YouTube-Commissioned Study Finds It Contributed $20.5 Billion To U.S. GDP In 2020

For the second year, YouTube has commissioned a study from research firm Oxford Economics, diving into the overarching economic implications of the video giant in the United States.

The study, titled The State Of the Creator Economy, found that YouTube contributed $20.5 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020, as well as the equivalent of 394,000 full-time jobs. Last year’s report, looking at 2019, concluded that YouTube contributed approximately $16.7 billion to the U.S. GDP and the equivalent off 345,000 full-time jobs. That means that this year’s contributions to GDP and jobs increased 23% and 14%, respectively.

“We’ve only been in the world of professional creators whose businesses are online for about a decade,” YouTube chief business officer Robert Kyncl said during a press event unveiling the report. “And only YouTube has been sharing revenue directly with creators throughout that time.