The creator economy is a $250 billion business. So why isn’t the U.S. Census counting it?

The term “creator economy” now defines a multi-billion dollar industry occupied by influencers, agents, managers, artists, producers, and many other professionals. Despite the rapid growth of that sector, it remains undercounted by the U.S. Census Bureau. A report in The Washington Post reveals that the Bureau’s industry and occupation indexes include no mentions of the phrase “social media.”

The Bureau recognizes esoteric fields like “pickled onion manufacturing” and “canary raising,” but it pigeonholes social media creators into ill-fitting groups like “online video game playing” (which is defined as “data processing”) and “social media specialist” (which is more of a marketing title than a creator descriptor). An official with the Bureau of Labor Statistics told WaPo that creators could be classified as “public relations specialists” or “independent artists, writers and performers.”

This blind spot exists even though the global creator economy carries a $250 billion valuation. That figure is projected to increase to $500 billion by 2027. If it does, it would surpass the revenue generated by video games, according to research by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

In 2021, YouTube’s share of the creator economy accounted for 425,000 full-time-equivalent jobs in the U.S. and a $25 billion addition to the U.S. GDP. In 2022, the GDP contribution from YouTube creators rose to $35 billion.

Some creators have criticized those who fail to recognize the legitimacy of their chosen career. TikToker Katherine Saras

 called out those old-fashioned attitudes in a video set in her apartment.

@katherinesaras if this isn’t your sign to start I don’t know what is. idea from @trendhaul ♬ kodak catching paper planes by vatolocz – VL

“Historically, as innovation has taken place and as society has modernized, you’ve seen the more traditional, cemented-in-space roles look at new roles and say: ‘This makes no sense, it’s not serious, it’s not real,'” said Misty Heggeness, an associate professor of public affairs and economics at the University of Kansas, in an interview with WaPo. “But it really hurts us as a society if we don’t understand the health of this part of the economy.”

Some creators, including the four pictured above, have taken steps to bring more legitimacy to the creator career path. Jimmy ‘MrBeast’ Donaldson and Alix Earle have teamed up with universities to train more online video professionals. Luminaries like Marques Brownlee are offering mentorship to fresh faces. And Justine Ezarik (a.k.a. iJustine) is one of the backers of a new service organization called the Creators Guild of America.

But the U.S. Census still needs to get with the program. Perhaps, by the time the 2030 job report rolls around, the impact of the creator economy will be properly accounted for.