Woman With Degrees In Bioengineering, Comp Science Leaves PhD For OnlyFans, Earns ₹8.5 Cr

Zara Dar, a former PhD student from Austin, Texas, made the bold move of transitioning from academia to a career in digital content creation. This transition has helped her earn over $1 million (Rs 8.5 crore approx) through platforms like YouTube and OnlyFans, reported Economic Times.

 

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A post shared by Zara Dar (@zara.darz)

Zara, who holds degrees in bioengineering and computer science, initially rose to fame with her YouTube channel. Her engaging videos simplified complex scientific topics like neural networks and gradient descent, making them accessible to students and science enthusiasts worldwide. She quickly became a beloved figure in the STEM community.

However, Zara made headlines in December 2024 when she announced her decision to quit her PhD program to focus on her online platforms. Zara’s move to OnlyFans also grabbed attention. While the platform is often associated with adult content, Zara has used it to blend STEM topics with personal content, creating space for a diverse audience.

 

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A post shared by Zara Dar (@zara.darz)

Despite her achievements, Zara has been candid about her fears and struggles.

“Some days I wonder if I’m making the right choice. When I open LinkedIn and I see the pages of all of the people who are my age, who already have 3 years into their careers and are climbing the ladder with senior level titles, it stirs something in me. But I know I have the flexibility to explore topics that genuinely interest me and build something of my own,” News18 quoted her saying.

She revealed that being a professor, once her dream, involves more grant writing and administrative work than she had imagined. According to her, the job often lacks the creative freedom she values so much.

 

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A post shared by Zara Dar (@zara.darz)

But financially, Zara’s leap has been rewarding. She’s used her earnings to pay off her family’s mortgage, buy a car, and start an investment portfolio. She’s even planning to buy her own house soon.

From academia to digital stardom, Zara Dar’s journey shows that the path to success doesn’t have to follow conventional rules. Sometimes, the boldest moves lead to the most rewarding destinations.

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