Reinforcing Gendered STEM Aspirations: How the Local Prevalence of STEM Occupations Shapes Adolescents’ Career Goals

Young people’s career aspirations are shaped by persistent gender divides, particularly in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), which are in high demand and often associated with prestige and high wages. This study examines how the local prevalence of STEM occupations is associated with adolescents’ early aspirations for STEM careers. Drawing on data from the German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS), linked with district-level information on local labor markets (NUTS-3), we apply logistic regression models to explore gendered patterns of STEM aspirations. Findings show that boys are more likely to aspire to STEM careers in local contexts with a high prevalence of STEM occupations, which is mainly due to increased aspirations for non-academic STEM careers. By contrast, girls’ career aspirations do not significantly vary with local STEM prevalence, even in local contexts with relatively high shares of women employed in STEM. These results suggest that STEM-intensive local labor markets reinforce gendered patterns of STEM aspirations, especially among adolescents oriented towards non-academic career paths. Efforts to promote gender equity in STEM (e.g., school interventions) would benefit from incorporating strategies that address the segregating impact of local labor market structures.