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Guess how much gay porn stars make?

The life of a gay porn star seems luxurious, glamorous, and oh-so-rich. But how much do they actually make?

Back in 2015, when we first penned this article, the top-tier gay porn stars could cash in a cool $5,000 per scene if their name carried some weight. However, the reality was a tad more modest for the majority, typically raking in around $500 to $1,000 per scene.

What do gay porn stars make today?

Crunching the numbers, the average gay porn star wouldn’t be rolling in the dough. $500 per scene, perhaps scoring five scenes each month, and voila, you’re looking at $2,500 in monthly earnings or a neat $30,000 annually. To put things in perspective, the median U.S. household income in 2015 was only $51,000. It seemed that gay porn stars were pocketing just over half the pay of your average desk jockey.

Fast forward to a recent Dazed article spotlighting the hot topic of unionizing within the porn industry. Mickey Taylor offered insights into the contemporary rates, saying, “You can work in the U.S. and get paid anything from $500 to $2,000 for the day/scene.”

Let’s rerun the numbers with these fresh figures. Assuming an average of five scenes per month and using the potential range provided by Mickey Taylor above, we’re looking at monthly earnings of $2,500 to $10,000. That translates to an updated yearly salary ranging from $30,000 to $120,000. Quite the spectrum, isn’t it?

Gay porn’s new revenue stream

But gay porn has a new star on the scene, bringing in some extra cash for its actors. Reports from a Buzzfeed article, porn creators spilled the beans on supplemental income, and it’s no small change. We’re talking about potential extra earnings ranging from $20,000 to $100,000 annually thanks to platforms like OnlyFans, Clips4Sale, and FanCentro. This seismic shift in income potential has added an exciting addition to gay porn stars’ finances.

These platforms allow their performers to set monthly, quarterly, or yearly subscriptions on their content, allowing them to monetize it flexibly. It also gives them a safe place to sell custom content for as much or as little as they’d like, helping boost gay porn stars’ paychecks and giving them control that working within the typical porn industry doesn’t allow.

Navigating gay porn earnings

As with anything in life, there’s a catch. The porn industry isn’t exactly one to shout figures from the rooftops. Each producer and production company pays differently. And the U.S. Census Bureau isn’t planning any pop-ins to porn studios anytime soon. So, we’re left with hushed conversations and the courageous few who open up about the numbers.

Making money in the gay porn industry isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula. Success is as diverse as the performers themselves. From selling personalized content to even dabbling in merchandising, it’s a world where savvy moves and personal branding can make all the difference.

Remember, it’s not just about the scenes anymore. How you market yourself, build your online presence, and capitalize on the power of social media can elevate you from a performer to a brand. While the life of a gay porn star might seem luxurious, the journey to the green is as diverse as the characters themselves.

PS: Before you scurry off to make your OnlyFans account, subscribe to the Queerty newsletter and get articles like this straight to your inbox. (Promise, that’s the only thing straight about us.) 

Michael Alvear’s latest book is How To Top Like A Pornstar

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