Jordan Peterson revealed he once earned $400,000 a month — ways to pump up wealth even if you're not famous

Jing Pan
4-min read
Jordan Peterson revealed he once earned $400,000 a month — ways to pump up wealth even if you're not famous
Jordan Peterson revealed he once earned $400,000 a month — ways to pump up wealth even if you're not famous

Have you ever wondered how much prominent online personalities earn?

While most celebrities keep their earnings under wraps, Canadian psychologist, author and social media influencer Jordan Peterson, who first made his name as a public commentator in 2016 by harshly criticizing progressive gender policy in his native Ontario, Canada, once provided a rare glimpse into the details of his financial success.

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“I’m not ashamed of making money, it’s very hard to make money,” he said during a 2018 interview with French journalist Martin Weill.

Peterson, at this point, had gained prominence as a cultural lightning rod popular among right-wing men, extending his commentary to vitriolic criticisms of feminism and identity politics. Weill asked, bluntly, how much money he makes, and Peterson was happy to oblige.

The income streams of a big-name influencer

Peterson didn’t shy away from the details, and broke down his multiple income streams.

“I make $80,000 a month on Patreon. My book is selling about 20,000 copies a week, I have royalties that probably amount to something approximating $1.50 on each of those. The tours garner about $35,000 to $50,000 an evening. I have a business that’s generating, I don’t know, something in the neighborhood of $200,000 a month for me personally. There’s some other smaller sources of income than that.”

Assuming Peterson gave an accurate accounting, his monthly income at the time was in the neighborhood of $400,000 a month, not counting his earnings from tours. If he conducted a few appearances from tours each month, his monthly income could have easily surpassed half a million dollars.

Peterson later deleted his lucrative Patreon account as a protest against the platform’s removal of right-wing personality Carl Benjamin, colloquially known online as Sargon of Akkad, over hate-speech allegations. But because Peterson’s other cash flows were so diverse, he was, presumably, able to take the hit and remain a high earner.

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The numbers left Weill astonished, prompting him to remark, “You are making a lot of money out of this.”

“Yes,” Peterson responded. “I certainly am, and so are a lot of other people.”

Of course, for most people, a monthly income of $400,000 or more like Peterson claimed to earn is simply out of reach. Very few individuals get famous enough to command a paying audience as large as his. And, to be sure, some who disagree strenuously with Peterson’s divisive views argue his income is entirely ill-gotten.

Nevertheless, his career offers an example of an individual achieving economic security.

Invest for passive income

Note how a significant portion of Peterson’s earnings is passive, requiring no additional work from him. For instance, his best-selling books continue to generate royalties, even when he’s on vacation.

In order to significantly raise your income and create durable wealth, you should aim to establish multiple streams of passive income. For those who don’t have book deals or massive social media followings, it’s still possible to generate wealth while going about your everyday life.

Some publicly traded companies, for example, pay dividends to investors on a regular basis. Investing in these companies’ shares can allow you to earn a passive income stream through dividends — just make sure to find companies that have the ability to make money through thick and thin.

Real estate is another popular option since well-chosen properties can provide investors with a steady stream of rental income. Moreover, real estate can appreciate over time.

Of course, while we all like the idea of collecting passive income, being a landlord does come with its hassles, such as fixing leaky faucets and dealing with difficult tenants.

But these days, you don’t need to be a landlord to start investing in real estate. There are plenty of real estate investment trusts (REITs), as well as crowdfunding platforms that allow you to earn rental income without becoming a landlord.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.