Money · 1 of 5
What tattoo artists make
Working artist
$42,000
First year tattooing
$31,000
Booked-out artist or owner
$62,000
Job Bank's national median is $20 an hour, about $42,000 a year full time, with a low of $15 and a high of $30. Job Bank pools tattoo artists with estheticians in one occupation code, so treat these as rough. Most artists are self-employed and keep a share of each tattoo; a well-known artist booked months ahead can earn far more than the top figure, and an apprentice earns close to nothing.