YouTubers with 1 million subscribers or more are considered to be quite successful, but how much money do they actually make? The income for top YouTubers depends on several factors, including ad revenue, sponsorships, merchandise sales and more. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down the typical earnings for YouTubers with 1 million subscribers.
Ad Revenue from YouTube
For most YouTubers, ad revenue from the YouTube Partner Program is their primary source of income. YouTube places ads on and around video content, and creators earn a cut of the ad revenue based on their viewership and engagement.
The actual ad earnings depend on:
- CPM (cost per thousand impressions) – This is how much advertisers pay per 1,000 ad views. The average CPM is $3-$5.
- RPM (revenue per thousand views) – This is how much the YouTuber earns per 1,000 video views, which is around 40-60% of the CPM.
- Views – Top YouTubers get millions or even billions of video views per month.
Based on these factors, most YouTubers with 1 million subscribers have an RPM of $2-$4. This means they earn $2-$4 per 1,000 views.
To estimate total ad revenue, we need to look at average monthly views. Most YouTubers with 1 million subscribers get around 2-5 million views per month. Let’s use 3 million as an average.
With 3 million monthly views and an RPM of $3, yearly ad revenue would be:
- Monthly views: 3,000,000
- RPM: $3 per 1,000 views
- Monthly estimated revenue: 3,000,000 / 1,000 x $3 = $9,000
- Yearly estimated revenue: $9,000 x 12 months = $108,000
So based solely on ad revenue sharing from YouTube, a YouTuber with 1 million subscribers and 3 million monthly views can expect to make around $100,000 per year.
Sponsorships
Sponsorships are a huge income source for top YouTubers. Companies partner with creators directly to promote their products or services in videos.
Sponsorship income depends on:
- Niche – Some niches like gaming, tech and finance tend to pay more.
- Video views – YouTubers with more views can charge higher rates.
- Production quality – Heavily produced integrations earn more.
Based on these factors, YouTubers with 1 million subscribers typically charge $10,000-$30,000 per sponsored video. Top creators can charge up to $50,000+ per video.
Assuming an average of 3 sponsorships per month at $20,000 each, estimated yearly sponsorship earnings would be:
- Sponsorships per month: 3
- Rate per sponsorship: $20,000
- Monthly estimated revenue: 3 x $20,000 = $60,000
- Yearly estimated revenue: $60,000 x 12 months = $720,000
This puts yearly sponsorship income for top YouTubers with 1 million subscribers at around $700,000 to even over $1 million in some cases.
Merchandise Sales
Merch is another common YouTuber income source. This includes selling branded products like apparel, accessories, home goods and more.
YouTubers generally set up an online shop through sites like Shopify or work with a merchandise company that handles production and fulfillment. Most YouTubers make 20-30% net profit on their merchandise after the costs of production and distribution.
Merch sales can highly vary based on number of products, marketing, fanbase engagement and more. But top YouTubers with 1 million subscribers can expect to bring in anywhere from a few thousand per month to $50,000+ for big product releases.
As an average, let’s estimate $20,000 per month or $240,000 per year in merchandise sales.
Other Revenue Sources
In addition to ads, sponsorships and merch, some other potential income sources for top YouTubers include:
- Affiliate marketing – Earning commission promoting other products/services
- Fan funding – Direct payment platforms like Patreon
- Live shows – Getting paid for in-person performances or speaking events
- Crowdfunding – Raising money for projects via sites like Kickstarter
- Physical products – Selling custom products related to their brand
These revenue sources are harder to estimate but could realistically bring in an extra $100,000+ per year for top creators.
Total Yearly Income Estimate
Based on the averages used above, here is an estimate of the total yearly income for a YouTuber with around 1 million subscribers:
| Revenue Source | Yearly Estimate |
|---|---|
| YouTube Ad Revenue | $108,000 |
| Sponsorships | $720,000 |
| Merchandise | $240,000 |
| Other | $100,000 |
| Total | $1,168,000 |
So in total, a successful YouTuber with around 1 million subscribers has the potential to earn over $1 million per year, on average. Top creators can earn even more, while those lower in views and sponsorships may only earn a few hundred thousand.
