How Much Do Pornstars Actually Make? (A Detailed Analysis)

Have you ever wondered how much your favorite porn star actually makes?

It’s fun to Google what their net worth might be, but the fact of the matter is that pay within the industry can vary WILDLY, even for the same performer. And while these megastars are certainly seen by hundreds of millions of people, they might not be making as much as you might think!

So, how well does porn pay, really? In this article, I’ll be doing a deep dive into the earning of both amateur and professional pornstars, what determines their income, and more! I found this to be pretty interesting while I was researching, so I’m hoping you’ll enjoy it!

How Pornstars Get Paid

Before we cover specific numbers, it’s important to understand a little bit of how pornstars actually get paid – that is, the different ways they earn money.

The majority of the time, studios pay a fixed amount per scene. So, you shoot one scene, you get paid a certain amount. Many pornstars go under contract with different studios to do X number of scenes, either filmed in quick succession or over time.

In some cases, porn stars may get paid a percentage of a clip’s sales, or royalties. This may sometimes be done in addition to a base fee.

This is rare these days, for the same reason that most businesses don’t do profit sharing. It’s a hassle, and most of the big studios sell their library as a subscription anyway, rather than charging for individual clips.

It actually poses a bit of problems for pornstars who decide to quit the industry – once they leave, they have no income coming in from their former work, and may struggle to get employment elsewhere that pays anywhere near the same amount.

That being said, pornstars don’t just make money shooting for major studios. Many of them have their own websites, Onlyfans’ pages, and even lines of sex toys that they sell to their fans. Some sell panties and other intimate items. Some strip, some do escorting, the list goes on and on.

The Factors That Influence Earnings

Let’s start talking numbers!

As already mentioned, payment within the industry can vary wildly from person to person, and from scene to scene.

Obviously, the more scenes that a person does, the more they’ll make over the course of a year. But what factors influence the price per scene?

At the very bottom of the payment scale, we have scenes that are just a solo girl – think stripteases or masturbation. These might pay $350-$500.

Girl-girl scenes may pay between $800 and $1,000, where man-woman scenes can pay up to $1,500. These are earnings for female pornstars, by the way.

It might be unsurprising to hear that your gender will affect your earnings. Typically, men earn less. Whereas a woman might earn $1,500 for a scene, a male performer may only earn between $500 and $900 for the same scene.

That being said, it is possible for pornstars to make more.

The more intense or fringe the scene is, the more it will pay. Anal scenes can earn a few hundred bucks more, where more extreme acts – like double penetration or extreme fetishes, can earn several thousand dollars per scene.

More money may also be paid if the scene is unique – for example, an actress’ first time engaging in a fetish, or doing anal. You know, stuff people will pay to see, that will drive their fans to sign up for the studios’ websites.

So, how much do they make overall?

The average popular pornstar will do 100 scenes a year or so, so you can do the math. Even at $1,500 per scene, that is just $150k a year, before taxes.

$150,000 a year is nothing to scoff at, but it’s hardly what you’d expect for a mainstream star.

Does This Mean You Can Hire A Pornstar For Just $1,000?

Okay, so $1,000 even for a mainstream pornstar doesn’t seem like a whole lot of money – at least not to me. But if you wanted to fuck them, $1,000 might seem like a bargain.

Could you do it? Could $1,000 be all that you need to fuck someone super hot, and super famous like that?

Probably not.

Remember, this is what pornstars make – it’s not what the studios spend. In addition to travel and hospitality, there are also things like agent fees – typically 10-15% extra, that have to be considered.

It’s also worth noting that personal safety is paramount for pornstars, and they’ll likely only work with established studios.

If you want to learn more about hiring a pornstar, check out this article here!

They May Make Much More Through Other Channels, However

Okay, so we have some established numbers. About $1,000 to $1,500 for your standard scene for women, $500-900 for men. Women will do up to 100 scenes a year. Standard pornstars will make around $100-150k a year through filming alone, and top-of-the-line pornstars who are in high demand may make as much as $350,000 per year.

Of course, this is just through shooting scenes for major studios.

Although the industry has gotten much more competitive in the last couple of decades, the playing field has also been leveled a little bit. There are a LOT more opportunities for them to use their fame to make money that aren’t gatekept by a few decision makers at a major studio.

Considering we have girls you’ve never heard of making more than a million dollars per year on Onlyfans, it’s quite possible they are making significantly more elsewhere.

In fact, Jenna Jameson (who was quite popular in the past), made upwards of $30 million per year selling her own line of sex toys.

It’s impossible to know how much for sure each girl is making, and popularity doesn’t always play as big of a role as you think. Some are simply better businesspeople than others. But with big audiences, comes big opportunities!

Closing Thoughts

Although pornstars can certainly make a lot of money through their fame, studios don’t actually pay as much as you might think.

While it can be a lucrative job if you make it big, the life of a pornstar is usually quite short-lived. In fact, according to famous pornstar Valentina Nappi, most will see a decline in booked scenes by the time they’re just 26 years old.

While many go on to become producers or sell content independently, it’s not a career you can carry on forever.

That being said, there has never been a better time to make money through alternative revenue streams. As an adult creator myself, I’m actually launching a service to help other adult creators amplify their brands and make more money through their content and presence. So, if you happen to be in the industry or you want to get started in porn, don’t hesitate to reach out to me!

I’m curious, how much did you think they made? Did these numbers surprise you?

Write to me below and let me know!

~ Lexi