Gen Z Isn’t Gen Me

New survey by Making Caring Common reveals that this generation really wants to do good and help others

Posted July 2, 2026
By Lory Hough

Two Gen Z students smile and walk together on campus

They’ve been stereotyped as self-focused and screen obsessed, but according to a new survey from Making Caring Common (MCC), Gen Zers in the United States overwhelmingly want to do good for others in their personal and professional lives.

“There may be kernels of truth in some of these stereotypes, but they miss much of what is promising and exciting about this generation, and sometimes they are wildly unfair,” noted the survey authors. “Our data suggest that these stereotypes obscure, in particular, that today’s teens and young adults often care a great deal about others and improving the world.”

The survey, done by Gallup in partnership with MCC and the Walton Family Foundation, asked more than 2,400 Gen Zers — typically defined as those born between 1997 and 2012 — about their sense of purpose in life, priorities for and barriers to pursuing future “helping” careers, and how parents influence their priorities.

Nearly 80% of those polled said they were interested in jobs focused on helping or positively impacting other people — a desire that cuts across gender, race, ethnicity, and income level. However, there are barriers to taking on these jobs, including the belief, real or perceived, that helping jobs are low pay (49%) and stressful or emotionally draining (46%).

Below are additional key takeaways from the survey and strategies for helping Gen Z navigate barriers and pursue the kinds of jobs they are craving. As MCC’s faculty director Richard Weissbourd says, “If we want more Gen Zers to pursue helping careers, these jobs can’t undermine their financial stability or swamp them with stress.”

Notable Takeaways

Economists suggest that the rise of AI may shift the workforce from a “knowledge” economy to a “care” economy that requires many more workers with strong interpersonal skills who are invested in caring for others.
Gen Z women are more likely to be employed in these kinds of jobs compared with Gen Z men (63% vs. 48%), but gap is closer when it comes to wanting a helping job in the future: 82% women, 76% men.
Gen Zers who want a helping job or want to make a positive difference by race/ethnicity: Black (85%), Asian (82%), Latino (78%), white (77%), multiracial (71%). By household income: struggling on present income (81%), living well on present income (79%).
Feeling needed matters. About 34% of Gen Zers feel they are not needed by others and do not make a positive difference in others’ lives (31%). Adult men are especially likely to feel they are not needed (42%) or that they do not make a difference in others’ lives (35%).
Gen Zers who feel like they are needed by others and make a positive difference in the lives of others are about three to four times as likely to feel like their lives have a sense of meaning or purpose. This sense of meaning or purpose is strongly correlated with better mental health ratings.
Barriers get in the way of finding purpose or meaning: 52% cite wasting too much time on technology and 47% say mental health issues like anxiety or depression interfere.

Parents Matter

Parents are an important influence on their children’s desire to help others. A majority of Gen Zers (53%) say their parents talk to them about the importance of a career that positively impacts others; this percentage is especially high among Black Gen Zers and younger Gen Zers from lower-income families.
Focusing on personally fulfilling work (51%), maintaining work-life balance (49%), and finding a job that pays the bills without being too stressful (49%) are the three priorities Gen Zers say their parents focus on most when giving career advice.
Nearly 65% of employed Gen Z adults whose parents encourage them to help others in their career say they are currently in such a job; among those whose parents do not prioritize helping others, 44% are currently in helping jobs.

Strategies for Helping Gen Zers Pursue Helping Jobs

Increase pay and decrease financial pressure
City and county governments could provide wage supplements or tax credits. Consider loan forgiveness, scholarship programs, rent subsidies, and housing and relocation bonuses for those willing to work in under-resourced communities.

Reduce the emotional toll of helping jobs
Find ways to lower caseloads and class sizes, provide sane work hours, and offer resources and skills to frontline workers so they can be effective in their jobs. Offer mental health support, particularly for those in demanding roles. Create workplace cultures where staff feel connected and part of a common project.

Change the narrative about meaningful work
Create campaigns that change the narratives about these professions; highlight that they are worth the stress and are deeply meaningful. Elevate the perceived “status” of these jobs, including challenging the idea that these “soft” jobs don’t require high-level skills. Focus campaign on the specific, concrete impact of these jobs, avoiding murky calls for “making a difference.”

Show, don’t just tell
Many high school students have little understanding of what makes certain careers meaningful. Well-structured, credit-bearing volunteering, service learning, and internships in high school and college can make these jobs more enticing. So can guest speakers and courses that ask students to reflect on what it means to be of service.

Create new pathways and harness Gen Z’s aspirations
New pathways to these jobs that are rigorous but shorter and less expensive need to be created. That could include alternative forms of certification, online programs that don’t require young people to pay full tuition or to relocate, and paid residencies and internships that count toward licensure. Recognize caring young people who show ethical clarity and can respond — and resist — the rising influence of AI.