NSHSS 2026 Career Interest Survey
The NSHSS 2026 Career Interest Survey captures how more than 11,000 high-achieving high school and college students across all 50 states view higher education, the workplace, personal values, and artificial intelligence.
Conducted in spring 2026, the report ranks Gen Z's top 100 dream colleges, preferred employers, and the values shaping their career decisions.
What the 2026 NSHSS Career Interest Survey Covers
The survey was conducted in spring 2026 and represents the voices of more than 11,000 high-achieving high school- and college-aged individuals. It includes people of every ethnicity and spans all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories, and offers a timely look at how Gen Z is thinking about higher education, the workplace, personal values, and artificial intelligence.
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Why it matters
Employers, universities, and youth-serving organizations use the NSHSS Career Interest Survey to benchmark Gen Z preferences against their own talent, recruitment, and engagement strategies. The 2026 edition is the first to capture Gen Z’s response to the accelerating role of AI in classrooms, hiring, and career planning.
Explore Previous Survey Editions
See how student priorities and career expectations have evolved over time. Browse past editions of the NSHSS Career Interest Survey to compare trends across education, work, and the future of Gen Z.
