Thursday, June 27, 2019

National Average: Costs of Tattoos


Tattoo Pricing: National Averages

The national average for tattoos is $150 per hour. One of the first things many clients ask us is how much their idea is going to cost them. There are many factors that determine time. Such as size, placement, color vs. black and grey, amount of detail. It’s almost like asking how much a house is. Factors like location, size, or if it’s been newly remodeled. At this point in time a reputable artist will charge by the hour.

Averages:

Solo Tattoo Artist (3-5 yrs)      $120-$150 per hour
Established Artist (5-10 yrs)    $150-$180 per hour
Teaching Artist (10+ yrs)         $150-$220 per hour
Popular Artist                           $180+

The rate that an artist charges depends on a number of variables as well. Such as years of experience, time to do a certain style and volume of detail that goes into the tattoo, many artists base their rate on their ability and quality.

It’s important to research your artist. Find out how long they’ve been tattooing and see a large variety of their work to see if their style will fit with your idea. This is a much better way than trying to price shop from one studio to the next.

Often you will get what you pay for. Good tattoos take time and money, and cheap tattoos just aren’t good. Usually if an artist is charging under $150 and can get you in right away it shows inexperience and neediness for clients. Be aware of this as the results could be damaging.

-LBT