How Family Economic Conditions Affect Career Choices of Chinese Social Work Graduates

Socioeconomic status is a key determinant of career trajectories, yet limited qualitative research explores its impact on Chinese social work graduates—an undervalued profession with low pay and prestige. Drawing on the At-Promise College Student Major and Career Self-Efficacy Ecology Model (Kitchen et al., 2023), this study investigates how economic resources, cultural values, and social capital intersect in career decision-making. Using reflexive thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 10 Northeast Forestry University graduates (five from lower-income, five from higher-income families), we found contrasting patterns: higher-income graduates had greater autonomy, interest-driven choices, and access to social capital, while lower-income graduates prioritized stability, family obligations, and survival-oriented strategies. Notably, no participants pursued social work as a career. This study contributes to understanding structural inequalities in career development and offers implications for higher education, career guidance, and social work professionalization in China.