Highest Paid YouTube Niches: Make Money Online with Finance, Investing & More

Chasing big YouTube money? You're not the only one. Tens of thousands of creators roll out fresh content each day, dreaming of unlocking that golden ad revenue. But here’s the wild twist: not all YouTube channels are created equal when it comes to earnings. Some videos struggle to cover a coffee; others rake in enough to buy a sports car every single week. There’s one niche, in particular, that crushes it when it comes to payouts—and the numbers prove it.

The Secret Behind YouTube’s Highest Paid Niches

Let’s start with a stat that’ll make your eyebrows shoot up. According to Social Blade and analysts in 2024, the average YouTube channel makes between $3 and $5 per 1,000 ad views. Mild, right? But that’s just the baseline. A “finance” video, on the other hand, can pull in $15 to $25 for the same thousand views. Why’s there such a massive gap?

It all comes down to CPM (cost per mille), which is what advertisers pay for a thousand ad impressions. Certain topics just command way higher CPMs. Think about it: a luxury credit card company wants eyeballs ready to get a new card or invest big bucks—they’re going to pay a premium if your channel attracts that kind of crowd. That’s why you’ll see channels about stock trading, real estate, investing, and entrepreneurship getting stuffed with high-paying ads. Compare that to a kid’s toy channel or reaction videos—fun, sure, but they attract less valuable eyeballs for advertisers.

Here’s a quick snapshot from an authentic 2024 YouTube Ad Revenue survey:

Put bluntly, if you want the big bucks, aim for finance, entrepreneurship, or money management.

Why Finance and Business Channels Top the YouTube Earnings Chart

Finance just rocks YouTube’s profit charts. Here’s why: viewers who watch investing or personal banking videos are often looking to make financial moves. That makes them super desirable for advertisers—banks, investment apps, fintech startups, and even realtors are dying to nab their clicks.

Take Graham Stephan, an ex-real estate agent turned finance YouTuber with over 5 million subscribers. He’s pulled back the curtain on his own numbers, showing that his CPM ranges from $15 up to $30. When he uploads three videos a week racking up a million views each, he’s banking five to six figures monthly—just from highest paid YouTube niche ad revenue, not even counting sponsorships, courses, or affiliate deals.

This isn’t just a one-off. Ali Abdaal, another big creator in productivity and personal finance, revealed in a 2023 breakdown that his channel earned around $1,300 every single day just from ads. That’s because these topics attract lucrative financial partners. Think about it: any video helping folks maximize credit card points or break into investing doubles as a hotbed for expensive ads.

If you’ve ever seen ads for robo-advisors, gold investments, or zero-fee trading apps before one of these videos—that’s no accident. Advertisers will throw mountains of cash to get in front of people likely to move thousands, if not millions, of dollars into their products.

The finance niche also tends to be less saturated with pranksters, drama, and fleeting fads—so advertisers get more consistent returns. Plus, viewers in these niches tend to binge-watch educational content, making it easier for creators to grow loyal audiences who watch their videos in bulk. Stick around long enough, and it’s almost like building an annuity that pays out every time a new viewer stumbles onto your best educational guides.

Other High-Paying Niches and What Makes Them Profitable

Okay, so maybe you’re not a day trader or living for spreadsheets. YouTube still has a few other backdoors to big paydays. Here are a handful of runner-ups that consistently show high CPM numbers:

• Tech and Gadget Reviews: Reviews of laptops, smartphones, and headphones often attract a tech-savvy audience ready to buy. Advertisers trying to push the latest gear will pay extra for quality placements. Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) has spilled that his CPMs regularly go above $8, which adds up fast with millions of views per video.
• Online Marketing and Business Growth: Channels coaching viewers on starting side hustles, scaling businesses, and building brands also pull in CPMs from $10 to $18. That’s because platforms, course creators, and even B2B tech companies will shell out for targeted reach.
• Insurance and Legal Advice: Videos explaining different types of insurance policies, law fundamentals for small businesses, or navigating taxes can sometimes shoot up toward the $20 CPM mark. It’s not the most crowded space, but advertisers here want quality over quantity.
• Health & Fitness (But Only Certain Kinds): Medical, dental, and insurance topics, especially around procedures or high-ticket wellness programs, tend to do well. Simple workout videos don’t pay as much, but serious advice—think about explaining private health insurance quirks—draws in high-paying healthcare firms.

Let’s call out travel for a second. While some travel vloggers hit it big with sponsorships or tourism brand deals, CPMs for pure travel content rarely crack $5 unless you get seriously niche—like luxury travel or business class flight reviews. Then, it’s all about those credit card and travel insurance ads.

It’s also worth pointing out that some channels layer their income. A moderate-earning niche can become way more profitable when mixing high-value affiliate links (like credit card or investing promos) with sponsored content. Even if raw CPM isn’t spectacular, supplementing with these tactics can tip a creator into six-figure land.

How to Break Into the Most Profitable YouTube Niches

So, let’s say you want to claim a slice of this high-earning pie for yourself. Sitting in front of a camera and rattling off credit card tips isn’t the whole story. Making real money requires a blend of smart topic choice, sharp presentation, and a little bit of grit.

Step one is choosing a unique angle. Finance, tech, and entrepreneurship are crowded spaces, but there’s always room for creators who explain tough concepts simply or share a relatable backstory. Look at Andrei Jikh—he brings a magician’s charisma to personal finance, making what should be dry content genuinely entertaining. Or Cathrin Manning, who grew massive by breaking down her actual YouTube and small business earnings, being refreshingly transparent when others kept the numbers secret.

The next trick is creating binge-worthy playlists. YouTube’s algorithm is sticky—channels grow fastest when viewers stick around for three, four, ten videos in a row. Invest in good lighting, crisp audio, and slick editing, but don’t obsess over Hollywood perfection. Most viewers care more about substance and regular uploads than flawless production.

Ever notice that the highest paid channels have loads of sponsors? That’s not luck. High-CPM niches attract brands ready to offer direct deals—sometimes at $20,000 or $40,000 per sponsored video, if you’re big enough. But even micro-influencers (under 100,000 subs) get solid offers in the finance and tech space. And don’t forget affiliate programs: credit card signup links, trading apps, or course sales can sometimes double your ad earnings.

Here’s a list of actionable tips to boost your channel’s income:

• Focus on evergreen content. Videos about “how to invest,” “best credit cards,” or “side hustle ideas” will get views for years, not just days.
• Use honest and clear titles. Clickbait can work short term, but YouTube’s algorithm prioritizes high watch time and positive feedback.
• Engage viewers in your niche’s community: reply to comments, join Reddit or Facebook groups related to your topic, and learn what people really want to know.
• Always be transparent when featuring sponsors or affiliate products—trust is your biggest asset in high-earning fields.
• Monetize outside YouTube: launch a newsletter, online course, or exclusive community for superfans. Diversifying beats relying on a single income source.

Finally, don’t get discouraged by low early ad rates. The beauty of high-CPM niches is in scaling: once you cross the threshold for steady viewers, the sky’s the limit. Smart creators don’t chase viral hits; they build libraries of useful videos that keep earning month after month.