Every day, millions of users worldwide log into TikTok to scroll through short-form videos. The social media app has become a global phenomenon and created a new generation of influencers with millions of followers.
With the top TikTok influencers pulling in millions of dollars per year, aspiring content creators are flocking to the platform in hopes of achieving similar success.
Of course, not everyone can become a TikTok millionaire. This report examines how much the typical content creator can expect to earn in addition to the eye-popping figures the A-listers are pulling in.
TikTok Influencer Average Salary
The latest industry data shows that TikTok influencers earn an average salary of $131,874.
While that’s certainly an impressive number, looking at the average salary can be a bit misleading.
That’s because mega-influencers — also known as “TikTok royalty” — can sometimes pull in seven or eight-figure salaries.
Those highly-paid TikTokers skew the average salary upwards. And don’t necessarily reflect what the vast majority of TikTok creators earn on the platform.
Typical TikTok Influencer Earnings
NeoReach’s 2023 Creator Earnings and Insights Industry Report takes a closer look at the typical salary for influencers and content creators.
Here’s the breakdown from their survey:
48% earned less than $15,000.
9% earned between $15,000 and $25,000.
7% earned between $25,000 and $35,000.
5% earned between $35,000 and $50,000.
11% earned between $50,000 and $75,000.
5% earned between $75,000 and $100,000.
6% earned between $100,000 and $150,000.
7% earned $200,000 or more.
Based on those numbers, the median salary for TikTok influencers is somewhere between $15,000 and $25,000.
Just under one-third of influencers are making a full-time salary.
If you’re wondering where all this money for influencers is coming from, keep reading as we break down how TikTok creators monetize their content.
Sources: ZipRecruiter, NeoReach
How Do TikTok Influencers Earn Money?
When it comes to earning potential for TikTok influencers, the sky’s the limit.
But how are all these influencers getting paid?
Let’s break down the various revenue streams available to TikTok influencers.
Brand Partnerships/Sponsored Posts
The entire influencer/creator economy is centered around creators endorsing brands’ products.
This is especially true for platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where creators can’t earn money passively through ads (like they can with YouTube).
On TikTok, brands typically pay influencers a flat rate to create posts hyping their products.
Here’s a look at how much TikTok influencers can earn per sponsored posts based on their follower count:
Followers
$/Post (Low End)
$/Post (High End)
1,000-10,000
$20
$150
10,000-50,000
$30
$400
50,000-500,000
$80
$1,650
500,000-1,000,000
$150
$3,500
1,000,000+
$1,200
Unlimited
66.9% of content creators say they earn the most income from sponsored posts and brand deals.
Sources: HypeAuditor, NeoReach
TikTok Creator Fund
In July 2020, TikTok launched its Creator Fund in the US, UK, Germany, Italy, France, and Spain.
The fund pays content creators based on how many views their videos receive.
To be eligible for the fund, creators must have at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 video views over the past 30 days.
The Creator Fund offers a path toward monetization, but its payouts aren’t too impressive.
Influencers can expect to earn between $0.02 and $0.04 for every 1,000 views from the Creator Fund.
That’s $20-40 for every one million views.
Not exactly a cash cow, which is why most influencers don’t rely on the Creator Fund to earn a living.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing has been around for decades, and TikTok creators have found a way to leverage it in their content.
In this monetization strategy, influencers promote products and post a link to purchase the product in their profile or the video’s comments section.
When a user buys a product using that link, the influencer earns a commission.
Influencers can become affiliates by working directly with brands or by tapping into massive affiliate networks like Amazon Associates and Etsy Affiliate.
While it might not be as lucrative as sponsored posts, 7.8% of content creators say they earn the most money through affiliate marketing.
Source: NeoReach
TikTok Live Gifts
TikTok Live lets creators interact with their fans in real time. During these live sessions, fans can send creators digital gifts — stickers that can be redeemed for coins, which in turn can be redeemed for money.
Much like the creator fund, TikTok Live gifts typically aren’t very impactful. While they range in value from $0.01 to $562.48, most stickers are only worth a few cents.
Top Earning TikTok Influencers (2024)
While most TikTok influencers only earn a few thousand dollars per year, the highest-earning stars are making millions through brand partnerships gained through the app.
