Ed Hardy is the highest-paid tattoo artist in the world, with a reported rate of $1,500 an hour and a net worth reported at about $250 million as of October 2026. This list of 15 ranks the best-known tattoo artists by the hourly rates they have been reported to charge, from $1,500 down to $100. If you want to know who is worth the price before you book a first tattoo, start here.
| Rank | Name | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ed Hardy | $1,500 per hour |
| 2 | Scott Campbell | $1,000 per hour (first session) |
| 3 | Ami James | $500 per hour |
| 4 | Anil Gupta | $450 per hour |
| 5 | Bang Bang | $400 per hour |
| 6 | Paul Booth | $300 per hour |
| 7 | Kat Von D | $200 per hour |
| 8 | Stephanie Tamez | $200 per hour |
| 9 | Brandon Bond | $200 per hour |
| 10 | Keith Underwood | $200 per hour |
| 11 | Nikko Hurtado | $150 per hour |
| 12 | Dave Tedder | $150 per hour |
| 13 | Bob Tyrrell | $150 per hour |
| 14 | Mike Rubendall | $125 per hour |
| 15 | Oliver Peck | $100 per hour |
Like other celebrity services, tattoo rates vary and tend to rise. For more on paid appearances, see our guide to the most expensive celebrities to hire, and our list of the highest-paid DJs.
1. Ed Hardy: $1,500 per hour
Don Ed Hardy is the one artist here who made more from licensing than from needles. Born in 1945, he studied printmaking at the San Francisco Art Institute and then learned tattooing in Japan from the master Horihide. That mix of Japanese technique and American flash defined his look.
The Ed Hardy clothing label, licensed in the 2000s, put his art on shirts, hats and perfumes worldwide. He has since stepped back from regular tattooing, and his old shop, Tattoo City in San Francisco, is run by his son Doug.
Our reasoning for his rank is the licensing stream: reported royalties on the clothing line outweigh anything he could bill by the hour.
2. Scott Campbell: $1,000 per hour (first session)
Campbell reportedly charged $1,000 for a first session and $200 an hour after that. He owns Saved Tattoo in Brooklyn, where Stephanie Tamez also works, and is known for typography and antique ornament.
He has also built a fine-art career with solo shows, and his past clients include Sting, Robert Downey Jr. and Orlando Bloom.
We kept him second because the first-session fee is the highest reported number after Hardy’s.
3. Ami James: $500 per hour
James became the face of tattoo television with Miami Ink and NY Ink. He first got a tattoo at 15 and started his apprenticeship soon after.
The shows put his shops, Love Hate Tattoos in Miami and Wooster Street Social Club in New York, on the map, and he added a clothing line and jewellery.
The rate is the reported figure for a session at his shops, so expect it to be higher for a custom piece.
4. Anil Gupta: $450 per hour
Gupta spent years as a tattoo artist without a single tattoo of his own, which is rare in the trade. He was eventually talked into a few small ones on his back by friends in the business.
He is known for realistic portraits and for tribal-inspired patterns, and runs Inkline Studio in Manhattan.
We counted his rate as reported, and the studio keeps limited hours, which pushes his effective price up.
5. Bang Bang: $400 per hour
Keith McCurdy, who goes by Bang Bang, runs a New York studio of the same name. His website says he has tattooed Rihanna, LeBron James, Cara Delevingne and Justin Bieber, in places as odd as a plane at 30,000 feet.
Styles range from soft shading to bold colour.
His fee as reported is $400 an hour, and clients usually book a couple of months ahead.
6. Paul Booth: $300 per hour
Booth built his name on horror and gothic work, much of it freehand, for metal bands such as Slipknot, Pantera and Sepultura. He runs the Last Rites gallery and studio in New York.
A booking with him has been known to take up to two years.
The $300 rate is the reported figure, and the waiting time is part of the price.
7. Kat Von D: $200 per hour
Katherine Von Drachenberg became a household name through Miami Ink and her own series LA Ink, which was filmed at her shop, High Voltage Tattoo, in Los Angeles. She also wrote books, recorded music and launched a cosmetics line.
