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This chart reveals the most popular career aspirations among 12–15-year-olds across 18 countries, based on a survey of 11,452 respondents conducted by GWI. The data is split by gender to show the difference in aspirations between boys and girls.
- STEM careers dominate boys’ aspirations—30% want to be scientists, engineers, or inventors, compared to 17% of girls.
- Meanwhile, creative and care professions rank higher for girls—21% want to be artists and 19% aim for careers in healthcare.
- Video game and tech roles are far more popular with boys (25%) than girls (10%).
- Professional sports remains a top career choice for boys (18%), while it’s less common among girls (6%).
- Some career aspirations, like becoming content creators, are nearly equal across genders (11% girls vs. 12% boys).
Dataset
| Profession | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| Scientist/engineer/inventor | 17% | 30% |
| Video game designer/tech developer | 10% | 25% |
| Professional athlete | 6% | 18% |
| Doctor/healthcare professional | 19% | 14% |
| Pilot/explorer/astronaut | 7% | 14% |
| Police officer/firefighter/soldier | 6% | 14% |
| Content creator/influencer | 11% | 12% |
| Artist (e.g. musician, dancer, actor, painter) | 21% | 11% |
| Lawyer | 11% | 8% |
| Teacher | 16% | 7% |
| Journalist/writer | 9% | 5% |
| Beauty professional | 9% | 3% |
| Veterinarian | 7% | 3% |
| Chef | 4% | 3% |