Tattoo industry growth is not just happening in studios. The global tattoo removal market is projected to grow at a 16.2% CAGR from 2025 to 2032, while tattoo accessories are forecast to expand at 7.60% through 2034, which captures a business shaped as much by regret, aftercare, and safety questions as by demand for new ink.
These tattoo industry statistics pull together that tension, from wage data for U.S. artists and the size of the numbing cream market to newer findings on skin reactions, MRI burns, and what tattooed people actually hide, keep, or wish they had never gotten.
Key Takeaways
- 7.60% CAGR is forecast for the global tattoo accessories market from 2024 to 2034
- 6.8% CAGR is projected for the tattoo aftercare products market from 2024 to 2034
- 16.2% CAGR is projected for the global tattoo removal market from 2025 to 2032
- 16,130 tattoo artists were employed in the United States in May 2024
- $37.39 was the mean hourly wage for tattoo artists in Washington state in May 2024
- $35.69 was the mean hourly wage for tattoo artists in Oregon in May 2024
- 90.7% of black inks in an Italian 2024 study contained polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons above the Council of Europe recommended maximum level
- 1.1% of surveyed tattooed individuals experienced a burn sensation during MRI in a 2024 systematic review
- 38% of tattooed Americans say at least one of their tattoos is hidden by clothing in 2023
- 17% of tattooed respondents reported an acute tattoo-related skin problem in a 2023 U.S. survey
- 6% of participants reported persistent pain 6 months after tattooing in a 2023 Danish study
- 76% of tattooed participants reported an itch lasting longer than 1 week in a 2023 Danish cohort study
- 24% of tattooed Americans regret one or more of their tattoos in 2023
- 3 in 10 U.S. adults have a tattoo in 2023
- 5% of tattooed Australians say they got a tattoo because of social influence in 2023
Tattoo industry growth is surging, while regret, health risks, and removal demand remain notable.
Related reading
01 · Category
Market Size9 stats
01
7.60% CAGR is forecast for the global tattoo accessories market from 2024 to 2034https://www.precedenceresearch.com/
02
6.8% CAGR is projected for the tattoo aftercare products market from 2024 to 2034https://www.factmr.com/report/tattoo-aftercare-products-market
03
16.2% CAGR is projected for the global tattoo removal market from 2025 to 2032https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/tattoo-removal-market-103165
04
$307.09 million U.S. tattoo numbing cream market size is forecast for 2031https://www.verifiedmarketresearch.com/product/us-tattoo-numbing-cream-market/
05
14.0% CAGR is projected for the global tattoo removal market from 2023 to 2028https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/report-search-page.asp?rpt=tattoo-removal-market
06
2.7% annualized growth was projected for the U.S. tattoo artists market over the five years through 2025 by IBISWorldhttps://www.ibisworld.com/united-states/industry/tattoo-artists/4404/
07
USD 1.68 billion North America tattoo accessories market size was estimated in 2023https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/tattoo-accessories-market-report
08
46.0 million Americans have at least one tattoo in 2023 according to FDAhttps://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/think-you-ink-tattoo-safety
09
15 months was the additional transition period granted for Pigment Blue 15:3 and Pigment Green 7 before restrictions applied in January 2023https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/cosmetics/reach-restriction-substances-tattoo-inks-and-permanent-make_en
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
Market size trends in the tattoo industry point to strongest expansion in removal services, with the global tattoo removal market projected to grow as fast as 16.2% annually through 2032, far outpacing the steadier single digit growth expected in accessories, aftercare, and tattoo artist services.
02 · Category
Employment Metrics5 stats
01
16,130 tattoo artists were employed in the United States in May 2024https://www.onetonline.org/link/localwages/27-1013.00?st=US
02
$37.39was the mean hourly wage for tattoo artists in Washington state in May 2024https://www.onetonline.org/link/localwages/27-1013.00?st=WA
03
$35.69was the mean hourly wage for tattoo artists in Oregon in May 2024https://www.onetonline.org/link/localwages/27-1013.00?st=OR
04
$33.69was the mean hourly wage for tattoo artists in Alaska in May 2024https://www.onetonline.org/link/localwages/27-1013.00?st=AK
05
4,670 tattoo artists were employed in California in May 2024https://www.onetonline.org/link/localwages/27-1013.00?st=CA
Interpretation
Employment Metrics Interpretation
Employment in the tattoo industry remains substantial with 16,130 artists working nationwide in May 2024, and the strongest pay levels were concentrated in the Pacific Northwest where Washington led at $37.39 an hour.
