Colleen Hoover makes between $1 and $7+ per book sold, depending on whether she self-published or used a traditional publisher. Self-published ebooks earn her roughly $3.49 to $6.99 per copy, while traditionally published books bring in $1.20 to $3.75 per copy based on standard royalty rates.
The actual amount varies by format (ebook, print, audio), retail price, and her specific contract terms. With over 35 million books sold, these per-copy earnings add up to substantial total income even when individual royalties seem modest.
Traditional Publishing: How Much Colleen Hoover Earns Per Copy
Standard Royalty Rates in Traditional Publishing
Traditional publishers typically pay authors 8-15% of a book’s retail price as royalties. These payments come after the book “earns out” its advance—meaning sales have generated enough royalties to cover what the publisher paid upfront.
The publisher handles printing, distribution, marketing, and retail placement. In exchange, they take the majority of each sale. The author’s percentage seems small, but access to bookstores and major retailers often means significantly higher sales volume than self-publishing alone can achieve.
Calculating Traditional Royalties
Here’s what Hoover likely earns per copy on traditionally published books:
- $20 hardcover at 10% royalty: $2.00 per copy
- $20 hardcover at 15% royalty: $3.00 per copy
- $15 paperback at 8% royalty: $1.20 per copy
- $15 paperback at 10% royalty: $1.50 per copy
These calculations assume list price, but retailers often discount books. Author royalties usually calculate from the retail price regardless, though some contracts base percentages on net receipts after retailer discounts.
Which Colleen Hoover Books Are Traditionally Published?
Hoover works with multiple traditional publishers. It Starts with Us came out through Atria Books (Simon & Schuster). She also has titles published by Grand Central Publishing (Hachette) and Montlake Romance (Amazon Publishing).
Many of her books started as self-published titles before transitioning to traditional deals after proving their market success. This hybrid approach lets her capitalize on both models strategically.
Book Advances: The Upfront Payment
Traditional publishers pay authors an advance against future royalties. For established bestselling authors, these advances range from $50,000 to $500,000 or more, though specific figures for Hoover’s deals haven’t been publicly disclosed.
The advance functions as a guaranteed minimum. If the book sells well enough that royalties exceed the advance amount, the author receives additional payments. If it doesn’t earn out, the author keeps the advance anyway. Given Hoover’s sales track record, her books almost certainly earn out their advances quickly.
Also Read: The Rock Net Worth
Self-Publishing: Where Colleen Hoover Earns More Per Book
How Self-Publishing Royalties Work
Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) offers authors up to 70% royalty on ebooks priced between $2.99 and $9.99. There’s no advance, no contract negotiation, and no publisher taking a cut. The author receives payment directly and immediately as sales occur.
Print-on-demand services for physical books typically return 35-60% to the author after deducting printing costs. The per-unit profit is lower than ebooks, but still substantially higher than traditional publishing’s print royalties.
Calculating Self-Publishing Royalties
Here’s what Hoover likely earned on self-published titles:
- $9.99 ebook at 70% royalty: $6.99 per copy
- $4.99 ebook at 70% royalty: $3.49 per copy
- $2.99 ebook at 70% royalty: $2.09 per copy
Print-on-demand calculations are more complex because printing costs vary by page count and trim size, but the author’s net is generally $2-$4 per paperback depending on retail price.
Her Self-Published Bestsellers
Slammed (2012) was Hoover’s debut. She self-published it after facing publisher rejections, and it went on to sell over 1 million copies. Within seven months of release, she’d earned more than $50,000 from the book.
Verity started as a self-published psychological thriller in 2018. By December 2023, it had sold over 2 million copies. At $4.99 with 70% royalties, that’s roughly $3.49 per copy—potentially around $7 million in total earnings from that single title.
It Ends with Us initially came out through self-publishing in 2016. It eventually sold 9 million copies, though some sources cite 6 million as of August 2024. The discrepancy might reflect different counting methods or time periods. Either way, if even half those sales were at self-publishing royalty rates before any traditional publishing transition, the income from this one book is substantial.
The Slammed Income Example
Let’s work through the math on Slammed:
- Total sales: 1 million+ copies
- Likely ebook price: $4.99
- Royalty rate: 70%
- Per-copy earnings: $3.49
If all copies sold at that rate: 1,000,000 × $3.49 = $3,490,000 before taxes.
The actual figure could be lower if some copies sold at different prices or through channels with different royalty structures. But the general scale is clear: self-publishing a million-copy bestseller generates serious income even at modest price points.
Format Differences: Ebook, Print, and Audiobook Royalties
Ebook Royalties
Ebooks deliver the highest profit margin for self-published authors. The 70% royalty on Amazon KDP applies to most price points between $2.99 and $9.99, and there are no printing or shipping costs.
Traditional publishers pay 25-50% of net receipts on ebooks, which works out to roughly $1.50-$3.00 per copy on a $9.99 ebook after retailer cuts. That’s still decent, but nowhere near the $6.99 per copy available through self-publishing at the same price.
Print Book Royalties
Print is less profitable per unit for everyone. Traditional publishing pays 10-15% on hardcovers and 7.5-10% on paperbacks based on retail price.
Self-published print-on-demand through services like Amazon’s KDP Print or IngramSpark returns 35-60% of the list price after subtracting printing costs. A 300-page paperback priced at $14.99 might earn the author $3-$4 per copy.
Audiobook Royalties
Audiobooks are growing but remain a smaller income stream for most authors. Traditional deals typically pay around 25% of net receipts, often split with the narrator.
