The Association of Career Outcome Expectations and STEM Career Choice Among Hispanic First-Generation Students: A Unique Pattern

Abstract

ABSTRACT Prior research examined career interests of first-generation and of Hispanic students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), but less is known about how career outcome expectations (COEs) motivate career interests of students at the intersection: Hispanic first-generation college students. Surveying 15,725 students from 119 U.S. universities in a nationally representative stratified random sample, we found two COEs—being innovative and communal—were strongly associated with STEM career interest; however, these effects were attenuated among Hispanic first-generation college students. Our findings suggested that the COEs that typically influence STEM interest may not apply to Hispanic first-generation college students—a growing population in higher education and STEM.