Tattoo Artist
Tattoo artists design and apply permanent body art, turning a client's idea into a drawing, then a stencil, then ink under the skin with strict sterile technique.
- Median salary*
- $49,400
4.0%vs last year, before tax
- People employed
- 3,700
0.0%vs last year
- Projected growth
- +11.5%
to 2035
- AI exposure*
- Low
- automation risk
- Average hours
- 42/wk
+2h vs all jobs
- Shortage status
- Not in shortage
national
Tattoo artists usually work from a licensed studio, taking a client's idea through a design, a stencil and a session under the machine. Unlike a visual artist working on canvas, the material is living skin that heals, so hygiene, aftercare and a steady hand matter as much as drawing. Many are sole traders who rent a chair or booth rather than drawing a wage, which means they also run their own bookings, deposits and tax.
How much do tattoo artists earn?
The median full-time salary for a tattoo artist is $49,400 per annum, before tax, up $10,300 since 2018.
Most tattoo artists charge per piece or by the hour and pay the studio rent or a share of the fee, so take-home pay depends on how full the book is. Your reputation, your style and how long you have been tattooing shape earnings more than anything else. There is usually no paid leave or sick pay, so a slow month or an injury to your hands lands directly on you.
What does a tattoo artist do day to day?
The list below is what fills most weeks; the exact mix shifts with seniority and whatever stage the current work is at.
- Drawing a custom design from a client's idea, then refining it into a stencil before anything touches skin
- Setting up a sterile station the same way before every client, with fresh needles, ink caps and barrier film
- Holding close focus for hours at a stretch on line work, shading or colour packing
- Reading a client's pain threshold and nerves through a long session and adjusting the pace
- Managing your own bookings, deposits and late cancellations while renting a chair as a sole trader
What skills do tattoo artists need?
Employers look for visual design, creative software production, infection control and hygiene, backed by Tattoo machines (coil and rotary) fluency and strong attention to detail.
Specialist skills
- Visual design
- Creative software production
- Infection control and hygiene
- Craft and handmade production
Software and tools
- Tattoo machines (coil and rotary)
- Autoclave steriliser
- Design software (Adobe Illustrator, Procreate)
- Stencil paper and thermal printer
- Inks and pigment supplies
General skills
- Attention to detail
- Client relationships and advisory
- Written communication
- Problem solving
Is the job growing?
About 3,700 people work as tattoo artists in Australia, and employment is projected to grow 11.5% over the decade to 2035. That's healthy, above-average growth, and the role should stay in solid demand.
How do you become a tattoo artist?
Here's the path most tattoo artists take, step by step.
- 1Build a portfolio of original drawing
Studios judge you on what you can draw, so keep a book of finished designs across a few styles rather than a folder of copied flash art.
- 2Find an apprenticeship in a licensed studio
This is the usual way in, and it takes a few years, often starting with cleaning, setting up stations and watching before you touch a machine. Placements are competitive and low paid while you learn.
- 3Complete infection control and skin penetration training
Most states and territories require an approved course covering bloodborne pathogens, sterilisation and safe needle handling before you work on clients.
- 4Register with your local council or health authority
Requirements vary by state and premises are usually inspected, so check what applies where you plan to work rather than assuming one rule covers the whole country.
Ready to apply as a tattoo artist?
Whether you're working toward becoming a tattoo artist or already are one and want a hand with the next step (sharpening your resume for ATS screening, tightening your cover letter, or knowing what you'll actually be asked at interview), here are examples grounded in this specific role, not generic templates.
What jobs can a tattoo artist move to?
Moving into Textile Designer typically comes with the biggest pay rise, worth $28,600 a year more on average.
| Move to | Typical pay change | Overlap | Retraining |
|---|---|---|---|
| Textile Designer Tattoo artists bring drawing, colour and motif design to textile work, but textile design requires a diploma in design and materials. | +$28,600 | 63% | reskill |
| Jeweller Tattoo artists bring fine motor skill, design and tool work to jewellery, but becoming a jeweller requires an apprenticeship. | +$10,400 | 81% | requalify |
| Fashion Designer Tattoo artists bring illustration, body contour and client briefs to fashion design, though fashion training in garments and patterns is needed. | +$10,100 | 31% | reskill |
| Body Piercer Tattoo artists bring sterile technique, needle handling and client care to body piercing, though piercing certification and anatomy study are required. | +$2,600 | 19% | reskill |
| Makeup Artist Tattoo artists bring cosmetic colour sense, client consultation and sterile practice to makeup work, but makeup artistry needs formal training. | +$0 | 26% | reskill |
Moves are chosen from Jobs and Skills Australia's Data on Occupation Mobility, which follows income tax records between 2011-12 and 2020-21, together with entry requirements and skill overlap. A known move is one people were seen making in that data. Pay change compares median full-time pay for the two roles.
