Differences in Career Outcome Expectations of College Students by Race/Ethnicity and Gender

Abstract

This study examined how U.S. college students’ career outcome expectations—what they hope to get out of their careers—vary by intended career path, racial/ethnic groups, gender, and other individual difference factors. The data were drawn from the Persistence Research in Science and Engineering (PRiSE) survey, a national study of U.S. college students enrolled in college English courses (n = 7505). An exploratory factor analysis revealed four foci of career outcome expectations, which we labeled as follows: extrinsic (rewards are external, such as money or status), work-life balance (work does not consume all of a person’s time/energy), pioneering (work is intellectually stimulating and cutting edge), and people-related (work involves working with and helping others). While controlling for career interest, our findings indicate that students’ gender and race/ethnicity influence their career outcome expectations in a wide variety of ways. Due to the differences in career outcome expectations associated with student backgrounds and demographics beyond career interest, recruiters and program directors looking to attract more diverse populations may benefit from matching the career outcomes they present and offer with those populations’ outcome expectations.

Career expectations, needs, and planning strategies of college students in China

“…From the survey data, it is clear that some respondents are gradually moving away from viewing their careers as a means of earning a living, and are choosing to view their careers as a process of self-fulfillment, where they are willing to take risks and put in a great deal of effort in order to achieve a sense of fulfillment. Stated results corroborate with the study of Doyle et al (2020) who identified four dimensions of career outcome expectations: extrinsic, work-life balance, pioneering, and people-related. Controlling for career interest, the study reveals that students' gender and race/ethnicity significantly impact their expectations across these dimensions.…”