How to Make 6 Figures As A User Researcher? (11 Best Ways in 2024)
So you want to make six figures as a user researcher? Good for you! Being a user researcher 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 user researcher - business ideas you can start to achieve such income. Keep reading to learn more!
1. Become a social media influencer ($57.4K/month)
Supplementing your income as a user researcher by becoming a social media influencer could significantly boost your earnings. By leveraging your expertise in user research, you could establish credibility and create content that resonates with a broad audience interested in technology, user experience design, and research methodologies. This could open up opportunities for brand collaborations and sponsored content, allowing you to monetize your influence.
Given the increasing importance of social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok, brands are eagerly looking to connect with audiences through trusted voices. As an entrepreneurial-minded user researcher, you could position yourself as an authority in your field and attract sponsorships from tech companies, research tools, and educational platforms. By consistently producing high-quality, engaging content, you could build a substantial following and potentially make six figures through your influencer efforts.
With the right strategy, including identifying a niche and creating relevant content, you could turn your passion into a profitable side business. Engaging with your audience and providing valuable insights could not only increase your reach but also help you to make meaningful connections within the industry, further amplifying your earning potential.
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. Create an online course ($91.9K/month)
Starting an online course could significantly boost your income as a user researcher by leveraging your expertise to fill educational gaps in your field. As an entrepreneurial course creator, you could develop engaging video lessons and supplementary materials on specialized topics such as user research methodologies, data analysis, or UX strategy. This allows you to share your knowledge with a broader audience while generating passive income.
Additionally, with the flexibility of self-paced or cohort-based structures, you could attract a diverse student base eager for convenient access to cutting-edge insights. Launching an online course platform with a small startup cost enables you to monetize your instructional talents while helping lifelong learners enhance their skills. By tapping into this lucrative opportunity, you could move closer to earning six figures as a user researcher.
How much you can make: $350 — $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.
3. Start a career coaching business ($48.5K/month)
Starting a career coaching business could significantly boost your income as a user researcher by leveraging your expertise and helping others navigate their professional journeys. By offering personalized guidance on resume building, interview preparation, and workplace advancement, you could assist clients in achieving their career goals while generating substantial additional revenue.
Through custom sessions, either in-person or virtually, you could create a flexible schedule that fits around your primary job, enabling you to empower clients with specialized advice and accountability. This business venture not only allows you to monetize your motivational skills and human resources experience but also lets you set your own hours, further pushing your earnings towards six figures.
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.
4. Start a podcast ($97.9K/month)
Starting a podcast could be a lucrative strategy for supplementing your income as a user researcher. By focusing on a niche topic related to user research, you could attract a dedicated audience interested in the nuances of user experience, behavioral research, and best practices in the field.
With basic recording equipment and a free or affordable hosting platform, you could produce and publish engaging episodes without breaking the bank. By promoting your podcast through social media, online communities, and word of mouth, you could steadily grow your audience. Over time, this audience growth could attract sponsors or advertisers, providing a steady revenue stream and an avenue to potentially make six figures.
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. Start a social media marketing agency ($116K/month)
Starting a social media marketing agency could help you make six figures as a user researcher by leveraging your existing skills in understanding user behavior and preferences to create highly targeted and effective marketing strategies. With the rise of automation tools, you could efficiently manage social media campaigns without a significant time commitment, allowing you to supplement your primary income with relative ease.
You could develop a robust social media marketing strategy and create an agency portfolio to attract clients, helping you clear utility bills, finance college education, or save for a vacation. This entrepreneurial venture could serve as a lucrative side business or even a full-time pursuit, enabling you to tap into a growing market and maximize your earning potential.
How much you can make: $1,000 — $500,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $7,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 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.
6. Start a youtube channel ($146K/month)
Starting a YouTube channel could be a strategic way to supplement your income as a user researcher. By sharing your industry knowledge, tips, case studies, and practical advice, you could attract a wide audience of aspiring researchers, UX professionals, and others interested in this field.
