Anyone who is in the education sector or in the technology trade will likely already be aware of Pluralsight. It’s a fantastic way to access training modules, learning tools, online learning assessments, and education paths online.
Indeed, many people have thought to themselves that they could potentially be a Pluralsight author. But the question is how and how much would you make anyway?
The good news is, the average Pluralsight salary for an author is $80,850 which is over 50% higher than the national average salary!
But you’re going to need to know a lot more than this, so we’ve written this handy guide that explains how much you could make as a Pluralsight author, and how you might become one!
Ready to dive in further? Let’s read on what are the teaching fees, what Pluralsight pays to instructors and how much does a Pluralsight instructor make?
How Much Are Pluralsight Authors Paid?
As we said, currently it is being reported that the average salary for Pluralsight instructors is $80,850 but it must be stressed that this is average for only reported salaries.
It’s a good idea at this point that we explain how Pluralsight authors are paid.
Generally, Pluralsight authors are paid royalties. Essentially, when content has been created and approved, the more it is engaged with – the more royalties that a Pluralsight author will receive.
Of course, you also must take into consideration any deductions and taxation to get a true figure – and this will vary wildly depending on what sort of content has been created and how much it is actually being engaged with.
For example, Millionaire online teacher Scott Allen made over $1.8 million dollars in less than five years from his computer programming course, online resources for IT training videos, and many courses.
Now, this is a huge figure and most Pluralsight authors won’t make this amount in the same timeframe.
However, this does not mean that it is impossible. In fact, most Pluralsight teachers now strive to replicate the success that Scott Allen has had with his online courses – and if you can make really engaging content, then it is certainly a possibility.
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Can Anyone Become A Pluralsight Author?
Yes and no. Anybody has the opportunity to apply to be a Pluralsight author via their website in today’s job market, but there are very strict criteria that you must adhere to and it has to be met.
As you can imagine, the reason for this is to ensure that the best possible teaching resources are available for learners and the quality is high.
This is one of the reasons that it can be somewhat difficult to make huge figures as a Pluralsight author.
With so many high-quality content creators involved, you must ensure that your content is either of similar quality or better production quality.
For the higher salary figures, you have to ensure that your content is even better than this and it is engaging.
What Is The Process For Becoming A Pluralsight Author?
At this point, you may be wondering what this strict process is and what the criteria are. Well, after you have gone through the initial application process and answered the relevant questions – you will then be asked to create a tutorial.
This tutorial must be between six and ten minutes in total duration and it has to align with what the platform is offering.
For example, your screen resolution has to be a specific size and certain slides must be used for the opening and closing of your tutorial.
Luckily, you will be provided with branded assets from the Acquisitions Editor and this will include things like graphics and icons that work best with Pluralsight’s content and overall feel.

The Audition
Before you begin, you need to have a long think about what you are going to create your tutorial on.
Don’t rush the process because Pluralsight will not accept any tutorials that are not of a high enough quality or meet their standards.
Think of a topic that you have deep knowledge and understanding of, and align this with something that you have a burning passion for. This will make it a lot easier to create compelling content.
As you have a maximum of ten minutes to go through your tutorial, you will need to think about your structuring. Any good tutorial will flow seamlessly, so it’s always a good idea to plan this in advance.
Pluralsight is much more interested in your ability to teach though, rather than being able to cover a full tutorial from end to end, so consider this as well.
Of course, the way in which you structure your tutorial will depend entirely on the subject matter you are going to cover. However, one of the best ways you could choose to plot your tutorial is in five sections.
For example; an introduction, key information parts one through three, an overview of what you have covered and a reinforcement of the tutorial, and finished off with a conclusion.
It does not have to be structured in this way, but you will find it much easier to plot out a timeframe with five sections to cover ten minutes like this.
It’s also recommended that you record yourself covering your tutorial before the “live” version for an idea of your duration.
Top Tips For The Audition
Before you start, Check out the Pluralsight community platform you will want to know some handy tips which will get you through the audition without a problem. Here are some of the best things you should know.
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Sound
It might be difficult to listen to yourself when recording audio, and you might wonder how exactly you need to sound.
You don’t need to sound like someone hosting a show or anything, but you will need to have a very confident voice.
Have confidence in your knowledge and do not have any awkward pauses. However, if a pause does occur – simply reset yourself and get back to it.
Scripting
It’s wise to write yourself a script to cover section by section, and once again, you should record this by yourself and see how much time you have covered.
Remain Calm
Above all else, you should try to remain calm in this situation. The best teachers are the ones who have complete control and are entirely confident in their abilities through these situations.
Will I Be Successful After All This?
If you pass your audition, then it’s down to you to create the best quality content and push to earn as much in royalties as you can.
Of course, you will likely take some time to hone in on your skills, but you should in time start to see success.
It goes without saying though that the better content is the content that has had time, effort and thought put into it and is perfectly structured with excellent visual and audio resources.
The Bottom Line
Becoming a Pluralsight author isn’t an easy task, but if you have the right skills and the right know-how, along with the determination to succeed – then you could be making some significant royalties.
We hope this guide has been helpful!