It's 2024 and TikTok is still taking the world by storm. What once started as a casual dance app during the pandemic has now become one of the most used apps in the world on a daily basis. In fact, according to the latest stats, TikTok has more than 1.5 billion active users which makes it the most adored app of 2024. It's probably the one and only app that unites all age groups and breaks all generational gaps by offering something exciting to every fella. From Gen X to millennials and of course, Gen Z, TikTok has a unique and creative trend for all! According to the latest stats, 23% of Gen X, 36% of millennials, and 49% of Gen Z are active Tiktok users with even baby boomers joining the group at 9%. TikTok even has trends that stars your entire family tree, starting from your great Grandma, down to the youngest in the family, portraying the perfect example of how TikTok pleases all. Although it started off initially as a music and dance app, ever since its advent, it has grown massively in terms of content as well. TikTok has now evolved into a more diverse app enveloping art, tech, food, travel, and much more! The short videos on TikTok are the major attraction that the app has to offer as it sums up your entire year in just a minute, perfect for viewers with short attention spans.
But TikTok is not just entertainment and trends, it's much more than that. And once you discover how much these passionate TikTokers are making in an hour, you will want to quit your 9 to 5 immediately and start filming content! TikTok is a great income generator, primarily because it helps you to make a living out of things that you love doing the most. For instance, if you love to cook, then your cooperate job won’t certainly reward you for it, but on TikTok, you can launch a whole new career right from the kitchen. But of course, making a few short videos won’t make you a TikTok millionaire but if you continue to direct your efforts in the right way, who knows, maybe you can become the next TikTok sensation!
So to give you a little more motivation to trust the process with your TikTok career, this article is the perfect stimulator! In this article, we will be taking a look at the average earnings of TikTokers residing in the US. We will talk about their income and calculate their earnings from various sources. Moreover, we will also briefly go over how you can establish yourself as the most followed TikTok celebrity. So let’s get right into it!
What is the Average Income of a US TikToker?
You must be wondering, how much does an average US TikToker make in a month, or even an hour? If you do a mere research then the result may shock you. According to the latest industry data, a US TikToker has an annual salary of $121,765, at an average rate of $58 per hour. This number may seem attractive but it is slightly deceiving. Earnings on TikTok are categorized by the type of influncer you become on the platform. In that sense, not every TikTok influncer on the platform makes a 6-figure earning, in fact, the 6-figure salary belongs to only a small percentage (11%) of mega influencers who qualify for ‘TikTok Royalty’. Hence, the earnings of a TikTok influencer are directly dependent on the size of their niche. However, an interesting fact about TikTok is that, unlike Instagram, the number of followers you have does not direct your earnings, rather it's the engagement you get on your videos. So even if somebody doesn't follow you, but engages with your content, they will be contributing to your income!
Although the size of your following does not act as the primary indicator of your earnings on TikTok but it does play a substantial role. After all, the mantra of social media is - that the more followers you have, the greater would be the engagement! We’re pretty sure by now you must be confused that if only 11% of TikTokers are making millions then how much are the rest of the influencers earning? And where do you lie in that curve? So without further ado, let's dive right into it!
Categories of TikTok Influencers and Their Income
The categorization of influencers is based on their following. Depending on their following, these TikTok influencers then climb the ladder of monetization. The target of monetization is already set at a thousand followers. Once you reach the set standard of 1000 followers, your TikTok account becomes qualified for monetization. Before we begin to walk through the different TikTok influencer categories, it's a key aspect to note that the TikTok algorithm majorly works on engagement. Hence, the more engaging your content is, the more masses you’ll attract!
A breakdown of various TikTokers based on their following is presented below:
1. Nano TikTokers
As the name pretty much suggests, nano TikTok influencers refer to those TikTokers who are in the initial stages of building their fandom. These TikTokers have their followers in the range of 1000 to 10,000. As these TikTokers are at the very bottom of the earning pyramid, hence, nano TikTokers make about $25 to $125 per TikTok post. From an annual perspective, these TikTokers have their earnings below the threshold of $15,000 per year. Although this number varies greatly from the deceiving 6-figure number, but it helps to paint an actual picture of TikTok earnings. In the US, majority of the TikTokers are just starting off their TikTok careers, which is the reason why 48% of TikTok influencers fall under the category of nano influencers, so 48% of TikTokers make less than $15,000 annually. Hence, if you have followers within the range of 1000 to 10,000, then congratulations, you’re a nano influencer and are all set to expand your influence!
2. Micro TikTokers
The next category is micro TikTokers. These TikTokers have their followings in the range of 10,000 to 100,000. Their niche size is bigger than nano influencers and hence, they do exert some sort of power over their respective niche. In the micro TikToker category, influencers are making about $30 to $400 per post. This means that on an annual basis, the micro TikTokers are earning around $50,000 per year as the minimum salary. The salary of micro TikTokers does increase along the way depending on the exact number of followers they have within the 10,000 to 100,000 range. Nonetheless, the lower end of the micro TikToker’s salary is set at $50,000 per year. A total of 32% of US TikTokers fall in the category of micro TikTokers.
