OnlyFans becomes popular income source for college students facing rising costs

A trend is sweeping college campuses nationwide as students head back to school while looking to make some extra cash. 

Creating and selling content on OnlyFans – a website that allows adults to produce and post their own sexually explicit content in exchange for money from subscribers – has become a popular way for college students to earn extra income while in school. 

“More and more people aren’t getting married,” Rock Jacobs, director of a documentary series about the online platform infiltrating college campuses called “Lonely Fans,” told Fox News Digital. “More and more people aren’t having kids, and more and more people want to cut the line. And since the pandemic, there was this explosion of OnlyFans. The amount of money they’re making is more than Google, more than Intel, more than the NBA.”

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The platform has seen a sharp increase in traffic since the pandemic, with creators flocking to OnlyFans as a way to exchange virtual sex for money. 

In 2019, the site featured approximately 350,000 creators from around the world on its platform, according to data from Statista. However, the number of creators has since skyrocketed to over 4.1 million in 2023 – signaling a staggering rise in users pushing content on the site. 

“It’s a payroll system,” Jacobs told Fox News Digital. “And what [creators] have been able to do is use sex to prey on lonely people, and because of technology anybody can have a payroll.”

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The trend has infiltrated even the highest-ranking universities across the country as rising tuition costs plague students seeking out college degrees. 

In 2025, the average cost of college in the United States is roughly $38,270 a year, according to the Education Data Initiative. The cost has reportedly more than doubled in the 21st century, with student loan interest rates forcing students to pay as much as $500,000 for a bachelor’s degree. 

“There’s some people that really need money,” Jacobs said. “And this is such an easy way to do it. It comes quick, and you know [that] you will make money.”

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However, the use of the platform does not come without risks. Students who choose to put their image online face the possibility of hurting their job prospects or risk their reputation amongst their community. 

Jacobs points to a notable shift in campus culture since he began filming his documentary series back in 2023, with students initially remaining secretive about their online sexual endeavors. 

“I think it’s become normalized,” Jacobs told Fox News Digital. “I’ve been working on [the film] since 2023, and at the beginning, I didn’t think it was something that people were trying to hide. Now it’s something that people are proud about.” 

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In what could signify a startling cultural shift in career aspirations, Jacobs recounted overhearing a group of girls under 18 expressing interest in joining OnlyFans while filming a protest outside of a California high school.

“There were girls coming out of the high school that said, ‘Oh, what’s wrong with OnlyFans? We’re going to do that as soon as we turn 18,’” Jacobs said. “It has turned itself into being something that people want to do right out of school instead of picking a real career.”

While the consequences of launching an OnlyFans account while in college could remain strictly social, Jacobs warns creators could also face life-threatening repercussions stemming from posting explicit content online. 

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Instances of creators facing threats and stalkers have plagued the online community, with Jacobs recalling an alarming incident that he uncovered while filming his documentary. 

“There’s one guy that literally drove five hours to a girl’s house,” Jacobs said. “[He] broke into her house and was living in her attic.” 

“The stalkers can be digital, but it can actually turn physical and real – and in some cases, it can get violent.” 

Jacobs also pointed to another woman’s testimonial featured in the documentary. 

“She’s done really well [and] she’s made over a couple million dollars,” Jacobs said. “She’s been able to change her entire life and set herself up. But she admitted that every night when she goes to sleep, she feels like someone’s going to break into her house and murder her. She said she’s come to terms that she’s not going to have a peaceful death.” 

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The psychological impact of students posting to OnlyFans is also alarming experts, with New York City-based psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert warning about the concerning trend. 

“Psychologically, it offers instant gratification, attention, validation and income all at once,” Alpert told Fox News Digital. “Those same rewards can create dependency and affect self-worth. Students risk tying their identity and confidence to clicks and subscribers. What is framed as independence often masks a deeper vulnerability.” 

Jacobs echoes the same concerns, while warning parents that the rise of college students turning to OnlyFans to achieve online fame and fortune is threatening the future of family values. 

“If we keep moving and normalizing this type of behavior, then family values are going to be diminished,” Jacobs said. “And how are you going to have those deep roots when you send your child off into the world so that they are able to control themselves and restrain themselves from certain things?”