How Much Do Tattoo Artists Make?

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We’ve all heard the story about the artist that’s struggling to make ends meet. You know, the one where they survive off ramen noodles and live on their cousin’s couch because they can’t afford their own place.

Well, this story ain’t that one…

Being an artist in the tattoo industry is no easy job.

But it is a job that pays a lot better and more steadily than being an emerging sculptor, per say, who’s hoping to carve the next Michelangelo’s David before their next electricity bill comes due.

So just how much do tattoo artists make?

Well, there are a lot of factors that contribute to how much a tattoo artist makes.

Which is precisely why we’ve put together the following guide to explore tattoo artist yearly salaries, average hourly wages, and overhead costs.

Let’s find out!

Tattoo Artist Average Salary – How Much Does A Tattoo Artist Make Per Year?

On average, a tattoo artist earns about $59,852 per year, on average.

But there are a number of factors that influence a tattoo artist’s salary. And their overall take-home pay can vary widely based on experience, skill-level, specialization, location, and whether or not the artist owns their own studio.

According to Indeed, tattoo artist salaries in the United States range between $32,700 per year on the lower end, to as much as $109,546 per year on the higher end of the pay spectrum.

So if you’re an artist with a ton of satisfied clients, you’ll likely earn more both in commission charges and tips, than any other artist that leaves behind a trail of unhappy customers.

Similarly, if you’re a shop owner, you’ll likely make considerably more money than a tattoo artist who works for you in your tattoo studio.

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How Much Do Tattoo Artists Charge Per Hour?

US tattoo artists charge anywhere between $100 to $250 per hour, on average. However, this figure varies widely based on the individual artist and how they price their work. So some artists might charge $40-50 per hour, whereas other might charge more than $250 per hour.

Obviously, high-profile tattoo artists can charge significantly higher rates, particularly if they tattoo famous clients, like rock stars, musicians, or actors.

On the other hand, some artists might not charge an hourly rate at all.

And instead, they may choose to charge a flat rate based on the size and complexity of the piece that a customer wants commissioned.

We should also note that tattoo artists who specialize in just one style of tattoo artist work, such as fine-line work or portraiture, for example, can charge more than other artists who do work in a wider range of different tattoo styles.

Finally, it shouldn’t be surprising to know that location plays a big role in how much a tattoo artist will earn.

For example, a tattoo artist in New York City can charge significantly more money than another artist with similar skills located in rural Missouri.

So what are the highest paying salaries for tattoo artists based on the cities where they practice?

Tattoo Artist Salary – Top 5 Highest Paying Cities

According to Indeed, Gastonia (NC), Miami (FL), New York (NY), Brooklyn (NY), and Las Vegas (NV) are the 5 top-paying cities for tattoo artists.

Let’s see how much artists in these cities can make.

• Gastonia, North Carolina – Tattoo artists in Gastonia report earnings as much as $113,864 per year.
• Miami, Florida – Artists in Miami report earnings as much as $69,523 per year, likely thanks to all those drunken spring breakers. Which reminds us… Just in case you’re looking for tattoo removal information.
• New York, New York – Tattoo artists in The Big Apple earn an average yearly salary of $68,265.
• Brooklyn, New York – Slightly below their upper New York counterparts, artists in Brooklyn can earn as much as $66,843 per year.
• Las Vegas, Nevada – Gambling, women, alcohol and tattoos all go great together, according to some… ahem… which is why tattoo artists in Las Vegas claim to earn about $64,081 per year.

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Tattoo Artist Expenses And Overhead Costs

It’s important to realize that, like an other job, tattoo artists have a lot of expenses that can eat into their gross earnings.

So let’s review some of the common expenses and overhead costs a tattoo artist might face.

• Taxes – Tattoo artists are often considered independent contractors. This means they must pay tax on the revenue they generate from their work. Income taxes vary by state and tax rates depend on the artist’s gross income.
• Tattoo ink and equipment – Ink, tattoo guns, needles, disinfectant, and razors are just a handful of tattoo supplies an artist needs to pay for out of pocket to do their tattoo work.
• Booth rent – For artists who don’t own a studio, they’ll have to pay to rent a spot in a studio. This might be a fixed rate, of anywhere between $200-$300 per month, or a percentage-based fee based on their overall earnings for a given period.
• Tattoo studio expenses – For those who do own their own tattoo shop, mortgage, rent, electricity, water, and gas are just some of the overhead costs they’ll have to pay before taking any of their earnings home.
• Training and licensing – In the US, to become a tattoo artist, you need to be properly trained and licensed. A tattoo business license needs to be renewed routinely to legally maintain one’s ability to tattoo. Renewal frequencies vary depending on the state where the shop is located.
• Advertising – Business cards, signs, posters, websites, social media advertising… These are all additional costs that a tattoo artist might pay out of pocket.
• Insurance – As a tattoo artist, most shops won’t pay you any medical benefits or health insurance. So these are also additional costs that impact the overall take-home pay.

The one good thing about all of these overhead costs and expenses is that they can help reduce a tattoo artist’s taxable income.

In other words, let’s pretend an artist made $40,000 last year from their work, but they spent $2,500 on supplies, licensing, and advertising.

In this case, they’ll only have to pay income tax on $37,5000.

How Much Do Tattoo Artists Make? Frequently Asked Questions

Now, before you go, let’s review a few frequently asked question we hear about tattoo artist pay.

What is the average tattoo artist salary?

Average tattoo artist salary is about $60,000, with some artists reporting their income much lower, near the $33,000 level, and other artists reporting much higher incomes, closing in above the $100,000 per year mark.

How much should you tip your tattoo artist?

Tipping is not mandatory for tattoo, and there’s no pre-set amount you should to tip. But it is a great way to show your tattoo artist you love the work they’ve done for you. You might base a tip on the overall cost of the piece, where as 10%-20% is considered very generous. Or you can decide to give your artist a flat tip of anywhere between $20, $50, or $100, depending on how you feel about the work.

Who is the most famous tattoo artist and how much do they earn?

Scott Campbell is considered to be one of the world’s most renown and expensive tattoo artist to hire. He is said to charge as much as $2,000 per hour, which is why he is mostly hired by movie stars are famous musicians. Ami James, Anil Gupta, Paul Booth, and Kat Von D are a couple other extremely well-known and high-profile tattoo artists.

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