This list covers the top 10 highest-paid TikTok influencers.
Charli D’Amelio
Estimated Earnings: $17.5m
TikTok Followers: 154.3m
Charli D’Amelio started her TikTok career in 2019 by posting lip-syncing and dance videos. She soon became the most followed influencer on the platform, leading to her opening for the Jonas Brothers and appearing on The Tonight Show. She has since worked with brands like CeraVe, Prada, and Dunkin’ Donuts and has her own show on Hulu with her sister Dixie.
Dixie D’Amelio
Estimated Earnings: $10m
TikTok Followers: 56.1m
Charlie’s older sister Dixie D’Amelio has had a similar trajectory on TikTok. Her success on the platform has helped launch her singing career — she recently released her debut album on Spotify, featuring well-known artists Demi Lovato and Wiz Khalifa. Brands Dixie has worked with on TikTok include Warner Bros., LaRoche, and Puma.
Addison Rae
Estimated Earnings: $8.5m
TikTok Followers: 88.8m
Addison Rae is another TikTok influencer who rose to prominence by posting viral dance videos. Her massive following has led her to launch her own brand, Item Beauty, and land starring roles in the films He’s All That and Thanksgiving. Addison has partnered with Square Enix, Hanes, Google, and Samsung.
Khaby Lame
Estimated Earnings: $5m
TikTok Followers: 162.1m
Khaby Lame doesn’t post dance or lip-sync videos. Instead, he creates comedic skits often parodying other viral TikTok videos. The Senegalese mega-influencer has amassed the largest following on the platform. Khaby has ongoing brand partnerships with State Farm and Hugo Boss.
Bella Poarch
Estimated Earnings: $5m
TikTok Followers: 94.1m
Before becoming a TikTok star, Bella Poarch was a member of the US Navy, spending time in Japan and Hawaii. She rose to stardom by posting lip-syncing, gaming, and cosplay videos on TikTok. She has brand partnerships with eSports leagues 100 Thieves and FeZa Clan and started recording and releasing her own music in 2021.
Josh Richards
Estimated Earnings: $5m
TikTok Followers: 25.7m
Ontario-born Josh Richards rose to TikTok stardom by posting a variety of content — from dancing and lip-syncing videos to sports and comedy content. Since becoming a TikTok mega-influencer, Richards has signed a recording contract, landed roles in multiple feature films, and helped start a venture capital firm.
Kris Collins
Estimated Earnings: $4.75m
TikTok Followers: 50.6m
The second Canadian on this list, Kris Collins (also known as KallMeKris) started making TikTok videos when she was stuck at home during COVID-19. Her elaborate skit videos in which she plays multiple characters soon went viral, amassing a large following that led to brand partnerships with Amazon, Lionsgate, and Pantene.
Avani Gregg
Estimated Earnings: $4.75m
TikTok Followers: 42.4m
Avani Gregg gained her TikTok following by posting “how to” content in the form of detailed makeup tutorials. Her first viral video, in which she made herself look like the character Harley Quinn, earned her the nickname “Clown Girl.” She’s partnered with multiple fashion brands including Rue21 and Morphe.
Zach King
Estimated Earnings: $3m
TikTok Followers: 82.1m
The oldest influencer on this list, 34-year-old Zach King has been a presence on social media since before TikTok even existed. He started posting on YouTube in 2011 and gained a following on the short-lived Vine platform before jumping to TikTok in 2016. His magic trick-themed videos have gained him over 80 million followers.
Riyaz Aly
Estimated Earnings: $2m
TikTokFollowers: 46.6m
Riyaz Aly is a teenage influencer from Mumbai, India. His dancing and lip-synching videos helped him earn a huge following before the TikTok app was banned in India. His last video on the app was in 2020, but Riyaz has since started building a new following on Instagram.
Wrap Up
TikTok influencers have the potential to make seven- or eight-figure salaries. For most, being a TikTok creator is more of a side hustle than a career.
There are monetization features baked into the app, but influencers need massive followings and multiple brand partnerships if they want to make life-changing money.
If you want to learn more about TikTok, read our other TikTok reports: Top TikTok Trends, TikTok User Age, Gender, & Demographics, and TikTok Content Creator Statistics.