Who works as a tattoo artist?
The typical tattoo artist is 32 years old; 51% are men, 49% work full-time, and full-timers average 42 hours a week.
- 32
- Median age
- 49%
- Female share
- 49%
- Full-time
- +2h
- vs all-jobs avg
What's it like being a tattoo artist?
The working week runs late, with studios often opening around midday and staying busy into evenings and weekends when clients are free. A session is physically quiet work: hours of close focus in one position, with the client's comfort and nerve in your hands. It suits people who draw constantly, work steadily without much company, and can stay calm while someone else is uncomfortable.
What people like
- Drawing is most of the job. Designing for clients, reworking an idea into something that will sit well on a particular body, takes up a real share of the week.
- Your style brings people back. Regulars and referrals build around the way you draw, so the book fills on your own terms over time.
- You set your own hours. Outside a studio's opening times you decide how many sessions to take and when, though evenings and weekends are when most clients are available.
- The work outlasts the session. A piece you tattooed a decade ago is still on someone's arm, which is a different kind of feedback from a canvas.
What people find hard
- No paid leave. As a sole trader you do not get sick pay or holiday pay, and a cancelled session is income you never earn back.
- The physical toll. Long sessions are hard on the back, neck and wrists, and you hold close to the same position for hours at a time.
- A slow, poorly paid start. Apprenticeships are hard to get and low paid while you learn, and it can take years to build a reliable clientele.
- Difficult encounters. Cover-ups, clients who squirm or faint, and people who want a design you think will age badly all come with the job.
Based on our synthesis of professional-body surveys and public accounts of the role, not first-person verified reviews.
Which industries employ tattoo artists?
Other Services employs the largest share of tattoo artists.
Top employing industries
- 1Other Services
Ranked by employment share; the source doesn't publish an exact percentage per industry.
| Year 12 or below | 44.8% | |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate III/IV | 23% | |
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | 13.7% | |
| Bachelor degree | 11.1% | |
| Postgraduate | 1.3% |
Will AI replace tattoo artists?
AI reaches the edges of this job rather than the centre of it. Image generators are useful for concepts and reference, and software handles bookings and deposits, but the tattooing is physical, permanent and done on living skin, which keeps exposure low. Clients pay for the artist's hand, style and hygiene discipline, and none of that transfers to a model.
Share of typical working time by exposure level
- Applying the tattooRunning the machine, judging depth and packing colour evenly stays entirely manual.45%low
- Drawing custom designsImage tools speed up rough concepts and reference, but clients book you for a design they can trace to your hand and your style.20%moderate
- Setting up and sterilising the stationAutoclaves and single-use supplies are standard, and the responsibility for a clean setup sits with the artist every time.20%low
- Bookings, deposits and client adminBooking systems and automated reminders already handle scheduling, deposit requests and no-show follow-ups.15%high
Common questions about becoming a tattoo artist
Straight answers to the questions people ask most.
How much do tattoo artists earn?
Full-time tattoo artists earn a median of $49,400 per year before tax. Many work as sole traders rather than employees, so income swings with bookings, and studio rent or commission comes off the top.
How do you become a tattoo artist?
The usual route is an apprenticeship in a licensed studio, which often starts with cleaning and preparing stations before you touch a machine. You also need skin penetration and infection control training, plus whatever registration your state or council requires. A portfolio of original drawing is what gets you considered.
Are tattoo artists in demand?
Tattoo artists are currently not in shortage, and employment is projected to grow 11.5% over the decade to 2035. Demand follows local population and fashion rather than advertised vacancies, so most work comes from building a clientele and a waiting list where you live.
Will AI replace tattoo artists?
Not the tattooing itself, which is hands-on, permanent and done on living skin. Image generators are useful for rough concepts and reference, and booking software handles scheduling and reminders, so the admin side of the job is more exposed than the art.
What can tattoo artists move into?
Jewellery is a common move, since the fine motor work and design sense overlap closely, though it takes an apprenticeship; jewellers earn $10,400 more. Textile design suits those who want to work with pattern and colour at scale ($28,600 more), and body piercing draws on the same sterile technique ($2,600 more). Many artists stay in tattooing and open their own studio, which is often where earnings grow.
Do you need a licence to tattoo in Australia?
Rules vary by state and territory, so check what applies where you plan to work. Most places require skin penetration or infection control training and a registered, inspected premises, and some require individual registration as well.
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