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What does gen Z value most as they head into the future? Day One Agency and USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations set out to answer that question, and many others in the latest study. 

After releasing a study that dove deep into gen Z’s scrolls and their relationship with the news last year, D1A and USC have teamed up again to uncover more of gen Z’s core values with: Life Actually, A No BS Study on the Future Gen Z Wants. This year, the study went beyond the phones and explored deeper into what gen Z holds near and dear and tried to understand their core belief systems. 

The study uncovered gen Z’s hopes and dreams, and unveiled three primary Cohorts - Neo-Traditionalists, Fluid Pragmatists, and Internet-Age Explorers - and it turns out they are not much different than previous generations. 

Neo-Traditionalists: These anchored achievers are stability-oriented, hold so-called traditional values, have an optimistic outlook, claim high civic engagement, and care deeply about a work life balance. Until recently, they were largely ignored, other than the trad wife discourse, but this group is increasingly front and center post-election.

• 74% dream of stable, full-time employment 
• 64% are more interested in making more money than in pursuing any creative passion 
• 87% want commitment and 93% want to stay with one partner
• 81% prefer their vehicles with gas, sorry Elon 
• 65% see themselves settling in the suburbs
• 81% see themselves buying a home
• 62% are optimistic about their future
• 88% had plans to vote
• 71% want work-life balance

Internet-Age Explorer: This is the group most clickbait headlines are talking about. These “urban mavericks” want to explore the world, live in cities, spurn commitment, and aren’t super optimistic about the future.  

• 46% more inclined to live in the city 
• 60% favor remote work 
• 57% favor part-time work
• 55% less inclined toward civic engagement like voting 
• 71% would rather scroll than post
• 66% would rather avoid college and be debt free than go to college with student loans
• 64% are willing to rent forever
• 51% are scared of commitment and don’t see themselves as committing to a partner
• 56% would rather be an employee than an entrepreneur
• 49% passion over a high salary
• 48% want to move around rather than stay in one job
• 59% prefer work-life balance to higher income and longer hours
• 42% are optimistic about their future (lowest in our data)

Fluid Pragmatists: Balanced, ambitious (but not too), these are individualists who care about independence and tradition.

• 61% would rather be an entrepreneur than an employee
• 66% value mental over physical health (34% the opposite) 
• 62% would rather road trip than fly anywhere
• 76% want to settle in the city
• 71% of this group is open to smoking and 37% see it as a helpful stimulant, but 49% do not drink
• 45% are optimistic about their future
• 81% had plans to vote
• This group was highly supportive of Donald Trump at the time of this survey, with 63.1%
• 79% plan to work full time
• 78% want to stay at one job rather than move around
• 73% want higher income over work-life balance

Find the full report .