To understand how STEM content circulates on TikTok, an analysis was conducted on behalf of Florida Institute of Technology (Florida Tech). The study analyzed 107 active STEM creators across eight disciplines, including chemistry, biology and anatomy, engineering, mathematics, astronomy and space science, physics, and computer science and AI. These creators represent a combined reach of 102.8 million followers, revealing how a relatively small group of accounts shapes STEM visibility and topic exposure among Gen Z students.
Florida Tech then commissioned a questionnaire of 505 Gen Z college students to examine how engagement with STEM creators influences academic interests and decisions. The survey explored whether creator content affects perceptions of accessibility, trust and representation, and whether it plays a role in considering, selecting or switching STEM majors. The findings point to a measurable connection between social media engagement and the number of students who evaluate STEM pathways.
Key Takeaways
- 44% of Gen Z college students said STEM creators have pushed them toward a STEM path.
- Nearly one in three Gen Z college students (32%) have considered, selected or switched their major because of STEM creator content.
- 63% of Gen Z students said STEM creator content makes STEM feel more accessible, while only 11% found it intimidating.
- 43% of Gen Z students said seeing creators who shared their background (e.g., gender, race, first-generation status) made them more likely to pursue STEM.
- Gen Z women are twice as likely as Gen Z men to say TikTok creators influenced their STEM path more than x (30% vs. 15%).
- NileRed (10.8M), Institute of Human Anatomy (10.6M) and Bill Nye (9.8M) are the top three TikTok STEM creators, reaching a combined 31.2M followers.
TikTok STEM Reach Is Concentrated Among a Few Top Creators
A small group of STEM creators dominates TikTok’s education landscape, shaping what millions of Gen Z students see in their feeds. This concentration of reach influences which subjects gain the most visibility and attention.
The 10 largest STEM creators hold 66% of all tracked STEM reach, representing 67.5 million of the 102.8 million followers in the dataset. This means most STEM exposure on TikTok flows through a very limited number of accounts.
At the very top, NileRed, Institute of Human Anatomy and Bill Nye rank as the three most-followed STEM creators, with a combined 31.2 million followers. Their visibility alone rivals the reach of dozens of smaller creators combined.
Zooming out farther, just 20 STEM creators surpassed 1 million followers, yet they account for 85% of total STEM reach among the accounts analyzed. Chemistry attracts the largest audience, followed by biology and anatomy, then general science, making these subjects more likely to appear in Gen Z students’ feeds than others.
STEM Creators Influenced Academic and Career Choices
STEM creator content is not just entertainment for Gen Z students. For many, it directly shapes how they think about majors, careers and long-term goals.
Nearly one-third of Gen Z college students (32%) said they considered, selected or switched their major after engaging with STEM creator content. Overall, 44% said creators encouraged them toward a STEM path, including 48% of men and 41% of women. Only 7% said creator content pushed them away from STEM.
Creator content also made STEM feel more accessible: 63% of students said creators helped make STEM feel approachable, compared with 11% who found the content intimidating. Representation played a role as well, with 43% saying that seeing creators who shared their background (such as gender, race or first-generation status) made them more likely to pursue STEM.
Trust helped drive that influence. Students were more likely to trust creators who showed the full process of their work, cited sources or research, or actively worked in the field, each cited by 58% of respondents. Another 56% said trust increased when a creator held a relevant degree or certification.
More than half (52%) said they saved STEM creator videos to share with their parents during conversations about what they wanted to study. Social media exposure had most often increased Gen Z students’ interest in:
- Health and biotech: 30%
- Computer science, AI and software: 30%
- Data science and analytics: 21%
- Environmental science and sustainability: 20%
- Engineering: 18%
Social media influence also translated into skill-building purchases. After Gen Z students viewed STEM content:
- 69% bought software
- 67% purchased tools
- 65% bought related products
- 56% enrolled in courses
Engagement also extended beyond TikTok. More students watched STEM content on YouTube (55%) than on TikTok (47%) or Instagram (30%), while 18% used Reddit for STEM-related content. Nearly half engaged with STEM creator content weekly or more (46%), and only 7% said they never engaged with STEM creators.
Social Media Can Spark Interest, but Your STEM Path Is Yours to Define
STEM creators are clearly shaping how Gen Z discovers and evaluates potential majors. For many students, social media makes STEM feel more accessible, relatable and achievable. But while TikTok videos and YouTube explainers can open the door, choosing a STEM path is ultimately about more than what appears in your feed.
It is about your strengths, your curiosity and the kind of problems you want to solve. If creator content has sparked your interest, use it as a starting point. Explore programs, talk to advisors and professionals, and look for hands-on opportunities that turn inspiration into real skills and long-term direction.
Methodology
TikTok creator data was compiled in January 2026 by identifying active STEM content creators across eight categories: chemistry, biology and anatomy, general science, engineering, mathematics, astronomy and space science, physics, and computer science and AI. Creators were sourced through a combination of TikTok’s native search and discovery features and industry lists from publications including FeedSpot’s Top 100 STEM TikTok Influencers, Genius Lab Gear’s Best Science TikTok Accounts, Heepsy’s Top Science TikTok Influencers and Social Blade TikTok Statistics.
To be included, creators must have: (1) published STEM-focused educational content within the past 12 months, (2) maintained a public TikTok account and (3) had follower counts independently verified via TikTok’s public profile pages. Final follower counts were recorded directly from each creator’s TikTok profile during the data collection period. The dataset includes 107 creators with a combined reach of 102.8 million followers.
Additionally, a questionnaire of 505 Gen Z college students was conducted on behalf of Florida Tech to explore how STEM creator content on social media influences their academic and career decisions. Respondents were sourced using CloudResearch Connect. The average age of respondents was 23; 59% were women, 37% were men and 2% were non-binary. Some percentages in this study may not total 100% due to rounding. The data, questionnaire and report are not intended to represent all students.
About Florida Tech
Florida Tech’s online Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems program equips students with both technical and managerial skills. Students in this CIS program benefit from experienced faculty, personalized support services and the same high-quality curriculum Florida Tech is known for, delivered in a format that accommodates professional and personal commitments. With access to a curriculum focused on emerging technologies and critical information systems concepts, graduates are prepared for roles across the tech industry and beyond.
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