Colleges defend ‘content creator’ degree programs
FILE-College students use their phones on campus. (Photo By Michael Macor/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Digital media and the creators who post daily content are becoming staples for teens’ entire lives, and some have leveraged curating social media, video or podcast content into a career.
And now aspiring content creators can not only earn a living in this industry, but they can also earn a college degree.
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One school that’s decided to offer this program is Arizona State University, which started a new bachelor's degree in content creation, offered through its Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
The Associated Press reported that the curriculum overlaps with the university’s mass communication and media studies degree, and has specialized electives centered on podcasting, studio production and on-camera presence.
But some critics have questioned ASU's degree program, arguing that it’s not a real profession for people who question the worth of a college degree in starting a social media career.
Colleges offering courses in content creation
Dig deeper:
Arizona State University isn’t the only school embarking on this new program, as other institutions of higher learning are offering classes focused on the content creation industry, over the past few years, and several have certificate or minor programs.
According to The Associated Press, Syracuse University, Quinnipiac University and Colorado State University offer minors, and St. Bonaventure University announced a content creation major in 2025.
Universities working to stay competitive are rolling out new majors intended to prepare students for today’s careers amid uncertainty of it resulting in a job after graduation.
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What they're saying:
The AP spoke to a Phoenix-based creator, Aiesha Beasley, who told the news outlet that she could see programs like Arizona State's being valuable even to those without that dream.
"Having a digital presence and a personal brand is very important nowadays," Beasley told the AP.
Content creator and actor Sammy Cristerna, who graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in sociology and political science, told the AP he would have taken classes in the content creation program and considered the major if it had been available.
Brooke Erin Duffy, a communication professor at Cornell University, explains to the AP that these specialized college programs reflect that more colleges and beyond acknowleding that content creation is becoming an attainable career path.
Separately, influencers can earn money from social media platforms, which prioritize high engagement, and some earn commission if people purchase a product they're promoting online.
However, the largest number of influencers' earnings comes from sponsored content, which entails being compensated to talk about a brand or product.
Social media is a crowded industry, and it's getting more competitive. One analyst tells the AP that social media creator revenue in the U.S. is projected to exceed $20 billion in 2026, but adds that most of the money isn’t going to the content creators and that a specialized degree in content creation will turn them into an instant success, may not be a sure thing.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, who cites comments from content creators and a college professor. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.