Stella Chuu is one of the most outspoken cosplayers out there. Chuu started as a graphic designer but found love when she tried her hand at cosplaying. While she wouldn’t say exactly how much she makes, Chuu told CNBC that she earned a “six-figure salary” from her cosplaying.
Chuu now considers herself a fashion designer and states that it’s very difficult being a professional, full-time cosplayer since the pay isn’t constant. On the side, she charges to make costumes for other cosplayers and takes donations through her Patreon account. She accepts donations anywhere from $2 to $100 per month.
Maitland Ward is one of the top cosplayers out there. She started out her career playing Jessica in The Bold and the Beautiful. Soon after that, she portrayed Rachel in Boy Meets World. Once the show was over, she had to find other endeavors. She tried out acting, but it didn’t quite work out.
Instead, she found that cosplay was a much better option. Considering her physique, she quickly became one of the most popular cosplayers out there, selling her signed pictures for $30 or more a pop (depending on the picture). She mostly did it for fun, but she didn’t really start making money until she started her Snapchat account. Now she makes $62,000 per year doing porn.
You can’t mention cosplay and leave out Jessica Nigri. Nigri is one of the top cosplayers in the world, and one of the most sought after. If you combine her subscribers and followers on social media, she has over six million (a number that is rising rapidly).
Nigri is extremely skilled, and she makes some serious bank. Sotaku found that she makes approximately $255,000 just doing what she loves. Most of her designs revolve around games, but she also does a few comic and anime characters here and there. Her Patreon is also pretty active, with over 2,000 people donating anywhere from $1 to $150 each month.
Yaya Han is an incredibly enthusiastic cosplayer, and that’s precisely why she’s so popular. Not only is she active on social media, but she also goes to tons of conventions. Pretty much anyone that knows cosplay knows her name. Much of that is because she was one of the main personalities from Heroes of the Cosplay reality TV show.
Sotaku states she makes approximately $102,000 per year, but all that could change. Han is starting her own line of cosplay-centric fabrics for other cosplayers to make costumes. This could skyrocket her net worth much higher, considering how big cosplaying is.
Enako is one of Japan’s biggest cosplayers, and one of the top cosplayers in the world. Professional cosplayers are few and far between since most only do it for fun and don’t make enough money to support themselves. Enako definitely makes enough.
During an interview on Nakai No Mado, she made nearly $100,000 in just two days during Comiket, a biannual convention in Tokyo. The cosplayer went on to say she made between $2,900 and $3,900 per stage event and nearly $10,000 per month.
Lyz Brickley has some amazing chops. She’s not afraid to be a little uncomfortable for her cosplays, and that includes wearing intense contacts. She’s a gamer, so she mostly dresses up as characters from her favorite titles. This includes Street Fighter, Diablo III, World of Warcraft, Thief, and many more.
Brickley cosplays for fun, so she honestly doesn’t make much money from it. However, the skills she’s learned through it has helped her open her own website and clothing line. She’s the owner of System Error, an online clothing store. The prices are pretty reasonable, and that’s where she makes most of her money.
Spiral Cats is an all-female cosplay group from South Korea. They were formed in 2009 and now consist of five women. Because Tasha has been involved for so long, she’s unequivocally one of the most popular (and highest paid) members.
Tasha hasn’t commented on how much money she makes, but her Patreon is very active. She has 48 regular subscribers that donate anywhere from $1 to $175 per month. She also allows people to purchase her photoshoots for $7 to $35 each. We do know that Tasha makes enough money for cosplaying to be her full-time job.
