AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 39-5091.00
Will AI replace Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance?
Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance: AI can already handle 19 of 22 tasks; the work mostly needs a standard-tier model.
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Every task, scored
The 22 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance, from most to least exposed. 19 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.
| Task | AI exposure | Evidence | Model tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clean supplies such as makeup brushes. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Duplicate work precisely to replicate characters' appearances on a daily basis. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Apply makeup to enhance or alter the appearance of people appearing in productions such as movies. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Confer with stage or motion picture officials and performers to determine desired effects. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Requisition or acquire needed materials for special effects, including wigs, beards, and special cosmetics. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Study production information, such as character descriptions, period settings, and situations, to determine makeup requirements. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Establish budgets, and work within budgetary limits. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Select desired makeup shades from stock, or mix oil, grease, and coloring to achieve specific color effects. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Write makeup sheets and take photos to document specific looks and the products used to achieve the looks. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Attach prostheses to performers and apply makeup to create special features or effects, such as scars, aging, or illness. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Examine sketches, photographs, and plaster models to obtain desired character image depiction. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Cleanse and tone the skin to prepare it for makeup application. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Provide performers with makeup removal assistance after performances have been completed. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Create character drawings or models, based upon independent research, to augment period production files. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Demonstrate products to clients, and provide instruction in makeup application. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Wash and reset wigs. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Assess performers' skin type to ensure that makeup will not cause break-outs or skin irritations. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Evaluate environmental characteristics, such as venue size and lighting plans, to determine makeup requirements. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Advise hairdressers on the hairstyles required for character parts. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Analyze a script, noting events that affect each character's appearance, so that plans can be made for each scene. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Design rubber or plastic prostheses that can be used to change performers' appearances. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Alter or maintain makeup during productions as necessary to compensate for lighting changes or to achieve continuity of effect. | Estimated | Efficient |
Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 22 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 22 of 22. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.
The model tier this role needs
A standard-tier model or lower covers 82% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 100% of the work is something AI can address at some tier.
Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.
Wages, employment and outlook
- US employment
- 2,340
- Median annual wage
- $97,150
- Middle half of earners
- $34,530 to $143,230
- Projected change, 2024 to 2034
- +8.1%
Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.
Adjacent roles
The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.
- Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists 64% skill overlap, about 13 months to move Exposure32
- Actors 62% skill overlap, about 14 months to move Exposure69
- Special Effects Artists and Animators 59% skill overlap, about 15 months to move Exposure53
- Costume Attendants 57% skill overlap, about 15 months to move Exposure62
- Skincare Specialists 57% skill overlap, about 16 months to move Exposure64
Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.
Questions about Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance and AI
Will AI replace Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance?
AI already handles 19 of the 22 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 69 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +8.1% from 2024 to 2034.
What is the AI exposure of Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance?
69 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 22 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 22 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.
Which Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance tasks can AI already do?
The tasks with the highest exposure are: Clean supplies such as makeup brushes; Duplicate work precisely to replicate characters' appearances on a daily basis; Apply makeup to enhance or alter the appearance of people appearing in productions such as movies. They are three of the 19 tasks that reach 60 or more.
What AI model tier does this role need?
A standard-tier model or lower covers 82% of the role's importance-weighted task work. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.
How many people work as Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance, and what do they earn?
2,340 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $97,150 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +8.1% from 2024 to 2034.
How to cite
Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.
JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/makeup-artists-theatrical-and-performance
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