So, You Wanna Be a Creator? Here’s What MrBeast, Druski, Kai Cenat, and Others Are Really Making

The creator economy is now valued at $250 billion, and projections estimate this number could double to $500 billion by 2027. Some, like MrBeast, Khaby Lame, and Kai Cenat, have branched out with ventures into fast food, fashion, tech and other industries. Twitch star Kai Cenat Source: LFM Management According to ZipRecruiter, the average content creator earns around $9,717 per month — or about $56 an hour. This income rate exceeds many traditional 9-to-5 jobs. Forbes recently revealed its Top Creators 2024 list, highlighting the massive earnings of some of the biggest stars in social media. The 2024 honorees earned an estimated $720 million combined over the past year. For the rankings, Forbes not only looked at income and total number of followers but also engagement and entrepreneurship. The Social Media Millionaires At the top of the rankings is MrBeast (real name James Donaldson). He raked in a whopping $85 million in annual income, with an impressive 500 million followers. He had 9 billion YouTube views in 2024 alone. Known as the YouTube philanthropist, MrBeast is known for his mega giveaways and stunt videos, among other content. With 162.7 million followers, Khaby Lame is the most-followed person on TikTok, and...