03 · Category
Overview5 stats
01
90.7% of black inks in an Italian 2024 study contained polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons above the Council of Europe recommended maximum levelhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11315038/
02
1.1% of surveyed tattooed individuals experienced a burn sensation during MRI in a 2024 systematic reviewhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11392811/
03
38% of tattooed Americans say at least one of their tattoos is hidden by clothing in 2023https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/08/15/32-of-americans-have-a-tattoo-including-22-who-have-more-than-one/
04
$17.81was the 10th percentile hourly wage for tattooists in the United States in 2023https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm
05
20% of registered tattooists and body piercers in England were located in London in 2023https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/registered-tattooing-and-piercing-premises-and-persons-in-england-2023/registered-tattooing-and-piercing-premises-and-persons-in-england-2023
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
The tattoo industry’s broad reach is clear in 2023, with London alone accounting for 20% of England’s registered tattooists and body piercers, underscoring how concentrated and economically significant the sector has become.
04 · Category
Health & Safety7 stats
01
17% of tattooed respondents reported an acute tattoo-related skin problem in a 2023 U.S. surveyhttps://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(24)00017-0/fulltext
02
6% of participants reported persistent pain 6 months after tattooing in a 2023 Danish studyhttps://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/6/e071124
03
76% of tattooed participants reported an itch lasting longer than 1 week in a 2023 Danish cohort studyhttps://idp.springer.com/transit?redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Flink.springer.com%2Farticle%2F10.1186%2Fs12889-023-16672-x&code=db6418f3-56db-47ac-8f5a-76ce5085c003
04
6% of tattooed participants reported infection in a 2023 Danish cohort studyhttps://idp.springer.com/authorize?response_type=cookie&client_id=springerlink&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Flink.springer.com%2Farticle%2F10.1186%2Fs12889-023-16672-x
05
33% of tattooed participants reported swelling in a 2023 Danish cohort studyhttps://idp.springer.com/transit?redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Flink.springer.com%2Farticle%2F10.1186%2Fs12889-023-16672-x&code=d127d9b7-1a19-4262-9e21-1337a37bf994
06
21% of tattooed participants reported severe itch in a 2023 Danish cohort studyhttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-023-16672-x?error=cookies_not_supported&code=ca7999b8-af4e-49a2-9d24-7fee9599e506
07
January 4, 2022 was the date EU restrictions on thousands of hazardous chemicals in tattoo inks first became applicablehttps://echa.europa.eu/hot-topics/tattoo-inks
Interpretation
Health & Safety Interpretation
Tattoo health and safety concerns are far from rare, with 76% of participants in a 2023 Danish study reporting itch lasting more than a week and notable shares also experiencing swelling, infection, or even persistent pain months later.
More related reading
05 · Category
Consumer Adoption2 stats
01
24% of tattooed Americans regret one or more of their tattoos in 2023https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/news-polls/one-third-americans-have-tattoos
02
3 in 10 U.S. adults have a tattoo in 2023https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-products/tattoos-permanent-makeup-fact-sheet
Interpretation
Consumer Adoption Interpretation
Consumer adoption of tattoos is firmly mainstream with 3 in 10 U.S. adults now tattooed, even though 24% of tattooed Americans say they regret at least one tattoo.
06 · Category
Consumer Sentiment2 stats
01
5% of tattooed Australians say they got a tattoo because of social influence in 2023https://mccrindle.com.au/article/topic/consumer-insights/australias-relationship-with-tattoos/
02
11% of tattooed Britons regret at least one tattoo in 2022https://yougov.co.uk/society/articles/43839-one-five-brits-has-tattoo
Interpretation
Consumer Sentiment Interpretation
Consumer sentiment around tattoos appears largely self directed rather than socially driven, with just 5% of tattooed Australians citing social influence while 11% of tattooed Britons say they regret at least one tattoo.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Megan Gallagher. (2026, July 9). Tattoo Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/tattoo-industry-statistics
MLA
Megan Gallagher. "Tattoo Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 9 Jul 2026, https://gitnux.org/tattoo-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Megan Gallagher. 2026. "Tattoo Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/tattoo-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
30 datasets cited across this report
+7 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)