Gone are the days of browsing social media apps to see what your friends are up to. Now, it’s all about the influencers. Everywhere you scroll on Instagram or TikTok, you’ll be inundated with the next social media star’s commission-laden content. And of course, there are the countless folks who have made themselves millions courtesy of YouTube. But with so many influencers out there, err, influencing, how much money could they possibly be making? The answer? A whole freaking lot. Here are some of the highest-paid influencers, based on data compiled by TechTipsWithTea.
1. MrBeast
Estimated earnings: $82 million
MrBeast, whose real name is James Stephen “Jimmy” Donaldson, first started posting videos on YouTube when he was 13 years old in 2012. Now, he has more than 240 million subscribers and holds the title of the most-subscribed individual on YouTube and the second-most subscribed channel overall.
When it comes to content, MrBeast’s videos are known for their high production value and fast pacing, with focus ranging from elaborate stunts and challenges to donations. A great deal of the YouTuber’s earnings comes from ad revenue and marketing campaigns, which are evidently performing quite well for him.
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2. Rhett & Link
Estimated earnings: $35 million
Rhett McLaughlin and Charles Lincoln “Link” Neal III call themselves “Internetainers” and they are known for creating and hosting the comedic YouTube series Good Mythical Morning. Their range extends from gaming to food and beverage content, and they have seemingly lucrative brand partnerships with companies like Audible, Nintendo Switch, Samsung, and Wendy’s.
The duo also has a product line called Mythical and another venture, Mythical Entertainment, with several media properties under its name — both of which contribute to their massive earnings.
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3. Jake Paul
Estimated earnings: $34 million
Jake Paul is both a professional boxer and a social media influencer. His launch into the world of content creation started in 2013 with Vine and extended to YouTube in 2014. Paul was so successful that he even landed himself a role on a Disney Channel series called “Bizaardvark.”
The influencer has also spread his reach to the music industry and, like the other high-earners on this round-up, he has plenty of flashy brand deals with big names like Gatorade and DraftKings.
4. Elliot Tebele
Estimated earnings: $30 million
Social media pioneer Elliot Tebele has his hands on a range of projects. While his YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram allow him to spread his reach as an influencer, he is also behind popular brands including What Do You Meme? and JAJA Tequila. He is also known for his comedic Instagram account, F***Jerry, which was once said to have charged $50,000 per post.
Beyond his initial entry into the world of social media, Tebele now has a media company called Jerry Media, and he served as a producer on Netflix’s documentary about the Fyre Festival.
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5. Matt Rife
Estimated earnings: $25 million
Matt Rife’s journey to comedic stardom has been all over the map with stints on MTV’s “Wild ‘n Out,” a role in a slasher B-movie, and other random TV roles. Where the comedian finally broke through to a larger audience and became a household name, however, was social media YouTube and TikTok, specifically. Rife began posting videos of his stand-up routines to his social media accounts and became a viral success. Now, he generates most of his income from ticket sales and merchandise.
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6. Olajide Olatunji (KSI)
Estimated earnings: $24 million
Olajide Olatunji (commonly known as KSI) began his career, like many of the most successful influencers, with a YouTube account. In 2008, the then-teen started up a YouTube channel where he created videos focused on providing video game commentary. Over the years, his influence spread to both music and boxing, and now his notoriety is palpable — you might have heard of a little drink called Prime that the influencer founded with a fellow high-earner you’ll see later on this list: Logan Paul.
7. Charli D’Amelio
Estimated arnings: $23 million
Before Charli D’Amelio began her social media-influencing career in 2019, she was a competitive dancer. Naturally, when she began her TikTok account, she focused her content on dance videos, which skyrocketed her virality and made her the most-followed TikToker on the app during the very beginning of the pandemic in March 2020. Her TikTok led to a docuseries on Hulu, a stint on “Dancing with the Stars” (which she won), and a whole lot of fame and money.
8. Logan Paul
Estimated earnings: $21 million
If Logan looks and sounds familiar, it’s because his brother Jake is also on this list, just a bit higher up. Like his brother, this Paul’s influence began on YouTube and shot upward at a rampant rate, scoring him brand deals with companies like FanDuel and DraftKings. While holding up his status as one of the highest-paid YouTubers, Paul is also a professional wrestler, signed to WWE.
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9. Emma Chamberlain
Estimated earnings: $20 million
Emma Chamberlain started her YouTube channel in 2016, posting a variety of cooking videos, car vlogs, and fashion hauls. These days, the viral vlogger is seen as a fashion icon in her own right and was even on the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine with “the most popular girl in the world” written beneath her name.
Related: These Viral TikTok Trends Cleared Store Shelves
10. Brent Rivera
Estimated earnings: $17.5 million
Brent Rivera first popped up on the now-discontinued video hosting app Vine. From there, Rivera’s reach spread to YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. The Streamy Award winner primarily posts his comedic videos on TikTok these days and partners with huge brands including Coca-Cola, Colgate, iPhone X, and Starbucks.
