How Much Can A Tattoo Artist Make?
How much does a Tattoo Artist make? – Tattoo artists make $63,584 per year on average, or $30. 57 per hour, in the United States. Tattoo artists on the lower end of that spectrum, the bottom 10% to be exact, make roughly $27,000 a year, while the top 10% makes $148,000.
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What does the highest paid tattoo artist make?
How Much Do Tattooists Earn Annually? – According to the ZipRecruiter ‘s latest update, it is believed that tattoo artists in the United States have an annual income of $99,956. This means they earn on average $48. 06 an hour, or $8,330 as a monthly salary.
- Of course, this is just an average estimate;
- Some tattoo artists can earn as much as $300,000, while others earn as low as $12,000;
- To be more specific, currently, the highest-earning tattoo artists make annually around $260,000, while the lowest-earning tattooist in 2021 earns approximately $39,000;
But, why do these numbers vary so much? Why is the discrepancy between low- and high-earning tattoo artists so significant? The reason for this lies in factors like the state where the tattoo artists work, opportunities for economic or wage advancement, even how much people tip them after a completed tattoo work.
Of course, there are things like the quality of work, reputation, location of the tattoo studio, the cost of owning the studio as well as the tools and equipment, and so much more. We do have to mention that the majority of tattoo artists don’t own their own studio at the beginning of their careers.
They have to work for someone else, which means they do not receive their full earnings. The shopkeeper generally collects up to 70% commission for every tattoo completed at their shop. This means you’ll only earn between $30 or $40 for a $100 tattoo since the shopkeepers take the commission of up to $70.
However, with enough time and experience, even a beginner in the industry can improve their earnings by gaining and growing the clientele. As the customer number grows, especially the number of regular and valuable customers, so does the cost of the tattoo increase.
As a result, the commission lowers, especially if the tattooist decides to go solo. This gives the tattooist an opportunity to charge more, earn more, and build a stable business.
Where do tattoo artist make the most money?
Do tattoo artists keep all the money?
Credit: David Clifton Getting tattooed can be an expensive undertaking, typically costing upwards of $100 for even small designs. Given the cost of a new piece of ink, it’s easy to assume that all tattoo artists are raking it in, but the reality is that no tattooer takes home the full amount paid by their clients. And while seasoned tattooers charge more than a novice or apprentice—meaning they bring in more money per appointment—they, like all artists, have a large number of expenses associated with their practice.
The amount of each client payment that an artist has left over after additional expenses varies. Leah Samuels , resident artist at Baby , a private tattoo studio in Los Angeles, says that artists ultimately take home “anywhere from 70 percent to 50 percent, depending on the studio,” but for some, this percentage is lower.
According to Yi Stropky , the Vancouver-based artist known for his clever, minimal style, says that “between 30 percent and 50 percent is normal.
What are the cons of being a tattoo artist?
How Much Can You Make As A Tattoo Artist?
