How to Make 6 Figures As A Therapist? ( Best Ways in 2024)
So you want to make six figures as a therapist? Good for you! Being a therapist is a highly respectable and well-paid profession, and there's no reason why you can't earn a high income if you put your mind to it.
In this blog post, we'll look at some of the best ways to make more money as a therapist - business ideas you can start to achieve such income. Keep reading to learn more!
1. Become a social media influencer ($57.4K/month)
As a therapist looking to make six figures, you could consider starting a side business as a social media influencer. Social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok offer extensive opportunities for you to share your expertise and build a large following.
By establishing credibility in mental health and therapy, you could attract brands seeking collaboration, leading to sponsored posts, partnerships, and even product endorsements. Sharing valuable content such as mental health tips, self-care routines, and therapeutic advice not only helps others but also positions you as an authoritative voice in the industry.
With a strategic approach and consistent effort, this side business could significantly supplement your income, moving you closer to that six-figure goal.
How much you can make: $2,500 — $166,666/month
How much does it cost to start: $800 (?)
How long does it take to build: 155 days (?)
How one mother built a profitable frugal motherhood, life, and travel blog from scratch, using Instagram, Pinterest, and paid sponsorships to grow from 0 to 18.5K followers and generate $1,500-$3,000 per month in less than two years.
2. Start an ecommerce store ($287K/month)
Starting an eCommerce store could be a lucrative way for you to supplement your income and potentially make six figures as a therapist. Given the lower overhead costs and increased flexibility of an online business, you could sell digital products such as courses, workbooks, or therapeutic tools geared towards mental health and wellness. This would allow you to reach a broader audience beyond your immediate geographical location, offering your valuable expertise to more people.
Additionally, the booming eCommerce sector offers the convenience and efficiency that modern consumers love. By setting up a user-friendly website where clients can easily purchase your products, you could create a passive income stream that complements your therapy practice. You'd be able to offer a range of products tailored to the needs of your clients, thus leveraging your professional knowledge and turning it into an additional revenue source.
How much you can make: $350 — $13,500,000/month
How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Southern Elegance Candle Company, founded by D'Shawn Russell, started as a side hustle making around $200 per weekend at a local Farmers Market, but now averages approximately $20,000 per month in sales across their retail site, wholesale site, and Faire.
3. Start a youtube channel ($146K/month)
Starting a YouTube channel could be a lucrative way to supplement your income as a therapist. By creating engaging and informative content around mental health topics, therapy techniques, and self-help advice, you could attract a substantial audience. With YouTube’s established monetization system, reaching a minimum of 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours within the past 12 months could allow you to join the YouTube Partner Program and start earning ad revenue.
Additionally, a successful YouTube channel could open doors to other income streams such as sponsored content, affiliate marketing, and selling online courses or e-books. Leveraging your expertise in therapy, you could establish yourself as an authoritative voice in the mental health space, potentially attracting more clients to your private practice. Embracing this entrepreneurial approach could help you build a rewarding and profitable side business.
How much you can make: $800 — $1,000,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $750 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Learn how this entrepreneurial couple made $5-7k a month by helping others find legitimate work from home jobs and creative ways to make money online through their blog and YouTube channel, as well as offering two flagship products designed to help beginner freelancers and new bloggers accelerate growth.
4. Start a podcast ($97.9K/month)
Starting a podcast could serve as an excellent way to supplement your income and even flourish into a profitable side business that could help you reach six figures as a therapist. By creating and producing audio content that is both entertaining and informative, you could attract a dedicated audience who are interested in mental health and wellness topics. With minimal investment in basic recording equipment like a microphone and headphones, and an affordable hosting platform, you could start your podcast on a budget.
Selecting a niche or topic you are passionate about and that resonates with your audience is crucial. As your listener base grows, you could leverage social media and online communities to promote your podcast, which could, in turn, catch the attention of sponsors and advertisers. This additional revenue stream could significantly boost your earnings as a therapist, opening up new financial avenues.
How much you can make: $400 — $1,020,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 2 hours/week
A successful podcast production company that grew from one client making $15/hour to a team of 10 contractors producing over 30 shows per week with revenue of over $10k/mo, primarily through referrals and with a focus on providing high personal touch and being picky about working only with clients who are a good fit.
5. Become an affiliate marketer ($55.3K/month)
As a therapist, you could leverage affiliate marketing to supplement your income by promoting products or services that align with your expertise and resonate with your clients. This business model allows you to earn commissions without needing to create or own the products yourself, keeping your overhead costs low.
By signing up for affiliate programs in niches related to mental health, wellness, or personal development, you could share valuable resources with your audience, such as self-help books, therapeutic tools, or online courses. Your unique tracking links would ensure you earn a commission for every sale made through your referrals.
Starting an affiliate marketing business requires minimal upfront investment and enables you to utilize your existing marketing skills. This side venture could become a significant income stream, helping you achieve a six-figure salary while benefiting your clients with curated, beneficial products and services.
How much you can make: $18,000 — $83,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $100 (?)
How long does it take to build: 150 days (?)
