For the fourth consecutive year, “Businessperson” has remained the most popular career choice among American teens. This trend highlights a strong and consistent interest in entrepreneurship and business leadership among the youth — a sign that the next generation is serious about shaping their own futures in the business world.
According to the 2006 Junior Achievement Worldwide Interprise Poll on Kids and Careers, which surveys teenagers on career expectations and views about the business world, young people continue to see business as a rewarding and respected path. Interestingly, the study also revealed that for the first time in the survey’s seven-year history, salary expectations for young women now match those of young men.
Gender Equality in Career Aspirations
In earlier polls, beginning in 2003, male teens consistently expected higher salaries than female teens for the same types of jobs. However, this year’s findings show that this gender gap has closed significantly. When it comes to highly sought-after careers such as business, law, entertainment, and medicine, both male and female teens now report similar salary expectations.
This reflects a broader cultural shift toward gender equality and confidence among young women pursuing ambitious and competitive careers.
Top Career Choices Remain Steady
Over the past four years, the top ten career choices among American teens have stayed relatively consistent. “Businessperson” continues to lead the list with 8.7% of respondents choosing it as their ideal career.
The second most popular choice this year is “Teacher”, selected by 7% of teens. This marks a shift from previous years, when “Doctor” was a regular top pick — now tied for third place with “Computer Field,” both at 6.2%.
Confidence in Career Success
One of the most positive trends in the survey is the growing confidence among teens — especially young women. According to the results, 78.2% of female respondents said they were “definitely” or “pretty sure” they would achieve their ideal job, compared to 65% of male respondents.
This difference suggests that many young women today are not only more focused on education but also more optimistic about achieving their professional goals. They see higher education as a path to realizing their ambitions in a variety of competitive fields.
The Power of Mentorship and Experience
Programs like JA Worldwide’s Job Shadow Initiative play a crucial role in shaping teens’ understanding of the professional world. Through this initiative, students spend a day shadowing adult mentors in real workplaces, giving them firsthand insight into the daily responsibilities and challenges of different careers.
These experiences help teens connect their classroom learning with real-world applications, inspiring them to set more defined and achievable career goals.
Empowering the Next Generation
JA Worldwide, the organization behind the survey, is the world’s largest nonprofit dedicated to educating young people about business, economics, and entrepreneurship. The organization currently reaches around four million students in the United States and more than three million globally.
Through its programs, JA Worldwide helps young people gain the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to succeed in the modern economy — fostering a generation that truly “means business.”
