How much do course creators on Udemy make?

Udemy instructor earnings vary wildly, from under $1,000/year for most to over $100k+ for top creators, averaging around $3,300 annually according to some studies, with success depending heavily on audience building, topic demand, and marketing. Top earners make a significant portion of total revenue, while many instructors treat it as a side hustle, earning modest amounts, often a few dollars per sale, due to frequent deep discounts.

How much does Udemy pay creators?

Udemy instructors make anything from $0/year to more than $250,000/year. I'll share case studies of Udemy course creator earnings in the next section. Some estimates put the average Udemy course creator earnings at $3,306/year.

Can you make money creating Udemy courses?

Udemy seeks to create a sustainable partnership with instructors, where instructors are rewarded for creating amazing content and bringing students to the platform, and Udemy is rewarded for driving sales for our instructors.

How much money do instructors make on Udemy?

The average instructor earning on Udemy is $3,306 per year. A majority of instructors (75%) make less than $1,000 a year on Udemy.

Is creating a course on Udemy worth it?

While Udemy is a popular starting point for course creators, it isn't the only option, and for many, it's not the best long-term strategy. If your goal is to build a sustainable business, grow your brand, and keep more of your revenue, you should consider self-hosting or using a hybrid strategy.

5 Genius Ways to Make Money from Home in 2026 (Using AI)

Who is the highest earner on Udemy?

Rob Percival's courses have reached nearly 120,000 students and exceeded $2.8 million in total earnings. Victor Bastos has reached more than 52,000 Udemy students with his courses, which have earned nearly $900,000. Alun Hill's courses have been accessed by nearly 47,000 Udemy students and have earned about $650,000.

What are the downsides of Udemy?

Udemy's main drawbacks include inconsistent course quality due to a lack of strict curation, making it hard to find truly in-depth or well-taught material despite many good instructors. Other issues are non-accredited certificates, limited instructor interaction, platform-driven pricing (frequent deep discounts), and potential for "tutorial hell" where passive watching hinders actual skill development.
 

Is Udemy worth it for instructors?

Teaching with Udemy gives you additional earning potential. Some instructors have been able to leave their jobs to teach full time with Udemy. It's free to create and publish a course with us, and you earn revenue share for every paid enrollment.

How do I get paid by Udemy?

Udemy has partnered with Payoneer, a leading global payments service provider, to offer our instructors another flexible, low-cost payment method. Payments from Payoneer can be delivered to your local bank account or to your prepaid Mastercard® card.

Is Udemy passive income?

The Udemy model, however, means you might sell courses at a much lower price point, but you also might sell a greater number of them. “Which option is best depends on what your goals are,” says Louise. “Personally, I wanted my course income to be passive, and that's what Udemy gives me.

Do employers consider Udemy seriously?

Udemy courses aren't formally accredited, so certificates are "Certificates of Completion," not degrees, but many employers do recognize them as proof of skill development, commitment, and staying current, especially in tech; the real value comes from applying skills in projects you can demonstrate on a resume/LinkedIn, not just listing the certificate. Employers value relevant, up-to-date content, instructor reputation, and tangible results (projects) over just the certificate itself, which shows initiative but not necessarily mastery. 

Which course is best for earning money from home?

Top Online Courses To Make Money

• The Complete Digital Marketing Course.
• Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate.
• Affiliate Marketing Course By Ahrefs.
• Google UX Designer Certification.
• Freelance Digital Marketing Course For Beginners.
• Content Marketing Certification Course By Hubspot.

Can you make a lot of money on Udemy?

You can make a lot of money with Udemy but like everything in life – the more effort, the more rewards! 97% is very generous – but you have to find the customer. I have been happy for Udemy to do the selling, marketing, and driving traffic – which in most instances means 50% revenue share.

Is Udemy enough to get a job?

Udemy certificates can help you gain relevant skills and knowledge that will help you in your job search, but they are not sufficient to obtain high-paying jobs. Therefore, don't expect employers to consider you for advanced positions solely based on Udemy certificates.

Can you make $100 a day online?

Yes, you absolutely can make $100 a day online, but it usually requires leveraging skills, consistency, or specific platforms, with options ranging from freelancing (writing, design, web development) and online tutoring to selling products (print-on-demand, e-commerce) or using gig apps, though high-risk methods like trading also exist. Success depends on choosing the right path and putting in the work, whether through active tasks or building passive income streams. 

Which course is best for passive income?

Passive Income Courses and Certifications

• Entrepreneurship Courses.
• Digital Marketing Courses.
• Financial Planning Courses.
• Real Estate Courses.
• E-commerce Courses.
• Affiliate Marketing Courses.
• Stock Trading Courses.
• Content Creation Courses.

What courses sell the most?

Top online course ideas:

• Health and wellness courses.
• Nutrition courses.
• Career and leadership courses.
• Marketing and sales courses.
• Arts & craft courses.
• Personal finance courses.
• Online relationship courses.
• Self-development courses.

What are the disadvantages of Udemy?

Udemy's main disadvantages include inconsistent course quality, ranging from excellent to poor due to its open marketplace model; lack of formal accreditation for certificates; potential for outdated content, especially in fast-moving fields; limited instructor interaction; and a sometimes confusing, "scammy" sales model with frequent deep discounts. Users often struggle with content depth, standardization, and finding truly comprehensive courses amidst the vast library, leading to wasted time.
 

Who is the highest paid instructor on Udemy?

To this day the course has 2 Million+ enrollments. Based on his numbers, we can easily say, he's of the top-performing instructors on Udemy. Jose Portilla is also the highest paid Udemy instructor (Earnings here refer to the payments coming from sale of courses and subscription minutes) Portilla as of January 2026.

Can I put my Udemy certificate on my resume?

Udemy certificates are certificates of completion. Add your Udemy certificate to your resume and LinkedIn profile, but be strategic. Select the most relevant ones and pair them with hands-on projects.

Which site is better than Udemy?

Skillshare – Best overall Udemy alternative for creators in popular and trending skill categories. 3. Domestika – Best for experienced creative professionals who want help with production and reach a design-focused audience.

Why is Udemy in loss?

The logic is straightforward: Udemy keeps 82.5% of subscription revenue versus just 63% from one-off purchases. The subscription margin is set to grow to 85% in 2026, but so far, the bet isn't paying off.

What is the Udemy lawsuit about?

Udemy agreed to a class action lawsuit settlement to resolve claims it deceptively advertised discounts on its educational courses. The settlement benefits consumers who made purchases from Udemy.com between Aug. 23, 2017, and April 21, 2023.