SAD: Reality Show Stardom Pays More Than An Oxford Education

A study out of the U.K. that could only be described by the famous Trump moniker “SAD!” shows that being a reality TV star offers a more financially prosperous life than an education at one of the most prestigious universities in the world.

According to the economics consultancy Frontier, contestants participating on the reality TV show “Love Island” — a dating show in which the beach-bodied 20-somethings court each other on an exclusive island — significantly out-earn more money than an average graduate of Oxford or Cambridge.

“On average, those arriving at the Mediterranean villa in search of love, fame or fortune can expect to earn 1.1 million pounds ($1.4 million), outstripping the projected financial benefits of studying at either the University of Oxford or its counterpart in Cambridge,” Bloomberg reports on the findings.

Contrast those numbers with the 815,000 pounds that an average Oxford or Cambridge graduate earns, and you have a wide pay gap. The winners of “Love Island” only get 50,000 pounds from the show but earn significantly more through sponsored Instagram posts, club appearances and social media followers.

The hefty paycheck correlates with a recent spike in young applicants seeking to appear on the show. “It appears to us that the young people of Britain are on to something and may be completely rational in their desire to appear on Love Island,” the researchers said.

“Love Island” has quickly become one of Britain’s most popular reality shows, earning 2.7 million viewers a night, climbing to 4 million with catch-up viewing.

“Earnings are closely related to the length of stay on the show, with constant on-screen exposure helping contestants build their public brand,” researchers found.

To make matters worse, graduates of Oxford or Cambridge also accrue a great deal of debt (averaging 50,000 pounds) while attending the universities, which takes several years to pay off. Reality show stars accrue zero debt and rake in scores of cash.