If you are thinking of becoming a tattoo artist or starting your own tattoo studio, the first question is usually simple: how much could I actually earn? The honest answer depends on whether you are employed or running your own business, and if you run your own business, on your prices, how busy you are and how well you control your costs.
This guide separates any published employee-pay benchmark from business-owner income and shows you how to estimate your own take-home figure.
Is there a standard tattoo artist salary in the UK?
The National Careers Service lists the salary for tattooists and body piercers as variable, because most are self-employed, paid by commission or renting space. Earnings depend on hourly or day rates, how full the diary is, and the split with the studio.
Self-employed earnings: turnover is not take-home pay
When you run your own tattoo studio, there is no salary scale. You earn what is left after every cost has been paid. That is why two businesses with the same turnover can leave their owners with very different incomes.
The costs that usually make the difference are:
- Studio rent or commission to the studio
- Needles, ink, gloves and barrier film
- Clinical waste collection
- Council registration and treatment insurance
- No-shows on long bookings
Most owners also underestimate the time they cannot charge for: quoting, admin, travel, buying supplies and chasing payments. That time still has to be paid for out of your prices.
A worked example (illustrative figures)
Imagine a small tattoo studio turning over £14,000 a month. After the direct costs of delivering the work, such as staff, materials, products or fuel, of £8,800, it makes a gross profit of £5,200 a month.
From that gross profit the owner still has to pay overheads such as insurance, phone, software, vehicle or premises costs, marketing and accountancy, and then Income Tax and National Insurance on what remains. If overheads came to £1,300 a month, the owner would have around £3,900 a month before tax.
These figures are an illustration only, not a forecast. Your own numbers will depend on your prices, your costs and how busy you are. The point is the method: turnover minus direct costs minus overheads is what pays you.
How tattoo artists increase their earnings
- Non-refundable deposits on every booking
- Minimum charges for small work
- Jewellery and aftercare sales
- Raising rates as the waiting list grows
Each of these either raises the price you get per session, increases the number of sessions you can handle, or cuts a cost. Tracking your figures monthly shows you which is working.
The numbers that decide your income
Three figures do most of the work in deciding what you take home from a tattoo studio:
Sessions done. Your volume. You calculate it as: sessions in the month.
Average price per session. Rises with day sessions and custom work. You calculate it as: revenue ÷ sessions.
Supplies cost % of sales. Catches waste and underpriced small pieces. You calculate it as: supplies ÷ revenue.
Track these monthly. When take-home pay falls, one of them has almost always moved first. Our guide to tattoo & piercing studio business KPIs covers the full set.
How tattoo artists usually charge
Most tattoo artists use hourly, half-day and full-day rates with minimum charges, plus per-piercing prices and jewellery. Whatever structure you choose, base your prices on your real costs and the income you need, not just on what competitors charge. A competitor with lower overheads can charge less and still make money; you may not be able to.
How to work out what you would earn
1. Estimate your monthly sessions realistically, allowing for quiet periods. 2. Multiply by your average price to get monthly turnover. 3. Subtract direct costs such as materials, products, staff and fuel. 4. Subtract overheads such as insurance, rent, vehicle, software and marketing. 5. Set aside tax and National Insurance on the profit, and VAT if you are registered.
What is left is your take-home pay. If it is not enough, the answer is usually price, volume or cost, in that order.
A practical owner-income check
Count paid appointment hours rather than simply counting bookings. Deposits, cancellations, drawing and preparation time, sterilisation, cleaning and consultations all affect the time available for billable work. If artists rent a chair or split takings, keep the studio’s retained share separate from artists’ gross receipts. Compare the contribution from each service with rent, consumables and compliance costs, and review the effect of no-shows before changing prices.
Run the numbers on your own business
The **Tattoo & Piercing Studio Management System** tracks every session, cost, invoice and VAT return, and works out your profit, margin and key figures automatically on a one-page dashboard. It costs £15 once, with no subscription. For the full start-up walkthrough, read our guide on how to start a tattoo studio.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a tattoo artist earn a year in the UK? The National Careers Service lists the salary for tattooists and body piercers as variable, because most are self-employed, paid by commission or renting space. Earnings depend on hourly or day rates, how full the diary is, and the split with the studio.
Do self-employed tattoo artists earn more than employed staff? They can, but not always. Self-employed owners keep the profit but also carry every cost and quiet week. Turnover figures can look high until costs are subtracted.
Is a tattoo studio worth starting? It can be, if your prices cover every cost and leave enough for you. The owners who do best usually focus on a few things, such as non-refundable deposits on every booking and minimum charges for small work.
What is the biggest cost for a tattoo studio? It varies, but the list above covers the usual pressure points. Tracking costs as a percentage of revenue each month shows which one is growing.
How can I check whether my prices are high enough? Work out your monthly overheads and the income you need, then check that your average price per session covers your direct costs and leaves enough to pay both.