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Tattoo Artist salary
Average tattoo artist salary
$51,867
How much does a tattoo artist make?
The average tattoo artist salary in the United States is $51,867. Tattoo artist salaries typically range between $24,000 and $108,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for tattoo artists is $24.94 per hour.
Tattoo artist salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Tattoo artists earn the highest average salary in Pennsylvania.
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Where can a Tattoo Artist earn more?
Tattoo Artist salary estimates from across the web
Average tattoo artist salary by state
The average tattoo artist salary in Pennsylvania, Alaska, and New York are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average tattoo artist salary states are Utah, Wyoming, and Kansas.
- State View
- County View
Highest paying states for tattoo artists
Rank  | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $63,870 | $30.71 |
| 2 | New York | $64,522 | $31.02 |
| 3 | Wisconsin | $55,855 | $26.85 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $58,088 | $27.93 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $64,311 | $30.92 |
| 6 | Indiana | $54,026 | $25.97 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $68,769 | $33.06 |
| 8 | Alaska | $66,941 | $32.18 |
| 9 | Maine | $59,334 | $28.53 |
| 10 | Delaware | $60,773 | $29.22 |
| 11 | Maryland | $57,562 | $27.67 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $61,393 | $29.52 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $61,920 | $29.77 |
| 14 | North Carolina | $54,089 | $26.00 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $62,251 | $29.93 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $49,140 | $23.63 |
| 17 | Nevada | $52,033 | $25.02 |
| 18 | Michigan | $48,537 | $23.34 |
| 19 | Alabama | $47,542 | $22.86 |
| 20 | Georgia | $47,845 | $23.00 |
| 21 | Vermont | $58,565 | $28.16 |
| 22 | Florida | $49,348 | $23.73 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $58,210 | $27.99 |
| 24 | Washington | $44,308 | $21.30 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $46,143 | $22.18 |
| 26 | Virginia | $46,418 | $22.32 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $46,605 | $22.41 |
| 28 | Ohio | $45,373 | $21.81 |
| 29 | Arizona | $43,750 | $21.03 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $40,763 | $19.60 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $46,949 | $22.57 |
| 32 | Iowa | $39,385 | $18.94 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $42,894 | $20.62 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $43,054 | $20.70 |
| 35 | Oregon | $42,768 | $20.56 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $42,921 | $20.64 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $42,402 | $20.39 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $38,251 | $18.39 |
| 39 | Idaho | $42,782 | $20.57 |
| 40 | Texas | $40,019 | $19.24 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $37,383 | $17.97 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $37,965 | $18.25 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $40,455 | $19.45 |
| 44 | Illinois | $40,139 | $19.30 |
| 45 | Utah | $37,583 | $18.07 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $41,050 | $19.74 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $36,807 | $17.70 |
| 48 | Missouri | $38,451 | $18.49 |
| 49 | Montana | $35,900 | $17.26 |
| 50 | Kansas | $36,854 | $17.72 |
| 51 | Colorado | $34,902 | $16.78 |
Highest paying cities for tattoo artists
The highest-paying cities for tattoo artists are New York, NY, Los Angeles, CA, and Madison, WI.
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $64,502 | $31.01 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | $63,546 | $30.55 |
| 3 | Madison, WI | $54,477 | $26.19 |
| 4 | Sanford, NC | $54,303 | $26.11 |
| 5 | Bismarck, ND | $48,282 | $23.21 |
| 6 | Atlanta, GA | $47,572 | $22.87 |
| 7 | Virginia Beach, VA | $46,196 | $22.21 |
| 8 | Portland, OR | $42,034 | $20.21 |
| 9 | Houston, TX | $40,753 | $19.59 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $40,562 | $19.50 |
| 11 | Salt Lake City, UT | $36,909 | $17.74 |
Tattoo Artist salary details
A tattoo artist's salary ranges from $24,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $108,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a tattoo artist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $108,000 | $9,000 | $52 |
| 75th Percentile | $76,000 | $6,333 | $37 |
| Average | $51,867 | $4,322 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $24,000 | $2,000 | $12 |
Highest paying tattoo artist jobs
The highest paying types of tattoo artists are butler, body piercer, and tattooist.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valet | $32,233 | $2,686 | $15.50 | 3,361 |
| House Sitter | $51,771 | $4,314 | $24.89 | 90,918 |
Top companies hiring tattoo artists now:
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Tattoo Artist salary trends
The average tattoo artist salary has risen by $16,649 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average tattoo artist earned $35,218 annually, but today, they earn $51,867 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for tattoo artists over the last decade.
Compare tattoo artist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average tattoo artist salary over time
Compare tattoo artist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
- National Average
- Columbus, OH
Tattoo Artist salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $51,900 | $24.94 | +6.8% |
| 2024 | $48,400 | $23.25 | +6.9% |
| 2023 | $45,000 | $21.65 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | $44,600 | $21.42 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $43,700 | $21.03 | +12.2% |
Recently added tattoo artist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flora Tattoo Studio, LLC | Tattoo Artist | Chicago, IL | 04/30/2024 | $62,000 |
| Hair Club for Men and Women | SMP/Tattoo Artist | New York, NY | 09/12/2023 | $41,740 |
| Hair Club for Men and Women | SMP/Tattoo Artist | Cincinnati, OH | 09/12/2023 | $41,740 |
| Hair Club for Men and Women | SMP/Tattoo Artist | Indianapolis, IN | 09/12/2023 | $41,740 |
| Ganga Tattoo Studio LLC | Tattoo Artist | West Hollywood, CA | 05/09/2023 | $42,141 |
| Rejuve Pod | Cosmetic Tattoo Artist | Glenolden, PA | 03/21/2023 | $31,305 |
| Astrid & Miyu | Tattoo Artist | New York, NY | 03/13/2023 | $58,436 |
| Astrid & Miyu | Tattoo Artist | New York, NY | 02/09/2023 | $58,436 |
| Rejuve Pod | Cosmetic Tattoo Artist | Glenolden, PA | 01/20/2023 | $31,305 |
| Rejuvepod | Cosmetic Tattoo Artist | Glenolden, PA | 01/14/2023 | $31,305 |
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