Self-publishing through ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange) offers 25-40% royalty depending on whether the author chooses exclusive distribution through Audible or wider distribution at a lower rate.
Hoover’s books perform well in audio format, but specific sales figures and earnings from this channel aren’t publicly available.
Also Read: Tristan Tate Net Worth
How Sales Volume Changes Everything
The Volume Factor
Lower per-book earnings become significant with massive sales volume. Consider:
- $1 per copy × 9 million copies = $9 million total
- $7 per copy × 200,000 copies = $1.4 million total
A self-published author earning $7 per ebook needs far fewer sales to match the total income of a traditionally published author earning $1.50 per copy. But traditional publishing’s distribution network often drives higher volume, which can offset the lower per-unit royalty.
Colleen Hoover’s Documented Sales
Career total: 35+ million books sold as of 2025.
Individual title sales (approximate):
- It Ends with Us: 9 million copies (some sources say 6 million by August 2024)
- Verity: 2 million+ copies
- It Starts with Us: 3 million+ copies
- Slammed: 1 million+ copies
Earlier reports from 2022 noted she’d sold around 9 million copies that year alone—more than James Patterson, Dr. Seuss, and John Grisham combined in that period.
Income Beyond Per-Book Sales
Film and TV Adaptations
The It Ends with Us film released in 2024 through Sony Pictures and reportedly grossed over $350 million worldwide. Authors typically receive either a flat fee for adaptation rights or a percentage of profits, often both. Specific amounts for Hoover’s deal haven’t been disclosed.
Verity is in development with Anne Hathaway, Josh Hartnett, and Dakota Johnson attached. Amazon MGM Studios plans to release it in May 2026.Regretting You has an adaptation scheduled for October 2025.These deals generate income separate from book royalties and often trigger renewed interest in the original books, driving additional sales.
Foreign Rights and Translation Sales
Hoover’s books are published internationally in multiple languages. Each territory typically involves a separate contract with local publishers, generating additional advance and royalty payments.
These deals are negotiated individually and aren’t publicly detailed, but they contribute meaningfully to overall income for bestselling authors with global readership.
Merchandise and Speaking
Book-related merchandise includes themed apparel, accessories, and collectibles sold through various channels. Revenue from this stream isn’t disclosed.
Hoover also co-founded The Bookworm Box, a subscription service that donates to charities. While this serves philanthropic goals, it also maintains fan engagement and generates some income.
Colleen Hoover’s Net Worth and Annual Income
Net Worth Estimates
Different sources provide varying estimates:
- $7-10 million (January 2025, Tuko)
- $10 million (2023, BookVibe)
- $10-15 million (2025, Through Strange Lenses)
These ranges reflect different methodologies and timing. Net worth calculations are inherently imprecise for individuals who don’t disclose financial details publicly.
Annual Earnings
One source suggested Hoover earns around $17,000 per month from books, totaling roughly $204,000 annually. This figure seems inconsistently low given her sales volume and likely excludes film rights, foreign sales, and other subsidiary income.
More realistically, with millions of books selling annually plus adaptation deals and international rights, her actual annual income probably reaches into the millions. But exact figures remain undisclosed.
Also Read: Coffee Meets Bagel Net Worth
Self-Publishing vs. Traditional: Which Pays Better?
Per-Copy Comparison
Self-publishing wins on per-unit economics:
- Self-published ebook: $3.49-$6.99 per copy
- Traditional publishing: $1.20-$3.75 per copy
That’s 2-5 times higher earnings per sale through self-publishing.
Total Income Considerations
Traditional publishing offers advantages self-publishing can’t match:
- Larger upfront advances (guaranteed money)
- Bookstore and retail placement
- Professional marketing and publicity support
- Established distribution channels
Self-publishing advantages:
- No advance to earn out
- Faster payment (monthly vs. twice yearly)
- Lifetime royalty income
- Full creative control
Why Hoover Uses Both
Unlike debut authors who self-publish because they can’t get traditional deals, Hoover already had proven sales and an audience when she signed with major publishers. She wasn’t seeking validation—she was seeking scale.
Traditional deals gave her print distribution in physical bookstores, connections to film studios, and marketing resources to reach readers outside her existing fanbase. In exchange for lower per-book royalties, she gained access to millions more potential readers.
The strategy worked. Her traditionally published releases benefit from her self-published reputation, while her self-published backlist continues generating high-margin income.
Conclusion
Hoover earns $1-$7+ per book depending on her publishing arrangement. Self-publishing delivers higher per-copy royalties while traditional publishing provides greater reach. With 35+ million books sold, even modest per-unit earnings generate substantial total income, supplemented by film rights and international sales.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Colleen Hoover make per book sold?
Between $1 and $7+ per copy. Self-published ebooks earn $3.49-$6.99 per copy, while traditionally published books bring $1.20-$3.75 per copy depending on format and royalty rate.
What is Colleen Hoover’s richest book?
It Ends with Us sold 9 million copies. If half were self-published at $4.99 with 70% royalties, that’s roughly $15.7 million from that book alone before any traditional publishing split.
Does Colleen Hoover make more from self-publishing or traditional publishing?
Self-publishing pays 2-5 times more per copy. Traditional publishing offers wider distribution and higher volume. She strategically uses both to maximize total income.
How much did Colleen Hoover make from the It Ends with Us movie?
Not publicly disclosed. The film grossed $350+ million. Authors typically receive a rights fee plus potential backend percentage, but specific amounts remain private.
How many books has Colleen Hoover sold?
Over 35 million copies worldwide as of 2025. In 2022 alone, she sold approximately 9 million copies.