You think you’re being clever but we know exactly what you’re up to. You think you’re being smart when you inquire but the question reveals your naivete. You want someone to tell you the answer yet when you ask it, you’re ignored or insulted by the crowd. You believe in your heart that if you knew the answer you’d be able to decide if adult webmastering is right for you. You must know. You have to know. You’re sure the answer will enlighten you. You are positive there is an answer. So you keep asking despite the cruel responses and snide asides. If you stick around long enough you come to understand why you never got that straight answer. You end up realizing you never should have asked the question. You arrive at a point where you comprehend your original innocence. You find you’re just like all the other adult webmasters. You laugh at the question:

How much money will I make?

"Adult webmasters earn what they earn. One makes enough for beer money, while another makes enough for yacht money."

In the physical world, prospective students, apprentices and employees are often told exactly how much income they should expect to earn in their chosen field. There are studies and statistics, which tabulate and record median incomes for hundreds of different mainstream occupations. A plumber knows he/she should charge a similar price as his/her peers. A PHD will expect to live in a higher tax bracket than will a waitress. Most employers set a specific salary to a specific job. In the brick-and-mortar realm we usually know what we’ll be paid before we begin a new occupation.

We take jobs based on stated salaries. We go to college or trade schools in order to be able to earn a particular income. We leave jobs to journey where we are paid more. Therefore it’s natural to think such codes about salary apply to the adult Internet. It’s normal to want to know if the money’s worth the effort. The problem is that in online porn, there is no set income. There’s no study or statistical breakdown of the average pornographic webmaster’s salary.

When you ask us ”How much will I make?” you might as well be asking, “How high is the sky”? How low is low? How long is a piece of string? If I work really hard, learn all I can, use the best content, sponsors and hosting, become a search engine guru, transform into a marketing genius, obey all laws and have a kick-ass concept, what can I expect to earn annually? Monthly? Daily? I want to know if I should get into this business. Is it worth my time? Can I really support my family and myself by selling smut to surfers? Will I be able to quit my day job? Can I really become a millionaire?

The reason you will never receive a proper response to these questions is because there’s not a proper answer.

Each and every adult webmaster makes what they make. Adult webmasters earn what they earn. One makes enough for beer money, while another makes enough for yacht money. One is happy to support his/her basic needs while others are never satisfied no matter how healthy their bank accounts. That big player has employees, site members, vendors and affiliates to pay. Whereas that gallery whiz takes in almost all the cash. One graphic designer turns down jobs because they can. Another works for peanuts because they have to. You won’t find an annual report on the performance of our industry. There won’t be any statistics concerning adult webmaster’s salaries. We can’t tell you how much money you’ll make because we simply don’t know.

You are the one who has to determine your potential income. You are the one who has to work. You’re the one who must learn where you fit in and which part of the business best serves your talents.

You could make a few hundred dollars a month or you could make thousands. You could become independently wealthy by selling online porn or you might never make a dime. We don’t have the magic answer because there is no magic answer. Your income on the adult Internet is your responsibility.

Yes you can make a living. Yes some adult webmasters get rich selling cybersmut. If a rich porn peddler gave you detailed, step-by-step instructions on how they achieved their fortune, those instructions won’t guarantee you’ll do the same. The answer to the question “How much will I make?” can only be solved by you.