Factors That Affect Income
While the estimates above provide a general ballpark, every YouTuber’s income will vary substantially based on these key factors:
- Niche – Gaming, beauty, and entertainment tend to be higher earning niches.
- Views – More views means higher ad and sponsorship revenue.
- Engagement – Viewer comments, likes, and sharing also boost income.
- Work ethic – Active, consistent YouTubers earn more.
- Production quality – High-quality videos increase viewership and sponsor rates.
- Back catalog – YouTubers with more content monetize better.
- Influence – YouTubers with devoted fans have more monetization options.
While achieving 1 million subscribers is the dream for many creators, just having a lot of subscribers alone doesn’t guarantee a high income. The most successful YouTubers put in a ton of effort to build viewership, engagement and multiple revenue streams over time.
Highest Earning YouTubers
To give an idea of real-world YouTuber incomes, here are some of the absolute highest earning channels on the platform:
- MrBeast – $54 million in 2021
- Jake Paul – $45 million in 2021
- Markiplier – $38 million in 2021
- PewDiePie – $35 million in 2021
- Ryan Kaji – $32 million in 2021
These top creators earn well above the estimated averages due to their massive audiences, high engagement, and lucrative brand deals. However, they represent a tiny fraction of overall YouTubers and required many years of growth to reach their current income levels.
Turning YouTube Into a Full-Time Career
While it’s possible to earn a healthy side income from YouTube with just 100,000 subscribers or less, turning it into a full-time career usually requires reaching at least 500,000 to 1 million subscribers.
Some tips for growing a YouTube channel to be able to monetize it as a full-time job:
- Pick a niche you’re passionate about
- Set up a professional looking channel
- Create search-friendly video titles
- Upload 2-3 quality videos per week
- Promote your content on social media
- Interact with your audience
- Collaborate with other YouTubers
- Stay persistent and consistent
With dedication and smart strategy, almost anyone has the potential to turn YouTube success into a lucrative full-time career one day. Just keep in mind that 1 million subscribers is not a magic ticket to being rich – it takes both huge audience and solid business skills to join the top earning ranks.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does PewDiePie make?
PewDiePie was YouTube’s highest earner in 2021, making around $35 million. His massive audience of over 100 million subscribers and consistent viewership allows him to command top rates for ads, sponsorships and merchandise.
Who is the richest YouTuber?
Currently, the richest YouTuber is likely Jeffree Star with a net worth estimated at $200 million. His cosmetics brand and other business ventures contribute to his wealth in addition to his lucrative YouTube channel.
How do YouTubers get paid?
The main ways YouTubers get paid are through ad revenue shares from the YouTube Partner Program, sponsorships deals with brands, selling merchandise, fan donations, and earning from related business projects outside of YouTube.
How much do YouTubers with 100k subscribers make?
YouTubers with 100,000 subscribers can expect to make around $3,000 per month, or $36,000 per year from YouTube ad revenue alone. Top creators also earn from sponsorships, merch, and other sources.
How many subscribers do you need to make money on YouTube?
You need at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the last year to be eligible to monetize your YouTube channel through the YouTube Partner Program. However, most creators don’t start seeing meaningful income until they reach 100,000+ subs.
Who is the #1 YouTuber?
Currently the #1 YouTuber in terms of total subscribers is PewDiePie, who has over 110 million subscribers. However, 5-year-old Ryan Kaji has the most subscribed YouTube channel with 41 million subscribers at the time of writing.
Conclusion
While incomes vary widely, top YouTubers with around 1 million subscribers have the potential to make over $1 million per year on average. However, unlocking this level of income requires building a highly engaged audience and diversifying through multiple monetization methods like sponsorships and merchandise in addition to YouTube ads. For most, it takes years of effort to truly turn YouTube into a self-sustaining full-time business.