Her tattoo rate is reported at about $200 an hour, with complicated pieces billed higher.
We placed her here by rate alone. Her television and product income would push the picture higher.
8. Stephanie Tamez: $200 per hour
Tamez started as a graphic designer, and typography is her signature in tattoos. She worked at Adorned in New York, then became co-owner of Saved Tattoo in 2012.
She also teaches tattoo design at the School of Visual Arts in New York.
Her rate is reported at about $200 an hour.
9. Brandon Bond: $200 per hour
Bond picked up a tattoo machine while still in college and now runs All or Nothing Tattoo and Arts Studio in Atlanta. He owns several other shops in the area.
Bond tattoos quickly and sets a two-hour minimum, so a first visit costs about $400.
The $200 figure is the reported hourly rate, and the minimum applies.
10. Keith Underwood: $200 per hour
Underwood learned from the late Mike Malone, who in turn trained under Sailor Jerry. His style is the classic American street shop look, and he works out of ATX Tattoo in Austin, Texas.
Before that he ran a shop in Chicago and travelled with Oliver Peck on the Warped Tour, tattooing band members. He also co-owns a record label.
We kept the reported $200 hourly rate.
11. Nikko Hurtado: $150 per hour
Hurtado specialises in colour portraits and has been featured on Ink Master, Tattoo Wars and LA Ink. His clients have included Jesse James, Fred Durst and Drake, and a piece of his sits on Kat Von D’s body.
He leads the Black Anchor Collective in California and sells products through his website.
His reported rate is $150 an hour.
12. Dave Tedder: $150 per hour
Tedder began as a piercer in South Carolina before moving to Florida to learn tattooing at Bulldog Tattoo. He now works at Memorial Tattoo in Atlanta.
He is known for bold, traditional designs.
We used his reported $150 rate.
13. Bob Tyrrell: $150 per hour
Tyrrell is known for black and gray portraits so lifelike that clients bring photos of loved ones. His most-cited piece is a back tattoo on Kid Rock.
He started tattooing in his thirties and now runs his own shop, Bob Tyrrell’s Night Gallery, in Detroit.
The rate is $150 an hour, as reported.
14. Mike Rubendall: $125 per hour
Rubendall mixes Japanese motifs such as koi and cherry blossom with dark neo-traditional designs. King Avenue Tattoo in Columbus, Ohio, is his base, and his schedule has been booked a year ahead.
Many customers travel for him.
His reported hourly rate is $125.
15. Oliver Peck: $100 per hour
Peck tattooed his first client at 19 and is known for old-school, bold-colour work. His chair is at Elm Street Tattoo in Dallas, and he has been a judge on Ink Master.
He reportedly set a record in 2008 by completing 415 tattoos in 24 hours.
His reported rate of $100 an hour is the lowest on this list.
FAQ
Who is the highest-paid tattoo artist?
Ed Hardy, with a reported rate of $1,500 an hour. His net worth is reported at about $250 million, mostly from licensing.
How much does a top tattoo artist charge?
The artists here are reported to charge between $100 and $1,500 an hour. Many require deposits and long waits.
Is the cheapest artist on the list worse?
No. Rates reflect demand and waiting lists as much as skill. Peck, at $100 an hour, is a record holder and a TV judge.
Which artists are known from TV?
Ami James, Kat Von D, Nikko Hurtado and Oliver Peck have all appeared on tattoo television shows.
Are these rates current?
They are the most recent figures we found, and top artists often raise prices. Check directly before booking.
Who should I pick for a first tattoo?
Pick the artist whose style matches your design and who is happy to explain the process. A famous name is not required.
How we estimate net worth
Our estimates are based on public reporting, company valuations, and deal and earnings figures all compiled in an internal valuation model. They are approximate, and figures change over time as new information emerges.
For this list we leaned on reported hourly and first-session rates, studio ownership, and licensing and television income. Rates change often, so treat them as a guide rather than a quote.
Last updated: October 2026.
