics:
| Stylist | Makeup Artist | |
| Average age | 40 | 34 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 13.6% Female, 86.4% | Male, 11.8% Female, 88.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 8.1% White, 59.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.4% Asian, 13.6% White, 51.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |