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Tattoo Artist Jobs in Raleigh, NC (NOW HIRING)

Senior Technical Artist

Cary, NC ยท On-site

$117K - $140K/yr

ART What We Do Push your artistic talent to the limit on a team of world-class environment, character and concept artists who strive to innovate and inspire. What You'll Do Epic is looking for a ...

Senior Technical Artist

Cary, NC ยท On-site

$117K - $140K/yr

ART What We Do Push your artistic talent to the limit on a team of world-class environment, character and concept artists who strive to innovate and inspire. What You'll Do Epic is looking for a ...

Senior Environment Artist

Cary, NC ยท On-site

$117K - $140K/yr

ART What We Do Push your artistic talent to the limit on a team of world-class environment, character and concept artists who strive to innovate and inspire. What You'll Do Epic Games is looking for ...

Principal Technical VFX Artist

Cary, NC ยท On-site

$117K - $140K/yr

ART What We Do Push your artistic talent to the limit on a team of world-class environment, character and concept artists who strive to innovate and inspire. What You'll Do Epic is looking for a ...

Founded in 2017 by Anthony and Joe Russo, AGBO is an artist-led independent studio shaping the future of film and television. The Russo Brothers and AGBO have generated more than $7 billion at the ...

Founded in 2017 by Anthony and Joe Russo, AGBO is an artist-led independent studio shaping the future of film and television. The Russo Brothers and AGBO have generated more than $7 billion at the ...

Founded in 2017 by Anthony and Joe Russo, AGBO is an artist-led independent studio shaping the future of film and television. The Russo Brothers and AGBO have generated more than $7 billion at the ...

GENERAL SUMMARY & SCOPE The Specialty Artist - MAC is responsible for maximizing sales in the MAC brand (including color cosmetics, skincare, and fragrance) by engaging guests to determine their ...

GENERAL SUMMARY & SCOPE The Specialty Artist - MAC is responsible for maximizing sales in the MAC brand (including color cosmetics, skincare, and fragrance) by engaging guests to determine their ...

Tattoo Artist information

See Raleigh, NC salary details

$12

$45

$168

How much do tattoo artist jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 24, 2026, the average hourly pay for tattoo artist in Raleigh, NC is $45.36, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $18.46 and $33.94 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a tattoo artist?

Tattoo artists are skilled professionals who use specialized equipment to create permanent designs and artwork on a person's skin by injecting ink into the dermal layer. They work closely with clients to design custom tattoos or replicate existing artwork, ensuring the client's vision is realized safely and artistically. Tattoo artists must follow strict hygiene and safety protocols, often including proper sterilization of tools and workspaces to prevent infection. Many tattoo artists work in licensed tattoo studios, and some may also offer services like piercing or tattoo removal. To become a tattoo artist, one typically completes an apprenticeship and must comply with local licensing requirements.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a tattoo artist, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Tattoo Artist, you need artistic ability, a steady hand, attention to detail, and usually completion of an apprenticeship or formal training in tattooing and safety procedures. Familiarity with tattoo machines, sterilization equipment, and adherence to local health and safety regulations or certifications is crucial. Excellent interpersonal skills, patience, and the ability to communicate effectively with clients help build trust and ensure client satisfaction. These skills and qualities are vital for creating high-quality, safe, and personalized tattoos while maintaining client safety and professional reputation.

What are some common challenges faced by tattoo artists when working with clients?

Tattoo artists often encounter challenges such as managing clients' expectations regarding design, size, and placement of tattoos. Effective communication is essential to ensure clients understand the limitations of certain designs on different skin types or body areas. Additionally, artists must handle varying pain tolerances and occasionally anxious clients while maintaining a sterile and safe environment. Building trust and providing clear aftercare instructions are also key aspects of delivering a positive experience.

What is the difference between Tattoo Artist vs Piercer?

AspectTattoo ArtistPiercer
CredentialsTypically requires apprenticeship, portfolio, and licensing where applicableRequires certification, training in sterilization, and licensing
Work EnvironmentTattoo studios, shops, or private studiosPiercing salons, tattoo shops, or specialized piercing studios
Industry UsageCommonly employed in tattoo parlors, art studiosFound in piercing studios, jewelry shops, tattoo shops
Search & Comparison IntentPeople compare tattoo artists with piercers for body art servicesPeople look into piercers for body jewelry placement and piercing services

While both tattoo artists and piercers work in body modification, tattoo artists focus on creating permanent body art through ink, whereas piercers specialize in body jewelry placement through piercing. Both roles require certifications, sterilization knowledge, and work in similar environments, often within tattoo or piercing studios.

Do tattoo artists make good money?

Tattoo artists' earnings vary based on experience, location, and reputation, with many earning an hourly rate or commission from their work. Skilled artists with a strong portfolio and client base can earn a competitive income, often supplemented by tips. Income potential increases with specialization, certifications, and a steady client flow.

How much would a tattoo artist get paid?

Tattoo artists' earnings vary based on experience, location, and whether they work as employees or independent contractors. On average, they earn between $20,000 and $80,000 annually, with experienced artists and those working in high-demand areas earning more. Many tattoo artists supplement income through tips and selling artwork or merchandise.

What other jobs can a tattoo artist do?

