Iowa Makeup Artist School and Requirements

If you want to become a makeup artist in Iowa, you need to go to an esthetician school or, if you prefer, a cosmetology school. Estheticians and cosmetologists have different amounts of training and specific focuses. We're here to help you figure out which option is right for you.

Browse our directory of makeup artistry schools in Iowa, or skip ahead to learn about the state's makeup artistry licensing requirements and job outlook.

Esthetician or Cosmetology Options for Makeup School in Iowa

Choosing an esthetician or cosmetology school for your Iowa makeup training comes down to what you want to do and how long you want to spend in school. Estheticians spend less time in school and focus exclusively on skincare, which makes this an appealing route for many makeup artists. However, some choose cosmetology so they can offer more services, like hair and nails.

Esthetician programs last for 600 hours and cover nothing but skincare and beautification. Cosmetology school runs for 2,100 hours and covers hair, skin, and nails.

READ MORE: Learn About Cosmetology School in Iowa

READ MORE: Learn About Esthetician School in Iowa

Not sure which option to choose? Iowa law says your science and relevant theory hours transfer between licenses, so you could go to esthetician school first and return to cosmetology school with some of your hours taken care of.

Makeup Artist Salary in Iowa

Estheticians in Iowa, which typically includes makeup artists under that umbrella, earned $43,830 annually as of 2022. Cosmetologists, meanwhile, make $34,420. Your location, type of workplace, years of experience, and more can affect how much you could earn. These estimates also don't include self-employed makeup artists, so it would be best to talk to local self-employed makeup artists about what to expect for pay if this is the path you want to travel.

Contact the Iowa State Board of Cosmetology