Finding Out How Much TikTok Stars Make Will Make You Feel Woefully Inadequate

Five minutes before the publication of this blog, I was blissfully unaware of how much the top teenage TikTok stars were pulling in from making 30-second dance videos to songs I sometimes can't believe were actually written without the intent of being on TikTok — and what I wouldn't give to go back to that time.

In the last eight months or so, I have gone from the biggest TikTok hater to one of its most ardent supporters. I can't get off the thing. I obviously knew these top creators with 50 million or more followers were making money, but seeing the figures made me feel like my life decisions have been incorrect.

According to Forbes, TikTok's top earner from June 2019 to June 2020 was Addison Rae, who pulled in a whopping $5 million. Coming in right behind here were Charli and Dixie D'Amelio, who made $4 million and $2.9 million, respectively.

For the 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons combined, National League All-Star and 2019 hits leader Ozzie Albies will make $4,370,370 — or about $600,000 less than Addison Rae made this past year by posting dance videos.

Credit where credit is due, these kids found a way to make an unbelievable amount of money by getting in early on something that became as huge as it did. I guess now we'll wait and see what happens if TikTok gets shut down.