Tattoo artist demographics and statistics in the US
Tattoo artist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates tattoo artist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our tattoo artist estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about tattoo artists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 6,382 tattoo artists currently employed in the United States.
- 25.0% of all tattoo artists are women, while 75.0% are men.
- The average tattoo artist age is 42 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of tattoo artists is White (57.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (20.0%), Black or African American (9.3%) and Unknown (6.4%).
- In 2022, women earned 97% of what men earned.
- 6% of all tattoo artists are LGBT.
- Tattoo artists are 91% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Tattoo artist demographics by:
Tattoo artist gender statistics
25.0% of tattoo artists are women and 75.0% of tattoo artists are men.
- Male, 75.0%
- Female, 25.0%
Tattoo artist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 75.0% |
| Female | 25.0% |
Tattoo artist gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$53,257
Female income
$51,921
Tattoo artist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in tattoo artist positions over time. Currently, 25.0% of tattoo artists are female.
Tattoo artist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 85.84% | 14.16% |
| 2011 | 87.88% | 12.12% |
| 2012 | 87.30% | 12.70% |
| 2013 | 87.03% | 12.97% |
| 2014 | 86.49% | 13.51% |
| 2015 | 74.27% | 25.73% |
| 2016 | 76.49% | 23.51% |
| 2017 | 75.82% | 24.18% |
| 2018 | 75.73% | 24.27% |
| 2019 | 77.60% | 22.40% |
| 2020 | 79.03% | 20.97% |
| 2021 | 75.04% | 24.96% |
Tattoo artist related jobs gender ratio
We compared tattoo artists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, camp boss and valet have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Infant Childcare Provider | 3% | 97% |
| Daycare Owner | 4% | 96% |
| Professional Nanny | 5% | 95% |
| Tattoo Artist | 75% | 25% |
| Intramural Director | 82% | 18% |
| Valet | 85% | 15% |
| Camp Boss | 88% | 12% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Tattoo artist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among tattoo artists is White, which makes up 57.4% of all tattoo artists. Comparatively, 20.0% of tattoo artists are Hispanic or Latino and 9.3% of tattoo artists are Black or African American.
- White, 57.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 20.0%
- Black or African American, 9.3%
- Unknown, 6.4%
- Asian, 5.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
Tattoo artist race
| Tattoo artist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 57.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20.0% |
| Black or African American | 9.3% |
| Unknown | 6.4% |
| Asian | 5.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
Tattoo artist race and ethnicity over time
See how tattoo artist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Tattoo artist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 63.31% | 9.18% | 5.38% | 18.56% |
| 2011 | 62.84% | 7.31% | 4.63% | 20.18% |
| 2012 | 59.28% | 9.34% | 4.61% | 22.30% |
| 2013 | 60.47% | 9.51% | 4.85% | 21.71% |
| 2014 | 62.40% | 10.45% | 4.79% | 19.00% |
| 2015 | 59.09% | 12.57% | 4.94% | 19.47% |
| 2016 | 61.53% | 9.49% | 5.62% | 19.47% |
| 2017 | 61.16% | 8.83% | 5.60% | 19.74% |
| 2018 | 58.69% | 11.49% | 5.42% | 20.55% |
| 2019 | 58.98% | 10.02% | 6.11% | 21.38% |
| 2020 | 60.51% | 9.67% | 5.23% | 19.38% |
| 2021 | 57.40% | 9.31% | 5.86% | 20.02% |
Tattoo artist wage gap by race
According to our data, white tattoo artists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american tattoo artists have the lowest average salary at $47,929.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $54,179 |
| White | $57,183 |
| Black or African American | $47,929 |
| Asian | $51,745 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $55,761 |
Average tattoo artist age
See how the average age of tattoo artists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Tattoo artist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 41 | 38 |
| White | 43.5 | 42 |
| Black or African American | 46 | 42 |
| Asian | 41.5 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 35 | 34 |
Tattoo artist age breakdown
The average age of tattoo artists is 40+ years years old, representing 52% of the tattoo artist population.
Tattoo artist age breakdown
| Tattoo Artist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 52% |
| 30-40 years | 25% |
| 20-30 years | 22% |
Tattoo artist educational attainment
The most common degree for tattoo artists is high school diploma, with 39% of tattoo artists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 23% and bachelor's degree degree at 20%.
- High School Diploma, 39%
- Bachelor's, 23%
- Associate, 20%
- Diploma, 14%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Tattoo artists by degree level
| Tattoo artist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 39% |
| Bachelor's | 23% |
| Associate | 20% |
| Diploma | 14% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Tattoo artist jobs you might like
Tattoo artist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, tattoo artists with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $62,566 annually. With a Associate degree, tattoo artists earn a median annual income of $50,858 compared to $47,338 for tattoo artists with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $47,338 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $62,566 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $50,858 |
Tattoo artist employment statistics
Most tattoo artists work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where tattoo artists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where tattoo artists work.
Tattoo artist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 19% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 32% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 35% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 2% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 7% |
| > 10,000 employees | 5% |
Tattoo artist jobs by company type
Employees with the tattoo artist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most tattoo artists prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Tattoo artist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 4% |
| Public | 5% |
| Private | 91% |
Tattoo artist jobs by industry
The most common industries for tattoo artists are manufacturing, media and hospitality.
Tattoo artist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 22% |
| Media | 15% |
| Start-up | 10% |
| Hospitality | 10% |
| Technology | 10% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Real Estate | 5% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Internet | 3% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Education | 3% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
Tattoo artist turnover and employment statistics
Tattoo artist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for tattoo artists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Tattoo artist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Tattoo artist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 10.30% |
| 2011 | 9.67% |
| 2012 | 9.93% |
| 2013 | 9.00% |
| 2014 | 9.06% |
| 2015 | 6.16% |
| 2016 | 6.01% |
| 2017 | 6.24% |
| 2018 | 5.94% |
| 2019 | 5.11% |
| 2020 | 9.61% |
| 2021 | 10.60% |
Average tattoo artist tenure
The average tattoo artist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,498 tattoo artists resumes in Zippia's database.
Tattoo artist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 17% |
| 1-2 years | 26% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 17% |
Tattoo artist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of tattoo artists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Playground Attendant | 4.43% | 44,594 |
| Tattoo Artist | 5.80% | - |
| Senior Caregiver | 6.73% | 67,227 |
| Activities Counselor | 8.12% | 31,248 |
| House Parent | 12.72% | 25,144 |
| Group Fitness Instructor | 13.13% | 38,457 |
Similar tattoo artist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Playground Attendant | 4.43% | 44,594 |
| Senior Caregiver | 6.73% | 67,227 |
| Activities Counselor | 8.12% | 31,248 |
| House Parent | 12.72% | 25,144 |
| Group Fitness Instructor | 13.13% | 38,457 |
Foreign languages spoken by tattoo artists
The most common foreign language among tattoo artists is Spanish at 64.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Portuguese at 5.4% and German is the third-most popular at 4.1%.
- Spanish, 64.9%
- Portuguese, 5.4%
- German, 4.1%
- French, 2.7%
- Greek, 2.7%
- Other, 20.2%
Tattoo artist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 64.9% |
| Portuguese | 5.4% |
| German | 4.1% |
| French | 2.7% |
| Greek | 2.7% |
| Other | 20.2% |
