How Much Do YouTubers Make

How much does a YouTuber really earn with each view and subscriber? Find out how YouTubers make money through ads, brand deals, and more.

Almost one-third of today's kids aspire to be a YouTuber when they grow up.^[1]

The top-earning YouTubers can make millions on the platform each year. But the road to YouTube stardom isn't easy.

Find out how much money a YouTuber can really make. Plus, stay to the end for 5 tips to increase your chances of making money on YouTube.

How Much Do Youtubers Get Paid?

The highest earning YouTube stars can make an eye-popping $29.5 million per year.^[2] Of course, this isn't the norm for most YouTubers.

Keep reading to find out how much the average YouTuber makes. Plus, find out how many subscribers it takes to start making good money on YouTube.

How Much Do YouTubers Make Per View?

Creators who are part of the YouTube Partner Program can earn money through ads. Advertising money is split between Google (which owns YouTube) and the content creator. YouTubers keep about 68% of the ad revenue.

Rates vary depending on the advertiser. Most advertisers pay from $0.10 to $0.30 per view, with an average of $0.18 per view.

For the average YouTuber, this equates to $18 for every 1,000 ad views. But keep in mind that YouTubers only get paid when viewers watch the ad without skipping it. Since not all viewers will watch ads, this comes out to about $3 to $5 per 1,000 video views.

Ad revenue pays relatively little. So, most YouTubers rely on other ways to make money, like sponsorships and affiliate marketing. (More on this later.)

How Much do YouTubers Make Per Subscriber?

YouTubers make nothing for each subscriber they have. So why are they always asking viewers to hit that subscribe button?

Loyal subscribers watch every new video that gets released. A high subscriber count increases the chance that their videos will rack up lots of views. More views equal more ad revenue.

Creators can also get better brand deals if they have a high subscriber count. Brands will offer more money for sponsorships if they know a YouTuber can reach a large audience.

How Much Do YouTubers Make With 1 Million Subscribers?

There are about 38 million YouTube channels, and most of them have nowhere near 1 million subscribers. Channels that reach 1 million subscribers can make serious money on the platform.

Here's how much an active YouTuber could make by releasing 2 videos per week: Based on an average of $3 to $5 per 1,000 views, a YouTuber could earn about $6,000 to $10,000 per week. That's a whopping $24,000 to $40,000 per month in ad revenue alone.

This is assuming that all 1 million viewers tune in for each video. In reality, not all subscribers will watch every single video. But non-subscribers can also watch to increase the view count.

How Much Do YouTubers Make With 100K Subscribers?

You don't need 1 million subscribers to be successful on YouTube. Creators with 100,000 subscribers can still make decent money.

Using the same rates as above, a YouTuber with 100,000 subscribers and 2 new videos each week can make $600 to $1,000. This comes out to around $2,400 to $4,000 per month in ad revenue.

How YouTubers Make Money

Ad revenue isn't the only way to get paid as a YouTuber. Here are the most common ways for YouTubers to boost their income:

Ad Revenue
Creators can make money through Google AdSense with the YouTube Partner Program. Once a channel reaches 1,000 subscribers and has more than 4,000 views in the last 12 months, it qualifies for the program.^[3]

The channel needs to earn at least $100 per month to get paid. If this threshold isn't met, you won't get paid for that month.

Brand Deals/Sponsorships
High view counts and subscriber counts can open up a lot of opportunities for brand sponsorships. YouTubers can get paid to promote products. They might also receive the products for free.

In general, YouTubers will earn more if they have good engagement with their audience.

Affiliate Marketing
YouTubers sometimes include links to purchase recommended products in their description box. Each time a viewer makes a purchase through the links, the channel makes a commission off the sale.

Merchandise
Creators who have built a brand around their channel often sell merch to make extra money. YouTubers can set up their own ecommerce store and sell items like T-shirts, hoodies, hats, and more.

Crowdfunding
Many YouTubers take advantage of crowdfunding sites for more revenue. Sites like Patreon are popular because they let creators post exclusive content that's only available to paying subscribers.

Who Are the Richest YouTubers?

Big YouTubers can make a lot of money just on the platform. But the top-paid YouTubers have also started lucrative side businesses in addition to being a full-time content creators.

Here are the 10 richest YouTubers by estimated net worth:

• Jeffree Star: $200 million, 16.3M subscribers
  
• Ryan's World: $80 million, 30.7M subscribers
  
• Dude Perfect: $50 million, 56.7M subscribers
  
• PewDiePie: $40 million, 110M subscribers
  
• Markiplier: $35 million, 30M subscribers
  
• Rhett & Link: $32 million, 22.2M subscribers
  
• DanTDM: $30 million, 25.6M subscribers
  
• VanossGaming: $25 million, 25.6M subscribers
  
• Ninja: $25 million, 24M subscribers
  
• James Charles: $22 million, 24.6M subscribers

The richest YouTuber, Jeffree Star, earned his fortune not just from posting beauty-related videos. The bulk of his net worth comes from his successful makeup company that he frequently promotes on his channel.

YouTubers are experts in marketing themselves in order to maximize their earning potential. Find out below how you could earn more with your own YouTube channel.

5 Tips to Earn More as a YouTuber

Find Your Niche
It's best to stick to just one niche. This will help keep your subscribers engaged and give your channel direction. Your subscribers expect a certain type of content from you. It would be confusing if a tech channel started posting food recipes, for example.

Create Interesting Series
Many channels find success in posting recurring video series. This is a beneficial in a lot of ways. It makes it easier to organize videos on your channel. Plus, it helps viewers easily find and binge-watch related videos with content they enjoy.

Post Videos Regularly
Sticking to a regular posting schedule helps keep your audience engaged. People are more likely to subscribe if they see your channel is active. You can also experiment to find the best times to post to get the most views.

Collaborate With Other YouTubers
Collaborations are a great way to grow your following. You can guest star in other peoples' videos and vice versa. Both parties win since you'll be able to reach each other's audience and hopefully gain more viewers.

Be Active on Social Media
As a full-time YouTuber, it helps to stay active on social media. You can promote your videos across multiple platforms. Plus, it helps your audience connect with you and get excited about future posts.

Bottom Line

Some YouTube creators make a staggering amount of money. But it isn't a way to make money fast. It takes a lot of effort—and luck—to make good money on YouTube.

How much you'll earn as a YouTuber depends on a number of factors, including view count and the quality of your audience.

Even if it isn't a viable full-time career for everyone, YouTube can still be a great side hustle. If you have a topic you're passionate about, it doesn't hurt to share your content on YouTube and see where it goes.

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