- A street performer's income varies day to day due to a number of influencing factors that can include weather, time of year and day of the week. According to a Washington Times interview of a Rick James copycat working in Las Vegas, the impersonator can make as much as $75 on a highly profitable day or as little as $14 on a slow day.
- Location has an important role in determining a street performer's salary. Performers in heavily-traveled areas, such as subways, busy sidewalks, shopping centers and near popular attractions have the potential to make the most income due increased traffic. Performers may also find that they have higher income when they perform in cities or destinations that relate to their performance. For example, celebrity look-alikes are popular with tourists in Hollywood who are on the lookout for movie stars and other famous people.
- Depending on the craft a street performer uses to entertain her audience, she may be able to make additional income by selling CDs, T-shirts or other similar merchandise. Additionally, some cities and towns with artsy populations or heavy tourism may even pay a salary for select street performers to entertain in high-traffic areas. Famous entertainers such as Neil Young, Bare Naked Ladies, Sting, Benjamin Franklin and Steve Martin all started as street performers, according to an article on the Travel Droppings website.
- Talent and performance quality may have little impact on a street performer's earnings. The Washington Post anonymously coordinated a street performance in Washington D.C. with world-renowned violinist, Joshua Bell, who was not readily recognized by passersby on their morning commutes. The man, who draws concert audiences to the tune of more than $100 per seat, made a meager $32.17 for the duration of a 43-minute sidewalk performance. While this rate is significantly higher than the Bureau of Labor and Statistics average for performers, it is far less than the salary he demands as an international musician.
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