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Healthcare has emerged as the most popular career choice among young people in 2026, overtaking content creation and influencing, according to a new GlobalData report.

The findings are contained in The Youth Report 2026, published by Pacsun and powered by GlobalData on September 10. The study surveyed 6,126 young people aged between 11 and 24 on their priorities, careers and financial aspirations.

The report points to a changing outlook among young people, with professional careers offering stability gaining ground as content creation and influencing lose their position as the top career aspiration.

Healthcare Takes the Top Spot

According to the report, 19.0% of respondents selected medical or healthcare professions as their preferred career.

Although this was slightly lower than the 19.4% recorded in 2025, healthcare still ranked first among the career choices surveyed.

Content creation and influencing followed closely at 18.8%, down from 22.2% in 2025, when it was the leading choice among young people.

Other popular career paths included arts and performance at 16.4%, the fashion and beauty industry at 14.9%, and skilled trades and hands-on work at 13.7%.

Technology careers attracted 13.2% of respondents, while 12.9% expressed interest in education and academia.

Meanwhile, 11.6% selected startup founding and entrepreneurship, while 11.0% preferred corporate or office-based careers.

AI Is Influencing Career Choices

The survey also found that more young people are uncertain about which career path to pursue.

The proportion of respondents who remained undecided increased from 13.2% in 2025 to 14.1% in 2026.

Researchers linked some of this uncertainty to the rapid development and adoption of artificial intelligence across different industries.

Young people are increasingly considering whether some professions could be significantly changed or replaced by AI, making career decisions more complicated.

The report noted that the rapid development of AI over the past year has caused young people to reconsider careers they perceive as vulnerable to automation.

Why Young People Still Choose Influencing

Despite losing the top position, influencing remains a major career ambition among young people.

The report found that 61.6% of respondents, including 65.4% of females, identified personal enjoyment as a major reason for pursuing influencing rather than celebrity status.

Financial rewards were another important factor, with 43.1% citing income as a motivation.

For 36.7% of respondents, influencing was seen as a way to launch other businesses or develop a personal brand. Among Gen Z respondents, that figure increased to 38.1%.

Other motivations included workplace flexibility at 28.3%, receiving free products at 27.6%, enjoying content creation at 25.6%, and the perception of having an easier lifestyle at 24.6%.

Interestingly, traditional motivations associated with influencing ranked lower. Only 21.7% cited fame, while 16.3% pointed to gaining likes and followers.

The findings suggest that young people are increasingly viewing influencing as a tool for independence, business development and personal expression rather than simply a route to celebrity.

What Young People Want by Age 35

The report also examined what young people consider important achievements in adulthood.

A stable job ranked as the leading aspiration, with 62.0% of respondents identifying it as one of their goals.

Other major milestones included car ownership at 59.5%, maintaining good mental health at 58.7%, and homeownership at 58.5%.

Marriage was selected by 45.8%, while 40.5% identified having children as an important achievement by the age of 35.

The findings indicate that while digital careers remain attractive to younger generations, stability, financial security, independence and personal wellbeing are becoming increasingly important factors in how they define career success and adulthood.