In the last decade alone, online content creators have evolved from making silly parodies on YouTube to promoting their business empires. The advent of social media influencers – people who promote products or brands to their large social media followings – has changed the landscape of the internet entirely, as even the smallest of content creators are able to make some profit off their social media posts.
Within the past year, we’ve witnessed a number of influencers transform from normal adults to multi-millionaire entrepreneurs. Influencer Alix Earle graduated college last May and subsequently launched her own scholarship fund at her alma mater. YouTuber MrBeast – real name Jimmy Donaldson – used his influencer fortune to start his own charity, which combats hunger and homelessness. And TikTok star Halley Kate, known for her “GRWM” videos, sent the whole internet into a spiral when she purchased a house in the Hamptons at just 23 years old.
While apps like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok have supported these influencers’ lucrative careers, each platform still comes with its own terms and guidelines for earning money. Instagram doesn’t pay creators directly for views, but brands and companies are willing to spend tens of thousands of dollars for sponsored posts or affiliate links on the app. TikTok has its own Creator Fund, which pays users for their original content based on how well it performs. Meanwhile on YouTube, creators in the YouTube Partner Program get paid for ad views on monetized content.
Even mid-level content creators in the US can still turn a sizable profit. According to ZipRecruiter, the average influencer rakes in an estimated $131,874 annually, or $63 an hour. However, that all depends on whether efforts to ban TikTok in the US are actually successful, unless Chinese owner ByteDance is able to sell the viral social media platform to a US-based company. Until then, some influencers remain unsure about the stability of their chosen professions.
Despite looming uncertainty about the future of social media influencing, a number of content creators (those who’ve reached millionaire status, at least) have far less to worry about. Even if TikTok is ultimately banned, these creators can always rely on the success of their entrepreneurial endeavors outside of the social media world.
These are the top seven highest-earning influencers in the US.
MrBeast
In 2023, MrBeast earned a whopping $82m from his YouTube career. Not only did he top Forbes’ list of highest-paid YouTube stars, but he was also named the highest-paid influencer in the world. On YouTube, where he boasts 260 million subscribers, MrBeast has become known for his highly sensationalized video content. The North Carolina native is also the founder of several companies, including the virtual restaurant chain MrBeast Burger and the chocolate snack brand, Feastables.
Jake Paul
While Jake Paul may be known these days for his professional boxing career, he originally shot to fame on the now-defunct app Vine – where he had gained more than five million followers. He then pivoted his content to YouTube, though many of his bombastic prank videos and rap beefs have sparked controversy over the years. In August 2022, Paul co-founded Betr – a sports-media and mobile-betting company – which received a $375m valuation in June 2023. Last year, he earned a total of $34m, according to Forbes.
Rhett and Link
Rhett James McLaughlin and Charles Lincoln “Link” Neal III, also known as Rhett and Link, hold the coveted title of OG Youtube stars. They began posting comedy shows on YouTube in 2006 under their joint channel and host a daily variety show called “Good Mythical Morning” for their 18.7 million subscribers. The duo went on to launch their own entertainment company, Mythical Entertainment – producing a number of podcasts, subscription services, and livestream events. Forbes estimated Rhett and Link’s annual earnings in 2023 to be $35m.
Charli D’Amelio
Anyone who was on TikTok during the Covid-19 pandemic has perhaps stumbled upon one of Charli D’Amelio’s signature dance videos. Since then, she has held the title of top female TikTok creator for nearly four years, earning $23m in 2023.
The 20-year-old Connecticut native was a competitive dancer for more than a decade before starting her TikTok career in 2019. Two years later, D’Amelio and her sister Dixie co-created the clothing brand Social Tourist, an apparel brand under Hollister. She’s gone on to publish a New York Times bestselling book, titled Essentially Charli: The Ultimate Guide to Keeping It Real, and won season 31 of Dancing with the Stars alongside her dance partner, Mark Ballas.
The third season of her family’s reality show, The D’Amelio Show, premiered on Hulu in September 2023.
Logan Paul
Jake Paul’s older brother Logan Paul is also one of the highest-earning influencers in the US, raking in an annual income of $21m last year. Much like his brother, Logan’s YouTube videos have been the subject of backlash, most notably when he showed footage of a dead body in Japan’s “Suicide Forest”.
He went on to embark on a professional wrestling career, and has been signed to WWE since June 2022. Logan’s controversy-ridden energy drink company, Prime Hydration, is also worth between $5.5bn and $8.4bn, according to a CB Insights estimate.
Emma Chamberlain
Emma Chamberlain rose to YouTube fame at just 16 years old for her candid vlogs and quirky editing style. Now, at 23, the influencer has more than 27 million followers across YouTube and Instagram. While Chamberlain continues to post long-form vlogs on her YouTube channel from time to time, it’s her fashion deals with Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Lancome, Levi’s, Aritzia, and Canon that make her one of the highest-earning influencers. In 2020, she launched her own beverage company, Chamberlain Coffee, and began hosting the Spotify podcast Anything Goes. Last year, she made an estimated $20m in earnings.
Ryan Kaji
Perhaps the youngest influencer in the US is Ryan Kaji, the face of the popular children’s YouTube channel Ryan’s World. In 2023, the 12 year old earned an estimated $35m from his daily video content, which typically consist of toy reviews and unboxings. As of May 2024, his channel has more than 37 million subscribers and over 45 billion video views. With the help of his parents Loann and Shion, Kaji launched his own line of toys – branded as “Ryan’s World” – in cooperation with PocketWatch and Bonkers Toys. He also released his own video game collaborations with Roblox and Xbox.
