Tattoo artists don’t get a set amount of money on payday like most other jobs. As a new tattoo artist, understanding how much to charge for your tattoos and knowing how tattoo artists get paid will make sure you don’t get short changed in your career.
In this article, we’ll break down:
How Much Should You Charge for Tattoos?
Tattoo artists usually charge by the hour, and their rates rise as they get more skilled.
If you’re a new tattoo artist that’s still learning fundamentals and working on your technique, the reality is that someone allowing you to tattoo them is doing you a favor, as opposed to the other way around.
This can be harsh to hear, but changing your mindset in this way will positively affect your career while you’re still going through an apprenticeship or tattoo school. Here’s why:
If you’re focused on making as much money as possible right away, you might make a few extra bucks in the short term. However, if you’re charging people (even if it’s just family and friends), you’ll run into two problems:
This is why it’s recommended that - if you can't tattoo for free - that you tattoo as cheaply as possible (just enough to cover your supplies) so that you can do as much volume as you can.
Because you’ll be tattooing more often, you’ll be able to improve much faster. Once you get the skill set, the money will come, and it'll be a lot easier in the long run.
Note:
If you’re very new to tattooing, we recommend only practicing on fake skins until you are confident in the fundamentals (lining, shading, and packing).
How Much Do Tattoo Artists Make?
Once you are working as a tattoo artist and pricing your tattoos according to your skills, you’ll probably be splitting your income with the tattoo shop where you work to pay for your space there (unless you own a tattoo shop yourself).
What's a Fair Split if You're Working in a Tattoo shop?
One of the most unfortunate things about tattooing is that it can be a dog-eat-dog world. Some shops out there don't give a crap about their artists, and they’ll try to get more than their fair share from their artists. If you don't know any better, then it's really easy to fall for this and get taken advantage of. It’s important to know what's fair and what's not fair.
60/40 Split
If you start working in a tattoo shop, the most common split is 60/40. 60% goes to the artist, 40% goes to the shop. On this split, you'll have to supply all your own disposables (ink caps, barriers, etc.). The shop might provide a chair or a station to work from, but pretty much nothing else. You've got to supply all your own stuff.
If you are a really famous artist, and you have a really big following or a really large clientele, you can negotiate rates higher than this if you're going to be bringing a lot of business into the shop. Because you're adding more value, you have a lot more leverage in the negotiations. But for the average artist, 60/40 is what you can typically expect.Average Tattoo Artist Salary
The average tattoo artist is charging a $150 hourly rate for their tattoos. If 40% goes to the tattoo business, then the tattoo artist’s real income is $90/hr. For example, for a 3-hour tattoo, the artist makes $270.
50/50 Split
The next most common split is 50/50. If the shop is taking half your money, they should be doing a lot. They should supply all disposables: ink caps, cling wrap, Vaseline, clip cord sleeves, machine bags, etc. Some shops might provide inks and needles, but because every artist uses different stuff and they're quite expensive, they might not.
In addition to that, they should be doing a lot for marketing. They should be running Google ads and Facebook ads and actively trying to get you work. Ideally, they’d also have a dedicated counter person to keep the shop running smoothly.
Without these things, you’ll sort of be getting ripped off because you're giving them half your money and they're not really doing anything. So if it is a 50/50 split, you want to make sure that they're bringing you clients, advertising for you, supplying some of your stuff, and actually helping you out.
40 (or Below)
The only reason you should be on 40% is if you're an apprentice. If you're a fully qualified artist and you're not in a developing nation (where getting 40% and working for a big tattoo chain is closer to the norm), then you should be getting more.
If any shop owner says they want to put you on a 40% split, run the other way.
Studio Owner (Keep 100%)
If you own your own studio, you have the opportunity to make much more money than the average tattoo artist salary. This is because you won’t have to pay out a percentage to the shop, and you’re going to be getting a portion of the money any other artists make in your studio.
Being a Studio Owners Have to Pick a Good Shop Location
Successful tattoo studio owners make good money. However, getting a studio to that point of being a success can be a little risky. Some areas are easier to succeed in than others. For example, tattoo shops in smaller towns tend to have less competition. However, you don’t want to open a studio in a town that is so small that there aren’t enough clients to keep you busy.
Additionally, a tattoo artist’s salary depends on how much money their clients are making. If you’re in a city where you’re tattooing for higher income clients, you can charge more.Your Artwork Style Affects Your Hourly Rate
Tattoo artists that specialize in a popular tattoo art style can make more money.
You’ve probably heard the phrase “a jack of all trades is a master of none.” Many tattoo artists think that they have to be able to tattoo all styles, and they try to become a jack of all trades. And ten years ago, this was the right way to do things. Most clients would walk into the closest tattoo studio, and you had to be able to tattoo whatever walked through the door.
However, in the last decade, clients have gained access to more tattoo education and social media platforms like Instagram. That means they’re not going to walk into the closest tattoo shop, they’re going to search for a tattoo artist who can do the style they want better than anyone else.Clients Looking for a Specialist Will Pay More
If you have honed your skills in one style and become a master, then you’ll draw in those clients who are specifically looking for that tattoo style. This means that those clients will be willing to pay a higher hourly rate.
Charging for Multiple Sessions
If you do tattoos that require multiple sessions, there’s no major differences in how you charge for the piece. The client pays at the end of each session. This makes sure you’re paid for your work if your client doesn’t show up for later sessions.
How to Boost Your Tattoo Artist Salary
Very few tattoo artists get any formal education on how to make the most out of their business. However, more and more artists are entering the tattoo industry every single day, and you need a way to stand out.
Most tattoo artists just post on Instagram and hope they’ll stand out and that their work will “sell itself” because they don’t have the time to develop a process or strategy to make sure they get customers.
This can stunt your income as an artist, because it forces you to constantly be grinding and working to be “the best” while competing with artists that have 10+ years of experience on you.
The thing is: people don’t always choose to do business with the BEST, they choose to do business with the person they know, like and trust. That’s why the solution for getting tons of customers through the door isn’t trying to catch up to artists who have a decade’s head start…
It’s creating a community centered around your artwork and building a relationship with your audience so that when they’re ready to get tattooed, you’re the only person that comes to mind. It doesn’t matter if there’s competition out there who is better or cheaper, because your audience values you and are your loyal customers.
Inside the 6-Figure Artist Blueprint Course, we’ll walk you through everything that goes into making 6 figures as an artist by giving you strategies that grow your community and keep customers coming back for more…without spending all your time on social media.
Click here to learn more about Tattooing 101’s 6-Figure Artist Blueprint.
