TikTok gets its own college major as universities look to get in on the influencer dream

Many young people no longer aspire to ascend the corporate ladder, and universities are meeting the growing demand for alternative career paths.

Arizona State recently unveiled a bachelor’s degree program in content creation, promising students to turn their creativity into “content that connects with audiences.” Meanwhile, universities like Cornell, Duke, and USC have begun offering courses and clubs that teach students how to monetize on social media.

More than half of Gen Z and 41% of adults would swap a 9-to-5 to become influencers. For a generation born with a social stream living in their pockets, influencing looks like a shortcut to the prosperity once promised by more traditional four-year degrees.

The influencer economy — where content creators like Mr. Beast make millions — is an enticing proposition for young people. Goldman Sachs projects the creator economy could reach $500 billion by 2027. As higher ed responds to a shifting labor market and student demand, expect more programs like ASU’s.

Branding for the new labor market

The U.S. economy experienced close to zero job growth in 2025, after adding 1.46 million jobs in 2024. Young people entering the workforce are especially vulnerable to a stagnant labor market. Hiring rates for recent college graduates have reached lows not seen in decades.

Some of this is temporary. When hiring picks up again, the value of a college degree will start to compound as it always has. In the meantime, graduates aren’t relying on the resume. Influencer aspirations speak to the importance of self-branding in today’s labor market. Having a curated social presence is now an expectation, not an exception.

As Emily Hund explains, the influencer economy closely follows the rise of self-branding as a career safety net. 

“People increasingly have to shoulder the burdens of the workforce, cultivating an individual sense of security,” she says. “Self-branding is seen as one way to protect yourself in this environment. If I can cultivate a self-brand so that people know who I am, that will be my currency. I’ll be able to get the next job or provide some sort of professional safety net for myself.”

Increasingly, colleges are being held accountable for post-graduation outcomes. A recently proposed federal rule requires undergraduate programs leave students better off financially or risk losing access to student loans. Offering a course that teaches students how to polish their LinkedIn profiles for a successful job search is a natural response.

Former admissions officer Brennan Bowen works with high school students on social media passion projects to get into college and build a professional life beyond.

“Social media has become a solid way for students to show universities how interested they are in an academic area outside of just classes. The engineering applicant who consistently posted on her YouTube channel for three or four years brings something new to an admissions committee.”

“It’s also a great way to market yourself post-graduation,” he adds. “In today’s labor market, not having a social media presence, even if it’s just a solid LinkedIn profile, can really detract from a recent graduate’s chances at landing a job.”

Top influencers make the job seem easy

A handful of top influencers reap most of the rewards. Nearly half of content creators earn less than $10,000 a year. The market is saturated and tough to break into. For students without an existing media presence, becoming an influencer can be a struggle.

ASU’s own program description admits content creation is more than creating viral videos. The careers section reads like a traditional marketing degree without the same recognizable credential.

Ben Gutierrez, a college counselor for Empowerly, cautions against chasing new majors that might not translate in the labor market.

“A degree in content creation sounds great on the surface. But I wouldn’t advise students to make it their primary major,” he says. “There’s too much risk. Now, couple a minor in content creation with a major in a field like English, Philosophy, or Mechanical Engineering, and you have something.”

Social media is a difficult industry because so many people want to do it. For every Alix Earle — the personality behind the TikTok series “Get Ready With Me” who set the bar for college influencers — there are millions of students in their dorms trying to make it as an influencer. The net price for one year at ASU is more than $24,000, which is a lot of pressure for a social media major to carry.

“It’s not the wrong ambition,” Gutierrez continues. “But what’s most valuable is how students develop their brand as a process of communicating complex ideas. I have a friend listed on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Social Media who made a name for herself on TikTok and Instagram explaining scientific concepts — she worked for NASA. That should be the influencer dream.”

What’s your major worth?

Selecting a college major isn’t something to take lightly. Bachelor’s-degree holders earn vastly different incomes depending on their major. The U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey found that computer science majors ($108,500) and engineering majors (over $100,000 depending on the field) command the highest salaries.

And the $108,500 is only if you get selected for that major. At most large universities, computer science and engineering majors have different admission odds from the university overall, oftentimes by an order of magnitude.

Meanwhile, the overall median for all bachelor’s-degree holders is $74,150. Nursing, at $76,600, is above the median, while English majors ($65,060), psychology ($62,270), and fine arts ($53,450) all fall below it.

Pairing a lower-paying major with a track like content creation makes sense — it gives a humanities major market-ready skills they otherwise lack. The combination beats one major on its own.

With the labor market currently battering white-collar professionals, building an identity online is also one of the smartest moves students can make. So keep on filming TikToks and reels, whether you’re a high school freshman or college senior.

The junior who created a real audience — even if it’s not making money — restoring old motorcycles gives admissions committees something they rarely see. Those same social media chops help a twenty-one-year-old business major get his foot in the door.

You should still hesitate to choose social media as a major. Content creation is far too saturated a field. And the skills complement other majors. A business student who builds an Instagram account with stock tips has more options than a content creation student searching for a Marketing Associate role.

Schools are notoriously tight-lipped about major-level admit odds. Empowerly counselors help students weigh earnings data, job outlook, and acceptance odds for their chosen major. We also help students create social media passion projects that resonate with admissions committees.