UK Students Would Rather Sell Saucy Pics Than Pull Pints, Survey Finds

Two in three female students say they’d consider joining OnlyFans if money got tight – and many would choose followers over a graduate job.

Freshers’ Week has long been associated with partying, drinking games and awkward icebreakers. But in 2025, it’s looking more sexualised than ever – with the arrival of infamous adult creator Bonnie Blue’s “Bang Bus” tour dominating headlines and stirring debate on campus.

Now, new research from Onlyfans search engine OnlyGuider, suggests students themselves are driving that shift – seeing OnlyFans as a serious alternative to bar shifts or unpaid internships, rather than a taboo.

The poll of 1,000 UK undergraduates aged 18+ found that 66% of female students would consider launching an OnlyFans account if money was tight, while 39% admitted they’d rather flog “saucy pics” for £500 in a month than put in the same hours stacking shelves or serving pints.

Followers Over Futures

Perhaps most shockingly, 42% of women said they’d prefer 10,000 OnlyFans Subscribers to a guaranteed graduate job – a sign that online clout is now rivaling traditional career security.

Men, meanwhile, were more cautious, with 34% saying they’d take the followers over the grad scheme.

Sam Pierce, CEO of OnlyGuider, said the results highlight a generational shift:

“What older generations might sneer at as scandal, students are increasingly viewing as strategy. For them, OnlyFans isn’t taboo – it’s just another hustle. A few thousand paying subscribers can feel like a better safety net than competing for an entry level nine-to-five that AI is rapidly erasing.”

Keeping It Secret

The study also revealed a culture of secrecy around students’ attitudes. Both men and women admitted they’d keep an account hidden:

• 40% of women and 42% of men said they’d keep their OnlyFans totally secret.
  
• Fewer than one in five women (18%) and just 12% of men would tell their parents.
  

Pierce said this showed a tension between opportunity and stigma:

“Students clearly see the money and the followers. What’s missing is open conversation. They’ll tell their mates, but they won’t tell Mum and Dad. That secrecy has consequences – it normalises the hustle but strips away support.”

Dating Double Standards

The research also uncovered stark gender divides in relationships:

• 55% of men said they’d happily date a girl with OnlyFans, compared with just 39% of women who said they’d date a boy with one.
  
• While women were divided (41% said no, 20% unsure), men were far more permissive.
  

On top of that, 36% of male students labelled men on OnlyFans “sad or desperate” – showing that stigma still bites hardest when the tables are turned.

Pierce commented:

“The hypocrisy isn’t subtle: guys are fine with dating female creators, but when men put themselves out there they’re branded desperate. Meanwhile, women remain cautious about dating male creators at all. That’s a cultural double standard playing out in real time.”

A Normalised Hustle

When asked what they thought of women on the platform, nearly half (47%) of female students said they were “just hustling”. Only 22% used negative words like “sad” or “desperate”.

Among men, 45% said the same about male creators – yet more than a third still leaned negative.

Pierce said:

“For many students, OnlyFans sits alongside bar work and gig apps as just another way to earn. That doesn’t mean they’re blind to stigma – but the narrative of empowerment and hustle is clearly winning. Universities, parents and employers will have to grapple with that shift.”

At a Glance: Students & OnlyFans

• 66% of women would consider OnlyFans if money was tight (vs 47% of men).
  
• 39% of women would sell saucy pics for £500 in a month (vs 22% of men).
  
• 42% of women would pick 10k followers over a grad job (vs 34% of men).
  
• 40% of women and 42% of men would keep an account completely secret.
  
• 55% of men would date a girl with OF; only 39% of women would date a boy with one.
  

Methodology

The survey was conducted by OnlyGuider using Pollfish in September 2025. A total of 1,000 UK university students aged 18+ took part, split evenly between female (n=500) and male (n=500) respondents. Participants were screened to confirm they are either enrolling as freshers this year or currently enrolled at a UK university. Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number.

Qualifying questions included:

1. Are you currently at, or about to start full-time study at a UK university? (Yes/No)
   
2. Are you aged 18 or over? (Yes/No)
   

What is your gender? (Male/Female/Other/Prefer not to say — analysis based on male/female splits)