You could eventually monetize your channel through YouTube's established monetization system once you meet the requirements of 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in 12 months. Success stories abound of individuals who have turned their expertise into a substantial revenue stream on YouTube, offering inspiration and encouragement for your own potential journey. This approach could not only enhance your income but could also increase your visibility and credibility in the user research community.
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.
7. Digital products ($261K/month)
Exploring the creation of digital products could present a lucrative opportunity to supplement your income or even pave the way to making six figures as a user researcher. Given your expertise, you could develop information-based products such as eBooks, courses, or webinars focused on user research methodologies, best practices, or emerging trends. These products are not only highly marketable but also leverage your professional knowledge, allowing you to build a profitable side business.
Digital products are particularly advantageous because they are easy to create and distribute. Whether you are building an app that aids user researchers or setting up a membership site with exclusive content, the overhead costs are minimal compared to physical products. This flexibility and low-risk model enables you to launch your entrepreneurial efforts without significant initial investment, maximizing your potential for financial success in this dynamic market.
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.
8. Start a blog ($44.9K/month)
Starting a blog could provide a significant supplementary income for a user researcher, opening doors to a potentially lucrative side business. By sharing your expert insights and experiences in user research through well-crafted blog posts, you could attract a broad audience of individuals and organizations seeking reliable information—77% of internet users read blogs, and blogs are ranked as the 5th most trustworthy source of information online.
With consistent and strategic content creation, you could build a loyal readership, eventually monetizing your blog through advertising, sponsored posts, and affiliate marketing. As your audience grows, opportunities for remote consulting or even online courses on user research methods could arise, further boosting your income.
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.
9. Become an affiliate marketer ($55.3K/month)
Supplementing your income with an affiliate marketer business could be a lucrative option, especially given the low start-up costs and the potential for high earnings through commissions. As a user researcher, you could leverage your understanding of user behavior and market trends to select highly relevant affiliate products and effectively drive sales.
By joining affiliate programs in your niche, you could utilize your research skills to identify which products resonate most with your audience, increasing your potential for successful referrals. This supplemental income stream could significantly boost your overall earnings, helping you reach that six-figure mark while doing what you do best—understanding and influencing user decisions.
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.
10. Start a freelance writing business ($65.5K/month)
Starting a freelance writing business could be a lucrative way to supplement your income and help you achieve a six-figure salary as a user researcher. With the flexibility to define your own work schedule, you could balance freelance writing projects alongside your primary job. As a user researcher, your deep understanding of user behavior and technology trends would provide a unique perspective, making you particularly valuable in writing for tech-centric niches or creating content that appeals to a user-oriented audience.
Additionally, leveraging your strong writing skills, ability to meet deadlines, and staying updated with the latest industry trends could set you apart from other freelance writers. Your expertise in communication and cutting-edge research tools would enable you to deliver high-quality content that commands competitive rates. With dedication and strategic planning, freelance writing could serve as a rewarding side business or even evolve into a primary source of income, helping you reach your financial goals.
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.
11. Start an ecommerce store ($287K/month)
Starting an ecommerce store could be a lucrative way for a user researcher to make six figures by leveraging their understanding of user behavior and interface design. You could create a website to sell products or services, harnessing your unique insights to enhance user experience, streamline the purchasing process, and ultimately drive higher conversion rates. With lower overhead costs and the flexibility to operate from anywhere, an ecommerce business offers a viable supplemental income stream that can grow over time.
Moreover, as ecommerce continues to boom due to its convenience and efficiency, you could capitalize on this trend by offering products that meet specific consumer needs. By utilizing your skills in user research, you can identify and target niche markets, optimize your website for better performance, and apply data-driven strategies to scale your business. This way, you could build a substantial side business or even transition to running your ecommerce store full-time, paving the way to a six-figure income.
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.
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.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
