Women dominate online influencing. So why are they paid less?

Influencing has a major pay gap, and it’s not what you might expect. 

A new report from Collabstr, based on over 15,000 influencer collaborations using first-party data, reveals a surprising disparity: male creators earn 40% more per collaboration than female creators—$291 compared to $208 on average.

This gap persists despite women making up the majority of the content creator space. In 2024, 72% of influencers are women, up from 70% in 2023.

These two facts are connected. The report, which focused predominantly on nano and micro-influencers, suggests that female creators are paid less largely due to the sheer number of women in the industry. Oversaturation drives down rates and weakens their bargaining power compared to male counterparts. Notably, the report found that the higher the follower count, the smaller the pay gap.

“While female dominated niches like fashion, beauty, lifestyle receive a lot of influencer spend, there is a lot of saturation especially at the nano and micro-influencer stage, and as a result the brands have more options and are able to price collaborations lower because there is essentially unlimited supply in these niches,” Collabstr cofounder Kyle Dulay tells Fast Company.

Perception also plays a role in the gender pay gap. According to the report, women are more often labeled as “influencers,” while men are referred to as “content creators.” This distinction isn’t just semantic—it has real consequences. The label “influencer” can diminish and undervalue women’s work, framing them as product-pushers, while men are positioned as creative professionals and innovators.

Dulay suggests that one way for female creators in saturated niches to command higher rates is by narrowing their focus. “Instead of being a ‘beauty’ influencer, see how you can narrow that down further, perhaps into skincare particularly or highlighting your journey with acne,” he explains. “By doing this, you’re no longer competing with every other female in the beauty space, and you retain the power to price your services accordingly, rather than having prices dictated by brands.”

That niche doesn’t have to be permanent. “As you grow, naturally the ratio of female to male influencers drops, and you can begin widening your niche while retaining your pricing power,” he adds.

The creator economy is booming. The user-generated content (UGC) market hit $7.62 billion in 2024 and is projected to climb to $35.44 billion by 2030. More creators are seizing the opportunity—66% now offer UGC services, up from just 26% in last year’s report.

For female creators especially: know your worth, and don’t be afraid to claim it.

View the full article