2019 acs graduate Student Survey Report

T
 
able 3.1.4A. 
Internal Values That Are Important to Students’ Choice of Careers
Note: “Not applicable” responses and NA’s were excluded. Important includes “very” and “extremely” important.
Category

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16
Category
Balance: Equilibrium between personal 
and business activities (n=2,332) 
86.8* 
91.4 
83.0 
88.4
Security: Stability and predictability 
(n=2,334)
84.2
93.1
85.9
83.5
Challenge: Drive to overcome obstacles
and solve problems (n=2,329)
76.1* 
87.9 
81.0 
73.7
Salary: Finding a well-paying job 
(n=2,335) 
73.0* 86.2 
82.4 68.4
Autonomy: Freedom and ability to be 
self-directed (n=2,337) 
66.8* 
74.1 
76.7 
62.6
Advancement: Opportunity for promotion 
and recognition from others (n=2,337) 
65.9* 
74.1 
80.2 
59.4
Interests: Changing intellectual
interests (n=2,330) 
64.5* 
70.7 
74.1 
60.8
Discovery: Developing understanding for 
its own sake (n=2,332) 
61.7* 
75.4 
75.8 
54.6
Altruism and Volunteerism: Opportunity 
to contribute to the welfare of others 
(n=2,335)
60.6* 
84.5 
62.2 
57.9
Location: Desire to have a job in a
certain geographical location (n=2,334) 
58.0 
55.2 
58.3 
57.5
Leadership: Supervisory, management,
and executive-level positions (n=2,334) 
53.0* 
74.1 
64.5 
47.4
Perfectionism: Doing things exactly right, 
no matter how long it takes (n=2,333) 
34.8* 
50.0 
47.8 
28.2
Public Contact: Day-to-day contact with 
customers (n=2,334) 
17.9* 
26.3 
29.2 
13.1
Black or African
American (n=58)
Asian 
(n=370) 
White 
(n=1,272)