Mark Rober Net Worth, Early Life, NASA And YouTube Channel
Mark Rober is a prominent YouTuber, inventor, and engineer with a net worth estimated at $15 million. He is renowned for his engaging YouTube videos that delve into popular science and DIY projects. Prior to his rise on social media, Rober spent nine years at NASA as an engineer, significantly contributing to the development of the Mars Curiosity rover. He also worked for four years at Apple as a product designer in the Special Projects Group.
Early Life and Education
Mark Rober was born in Orange County, California, around 1980 or 1981. His fascination with engineering emerged early in life; he famously created a pair of goggles to prevent tears while cutting onions. Rober pursued this passion academically, majoring in mechanical engineering at Brigham Young University. He later earned his master’s degree from the University of Southern California.
Career Beginnings
In 2004, Mark Rober joined the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at NASA, dedicating nine years to various projects, including seven years on the Curiosity rover, designed for exploration of Mars’s Gale crater. He developed hardware for several missions launched by NASA, such as the Mars Science Laboratory and the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory. Rober played a key role in creating the JPL Wired knowledge-capture wiki and published a case study on utilizing wiki technology in high-tech organizations.While at NASA, he began producing videos on diverse topics, including April Fools’ Day pranks and scientific concepts like water purification.
YouTube Channel
Mark Rober uploaded his inaugural video to YouTube in October 2011, showcasing a custom Halloween costume that appeared transparent using iPads. This video went viral, garnering over one million views within a day. His channel continued to flourish, amassing millions of views and subscribers over the years. A standout moment came in December 2018 with a video featuring a glitter bomb prank targeting package thieves, which attracted 25 million views in just one day.
Interestingly, he later discovered that two thieves were acquaintances of someone he had hired to catch them.In October 2019, Rober collaborated with fellow YouTuber MrBeast on the #TeamTrees initiative, aiming to raise $20 million to plant 20 million trees. The project exceeded expectations, raising $23.6 million by year-end. The trees were planted globally in countries like Brazil, Canada, China, and the United States. Following this success, Rober initiated #TeamSeas in 2021 with MrBeast to raise $30 million for ocean cleanup efforts.
Other Endeavors
The viral success of his Halloween video led Mark Rober to establish Digital Dudz, an online Halloween costume company specializing in app-integrated costumes. Within three weeks of launching in 2012, the company generated $250,000 in revenue and expanded into retail stores like Party City by 2013. Rober sold Digital Dudz to Morphsuits later that year.
In addition to his entrepreneurial ventures, Rober has contributed articles to Men’s Health, delivered TEDx talks on creativity and learning strategies, and made multiple appearances on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” From 2015 to 2020, he worked as a product designer at Apple Inc., focusing on onboard entertainment for self-driving cars and securing patents related to virtual reality technology.
Personal Life
Mark Rober resides in Sunnyvale, California, with his wife and son. Following his son’s autism diagnosis, he actively engages in advocacy work aimed at raising awareness about autism.