3. Macro TikTokers
After the micro TikTokers comes the category of macro TikTokers. These TikTokers have followers greater than 100,000. These TikTokers are considered to be the rulers of their respective niche. They exert a massive influence worldwide and are also considered renowned figures in their niches. Considering the fame of these TikTokers, these TikTokers on average make about $1200 to $2500 per post thus summing up their annual earnings to begin from the 6-figure of $400,000. Hence, macro TikTokers are the first ones to enter the world of 6-figure earnings. The curve of earnings for macro TikTokers increases along the gradient based on the following. A total of 7% of TikTokers in the US fall under the category of macro TikTokers.
4. Mega TikTokers
Mega TikTokers are the pioneers of their chosen niche. They are the kings and queens and the niche is a reflection of these TikTokers. These TikTokers have followers over 1 million, and much like their followers, their earnings are also in the millions. These TikTokers make more than $2500 per post, thus earning more than $1,000,000 on an annual basis, that too on the low end. Mega TikTokers are the first ones to enter the level of 7-figure income. These influencers are extremely rare and makeup about 2% on TikTok.
This is not to mention her sponsorship income and what she makes from ad revenue monthly on Tik Tok. For more information from SocialBook about her please take a look here: https://socialbook.io/?hash=0akAMQII4dd
5. Celebrities
The last category is celebrities, and as the name pretty much suggests, these TikTokers already have an established status of ‘celebrities’. This category comprises famous Hollywood actors and actresses who have already established a celebrity name in the world. It doesn't matter if these TikTokers have less than a million followers, they will still earn the equivalent status of a mega TikToker due to their years of celebrity status. Celebrity TikTokers also earn millions.
How TikTok Influencers Earn?
When it comes to earning streams on TikTok, there are quite a few options. These options are enlisted below:
1. Branded Content
Branded content is the most common way to earn via TikTok. Through branded content, various TikTokers receive products from different brands and they review these products through engaging TikToks. During the earlier stages of influencer marketing, brands usually opted for mega and macro influencers to promote their products, but based on recent surveys, it appears that micro and nano influencers can be more beneficial for local promotion of products. This is because their niche size is way more specific and helps to reach the desired target audience. Nonetheless, in every way and in any way, branded content deserves to be the easiest way for TikTokers to make some money.
2. Creator Fund Payout
TikTok’s very own creator fund payout is also a great way to earn some money on TikTok. TikTokers can enter this fund program after meeting the required eligibility criteria. Once they become a part of the creator fund payout, TikTok pays these influencers for their creative content. This payment varies as it may start from a small paycheck of $0.02 to $0.03 and increase its way towards earning more than $50 on a daily basis based on the content. The whole idea of the creator fund payout is to encourage TikTokers to create continuous engaging content.
3. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is another form of influencer marketing that helps TikTokers to earn money and get in contact with brands. Affiliate marketing is different than brands merely sending out gifts. In affiliate marketing, brands hire a specific TikToker as the face of their campaign and assign them a code that the TikToker urges the viewers to use for purchasing. For every purchase of that particular product, the TikToker gets a commission on the sale. The network of affiliate marketing for a TikToker grows as they welcome on-board multiple campaigns.
4. Live Gifts
Live gifts are great for a TikToker to not only earn money but also interact with fans and know how much their fans appreciate them. To make the live gifts work, the fans must purchase first some coins in order to buy some stickers or animations. They can then use these stickers during the live stream of the TikToker in order to express their love and appreciation to the TikToker. Once the TikToker gets these stickers, they can be converted into diamonds and TikTok converts these diamonds into money. This money is then shared between the TikToker and the TikTok platform with 50% of shares belonging to TikTok itself. Through live gifts, a TikToker can make around $0.06. Although it's a small amount, on a consistent scale, it’s a great way to make money on TikTok.
5. TikTok Shop
Another way to make some money on TikTok is through the TikTok shop. In the TikTok shop, the TikTok influencers and creators get united on one front. TikTokers promote these products through their videos. With every purchase of the product, creators earn money and TikTokers earn their desired ambassadorship commission.
How to Become a TikTok Influencer in the US
Being a thriving TikToker in the US seems great and sure sounds like a dream come true job, but the truth is, it requires effort. The journey to become a sensational TikToker comes with multiple challenges. It's not a smooth ride rather it comes with multiple troughs and crests. There may come times when you’ll see a spike in your following and similarly, there may be times when your growth would remain stagnant. The key is consistency. You have to consistently make engaging content that attracts views. Keep on trying different things and ideas and see which one does wonders for you. Do not hesitate to experiment, who knows, maybe your fun experiment could become the next hot sensational trend on TikTok!
That’s all that we have on the earnings of TikTokers in the US. We hope you found this article helpful! For more information on Tik Tokers across the globe, please check out SocialBook for more accurate data on how much money these tik tokers can make/earn!
