The creator economy is a bubble.
Everyone’s a creator now, and the numbers don’t add up.
Trading follows and paying for promotion decide who gets seen, which leaves little room to just say what you think. 48.7% of U.S. creators earn under $10,000 a year; only 5.7% clear $100,000.1 Goldman Sachs counts 3% of creators worldwide as professional and expects that share to shrink, and brand deals make up about 70% of creator revenue.2
48.7% of U.S. creators earn less than $10,000 a year from their content (The Influencer Marketing Factory).
More numbers
of full-time creators earn less than a $44,000 U.S. living wage from content.3
projected size of the creator economy by 2027, up from $250B. The money grows; the paychecks don’t (global).2
share of creators Goldman Sachs expects to be professional by 2030, down from 4% in 2022 (global).2
The other side
The creator economy keeps growing overall, and a middle tier earning $10,000 to $100,000 a year is expanding.
of U.S. creators earn $10,000 to $100,000 a year, a growing middle class. The Influencer Marketing Factory ↗
of creators saw their earnings grow in 2025. The Influencer Marketing Factory ↗
Why Anthony still holds this view
Growth is concentrated among creators who are already established. Nearly half still earn under $10,000.
For marketers
Most creators can’t live on content, so mid-size creators are affordable and motivated partners. Paid placement keeps crowding out free, unpaid reach.
For you
Notice when a post is paid placement, and weigh it that way.