This case study explores how Spencer Mecham founded Buildapreneur, an affiliate marketing business, and has made over half a million dollars in profit with no employees, relying solely on content marketing through platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
6. Start a social media marketing agency ($386K/month)
Starting a social media marketing agency could help you make six figures as a therapist by allowing you to leverage your expertise in mental health to create specialized campaigns for other therapists, wellness centers, and healthcare providers. Whether you want to clear your utility bills, finance your continuing education, or save for a vacation, this side business offers a flexible way to earn extra income by managing social media accounts for clients.
The advantage is that you do not need to commit an overwhelming amount of time; many tasks can be automated using social media marketing tools, freeing up time for your primary practice. To succeed, you would need to develop a strong social media marketing strategy and create a compelling agency portfolio to attract and serve your target customers effectively.
How much you can make: $1,000 — $4,166,667/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 75 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 30 hours/week
How David Tile turned a freelance writing gig into an $80k/month business, discussing lessons learned through managing growing demands and maintaining a remote team operation.
7. Start a career coaching business ($48.5K/month)
Starting a career coaching business could be a lucrative way to supplement your income and help you reach six figures as a therapist. By leveraging your skills in personalized guidance, you could offer tailored sessions in resume building, interview preparation, and workplace advancement, helping clients navigate professional transitions and growth opportunities.
With the option to conduct sessions both in-person and virtually, you could build a flexible and scalable client base, making this an ideal side business or even a full-time venture. Your expertise in human resources and your natural ability to motivate could empower clients to achieve their career goals while you set your schedule and enhance your earnings.
How much you can make: $1,000 — $235,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Wall Street Oasis, the largest online community focused on careers in finance, has over 100 million visitors during its 14-year history and is currently receiving over 2 million visits per month, offering interview courses and mentorship services, in addition to building and investing in a thriving online community.
8. Digital products ($242K/month)
Creating digital products can be a lucrative way to supplement your income and potentially reach six figures as a therapist. With your expertise, you could develop information-based products such as ebooks or online courses that address common concerns your clients face. These products can be sold directly from your website, allowing you to earn money with comparatively little overhead.
Moreover, the demand for self-help resources is ever-growing, providing a vast audience ready to invest in quality, actionable advice from a professional like you. By leveraging digital products, you could create a scalable income stream that requires minimal ongoing effort, freeing up time for your primary practice or other ventures. The possibilities are endless, whether it's creating a membership site offering exclusive content or building a supportive online community.
How much you can make: $10,417 — $1,766,666/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
FilterGrade is an eCommerce platform offering digital assets such as photo filters and video templates; attracting over 450,000 monthly users and generating approximately 30k a month, the founders worked hard to build a valuable marketplace for creators while focusing on digital marketing, partnerships, and content creation.
9. Start a freelance writing business ($62.6K/month)
Starting a freelance writing business could be an excellent way to supplement your income and edge closer to earning six figures as a therapist. Leveraging your expertise in mental health, you could create high-quality content for blogs, articles, or even e-books, offering valuable insights into therapy-related topics. This niche-specific knowledge could position you as a sought-after writer in both the mental health community and the broader wellness industry.
Freelance writing offers the flexibility to define your work schedule, allowing you to balance this side business with your existing practice. Strong writing skills, a knack for meeting deadlines, and being a self-starter will be essential to your success. By staying current with writing trends and utilizing effective communication, you could build a steady stream of clients and significantly boost your earnings.
How much you can make: $700 — $500,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 56 days (?)
How David Tile turned a freelance writing gig into an $80k/month business, discussing lessons learned through managing growing demands and maintaining a remote team operation.
10. Start a blog ($44.9K/month)
Starting a blog could significantly supplement your income as a therapist by allowing you to share your expertise with a broader audience and build a loyal following. Given that 77% of internet users read blogs and blogs are considered one of the most trustworthy sources of information, your insights and advice could attract a large readership.
By monetizing your blog through methods like affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, or even creating and selling digital products, you could generate a robust stream of passive income. With approximately 409 million people viewing over 20 billion pages each month, the potential to reach a global audience is monumental, making it possible to turn this side hustle into an entirely new, lucrative business venture.
How much you can make: $100 — $650,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Learn how one couple created a successful personal finance blog, The Savvy Couple, that now makes over $20,000 per month and has sold thousands of digital workbooks and courses, by focusing on purposeful content and optimizing their ROI with efficient time management.
11. Create an online course ($82.8K/month)
Creating an online course could significantly boost your income as a therapist by capitalizing on your specialized knowledge and expertise. By identifying educational gaps in mental health topics and developing engaging video lessons and supplementary materials, you could attract a diverse student base willing to pay for your insights and practical advice.
This entrepreneurial endeavor not only offers the flexibility of self-paced or cohort-based learning structures but also provides passive income potential, requiring minimal ongoing effort once the course is set up. For therapists who take pleasure in sharing information, launching an online course platform is a low-cost start-up opportunity that could help you reach six figures by serving lifelong learners seeking convenient, high-quality education on vital mental health subjects.
How much you can make: $275 — $1,000,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 88 days (?)
Learn how one couple created a successful personal finance blog, The Savvy Couple, that now makes over $20,000 per month and has sold thousands of digital workbooks and courses, by focusing on purposeful content and optimizing their ROI with efficient time management.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.