The Work Values of First‐Year College Students: Exploring Group Differences

A sample of 3,570 first‐year college students were surveyed regarding the factors they deemed most important to their long‐term career choice. Students as a whole identified intrinsic interest, high salary, contributions to society, and prestige as their 4 most important work values. Additional analyses found men more likely to espouse extrinsic values, women more likely to espouse social values, and students from median parental‐income groups more likely to espouse intrinsic values. In light of these results, counselors are encouraged to place a greater emphasis on the role of work values in the decision‐making process.