A tattoo artist can transition into related roles such as body piercer, tattoo shop manager, or art instructor, utilizing their skills in design, customer service, and hygiene. They may also work in graphic design, illustration, or branding, leveraging their artistic talents and knowledge of ink and skin. Certifications in health and safety can expand opportunities in the broader body modification or creative industries.

What are the most commonly searched types of Tattoo Artist jobs in Raleigh, NC?

The most popular types of Tattoo Artist jobs in Raleigh, NC are:

What are popular job titles related to Tattoo Artist jobs in Raleigh, NC?

For Tattoo Artist jobs in Raleigh, NC, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Tattoo Artist jobs in Raleigh, NC look for?

The top searched job categories for Tattoo Artist jobs in Raleigh, NC are:

What cities near Raleigh, NC are hiring for Tattoo Artist jobs?

Cities near Raleigh, NC with the most Tattoo Artist job openings:

Infographic showing various Tattoo Artist job openings in Raleigh, NC as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $94,347 per year, or $45.4 per hour.

Senior Technical Artist

Epic Games

Cary, NC โ€ข On-site

$117K - $140K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 22 hours ago


Job description

WHAT MAKES US EPIC?
At the core of Epic's success are talented, passionate people. Epic prides itself on creating a collaborative, welcoming, and creative environment. Whether it's building award-winning games or crafting engine technology that enables others to make visually stunning interactive experiences, we're always innovating.
Being Epic means being a part of a team that continually strives to do right by our community and users. We're constantly innovating to raise the bar of engine and game development.
ART
What We Do
Push your artistic talent to the limit on a team of world-class environment, character and concept artists who strive to innovate and inspire.
What You'll Do
Epic is looking for a Technical Artist with a strong focus on material creation to join the Fortnite team. In this role, you'll be responsible for building visually rich, performant materials for characters and character accessories, using Unreal Engine and industry-standard texturing tools to deliver a wide range of effects. While this position favors a materials specialist, the ideal candidate brings a generalist mindset and a solid understanding of the broader game art pipeline. You'll work closely with artists, engineers, and other tech artists to create scalable solutions that support Fortnite's visual style across many platforms.
In this role, you will
  • Create high-quality, game-ready materials for characters and other cosmetics
  • Build materials that leverage procedural textures and custom material logic to achieve distinctive visual effects
  • Generate textures and bake data using tools such as Substance Designer, Substance Painter, and Houdini
  • Develop reusable material frameworks and workflows that enable tech artists and artists of other disciplines to efficiently create unique assets
  • Collaborate with character artists, tech artists, and engineers to integrate materials with geometry, effects, and Blueprints
  • Optimize materials and textures to meet performance, memory, and scalability targets across multiple platforms
  • Contribute to improving Unreal Engine material pipelines and best practices
What we're looking for
  • A strong reel or portfolio demonstrating realtime game materials, ideally with character or cosmetic-focused examples
  • Advanced understanding of PBR workflows, real-time rendering constraints, and material authoring best practices
  • Proven experience creating complex materials using procedural textures and custom material behaviors
  • Hands-on experience with Substance Designer and Substance Painter for texture generation and asset authoring
  • Familiarity with the Unreal Engine 5 art and material pipeline
  • Experience developing content for multiple platforms
  • A solid understanding of modeling and texturing fundamentals within a real-time art pipeline, strong collaboration skills, and a desire to own features and initiatives from inception through ship
  • Bonus: Tools, scripting, or pipeline development experience for Unreal Engine, Substance Designer, and/or Substance Painter
  • Bonus: Experience in setting up or working with modern character art pipelines, building custom tools, templates, or automation to improve material and texture workflows
  • Bonus: Familiarity with Blueprints, Python, or similar scripting languages and experience in secondary areas such as modeling, lighting, or VFX
EPIC JOB + EPIC BENEFITS = EPIC LIFE
Our intent is to cover all things that are medically necessary and improve the quality of life. We pay 100% of the premiums for both you and your dependents. Our coverage includes Medical, Dental, a Vision HRA, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance & a 401k with competitive match. We also offer a robust mental well-being program through Modern Health, which provides free therapy and coaching for employees & dependents. Throughout the year we celebrate our employees with events and company-wide paid breaks. We offer unlimited PTO and sick time and recognize individuals for 7 years of employment with a paid sabbatical.
ABOUT US
Epic Games is a leading interactive entertainment company. For over 30 years we've been making award-winning games and engine technology that empowers others to make visually stunning games and 3D content that bring environments to life like never before. Epic's award-winning Unreal Engine technology not only provides game developers the ability to build high-fidelity, interactive experiences for PC, console, mobile, and VR, it is also a tool being embraced by content creators across a variety of industries such as media and entertainment, automotive, and architectural design. As we continue to build our Engine technology and develop remarkable games, we strive to build teams of world-class talent.
Like what you hear? Come be a part of something Epic!
Epic Games deeply values diverse teams and an inclusive work culture, and we are proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. Learn more about our Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy here.
Note to Recruitment Agencies: Epic does not accept any unsolicited resumes or approaches from any unauthorized third party (including recruitment or placement agencies) (i.e., a third party with whom we do not have a negotiated and validly executed agreement). We will not pay any fees to any unauthorized third party. Further details on these matters can be found here.