Tattoo Artists

Tattoo shops typically are not 9-to-5 businesses. Many open around 11:00 a.m. or 12:00 p.m. and remain open until late evening. A complex tattoo may take five or six hours to finish, or the work may be spread over multiple days.

Working as a tattoo artist is physically demanding. Artists must sit in a hunched-over and static position for hours as they work. Common physical ailments for tattoo artists include sore backs, tendonitis in the arms, and carpal tunnel syndrome (which causes tingling, numbness, and pain in the hand and forearm).

Tattoo artists may be exposed to bloodborne pathogens, such as hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, or human immunodeficiency virus, which can cause severe illness and even death. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health says that “artists can be exposed to a bloodborne virus during the set-up, procedure, break down, and clean-up stages. These exposures can occur through needlesticks, contact with dried blood on equipment or surfaces, or blood splashes in the eyes, nose, or mouth.” The risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens makes it vital that tattoo artists maintain a clean shop and regularly sterilize equipment (by using an autoclave) and shop areas.

The majority of tattoo artists enjoy their careers. In fact, 84 percent of tattoo artists surveyed by PayScale.com in 2022 reported being “highly satisfied” with their occupational choice.