Most of the people I know who speak at a SQL Saturday or user group aren't paid for their efforts. At many of the community events, the speakers are volunteering their time. Many are also paying for their own way to those events not located in their area. A few, such as me, might get a company to cover their travel expenses, but often this doesn't include time. If I attend a SQL Saturday, I still have a bunch of work on M-F that needs to be done. No comp time for these events. That being said, I'm happy to donate some time and money to community events. Some speakers build and teach full-day sessions, usually called pre-conference sessions, for which they are paid. There can be competition at large events like the PASS Data Community Summit and SQL Bits to get a session since the payment can be rewarding. I've seen some speakers make USD$1k or so, which can cover travel expenses, and others make over USD$10k, which is a nice payday. Read the rest of The Costs and Rewards of Speaking