Salary Scale of a Celebrity Stylist

Some celebrities have found a look which is envied by many, thanks mostly to the diligent work of celebrity fashion stylists. Celebrity stylists can work for styling firms on the set of fashion shoots or commercial films, or can find work as a freelance stylist working for individual clients.

Are you wondering, how much do stylists make? Depending on your clientele, you can earn a salary as high as ​$114,000​ per year working as a fashion stylist for well-known celebrities, according to data from ZipRecruiter. However, the average salary in this field is just ​$52,367​, per the same source. Other sources suggest different numbers. For instance, Salary.com data says that the top earners in this field can expect ​$116,204​ to ​$173,671​ per year.

Experienced fashion stylists with at least ​five to 10 years​ of styling experience are able to attract high-profile celebrity clients. Up until this time, entry-level fashion stylists may earn a daily wage that they agree upon with the organizers of their event or the celebrity who has hired them.

Fashion stylists who have begun to draw celebrity clients can earn quite a lot, and top-level stylists, including those working on the sets of fashion shoots, television shows and music videos, can earn even more. According to Sterling Style Academy, a day rate for an experienced stylist could be as high as ​$15,000​.

Celebrity clients are typically only found in large metropolitan areas which are tied closely to the entertainment industry, such as New York City or Los Angeles. Pertinent experience preparing an individual for work as a celebrity stylist can be earned anywhere, however.

Volunteer experience as a make-up artist or stylist for local community theaters can give a stylist experience with historical fashions or other specialized make-up effects, such as wounds or wigs. Fashion stylists hoping to work with celebrities someday can also earn worthwhile experience working in a hair salon or cosmetology boutique.

Although there are no educational requirements for working as a freelance celebrity stylist, earning an applicable degree will help you earn clients faster. Obtain a cosmetology license from a cosmetology or beauty school.

Alternatively, you can earn a fine arts degree in costuming or make-up for theatrical production, which brings more experience in creating a style to suit a particular historical or cultural fashion. Other related degree fields include fashion merchandising, fashion designing or visual merchandising.

Celebrity fashion stylists typically work as freelancers who find work through professional referrals or find employment through a fashion styling firm. Many who make the jump from a small town to a larger celebrity market start out by working as a fashion stylist assistant under a more established stylist. Build a portfolio featuring your best work, including about ​15 to 20​ before-and-after photos of previous clients, to attract more work as a stylist.

While on the job, celebrity stylists will scout out locations for fashion shoots and contribute to the overall atmosphere of a film or photo shoot by selecting props and accessories to go with a celebrity's costume and make-up.