Financially-Savvy High School Students Tackle Higher Ed Costs and Prepare for Future Employment, CSF Youth Survey Finds
1,000 Gen Z teens intend to work and personally fund their higher education as a pathway to careers
WASHINGTON, April 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The vast majority, 78%, of today's high school students wish they had started planning and paying for higher education earlier, but are making up for it now with strategies to save more, earn money while in school, and ask for education gifts rather than tangible ones from parents and relatives. With an eye on future employment, the majority (65%) of 1,000 seniors, juniors and sophomores participating in CSF's 17th Annual Youth Survey (Infographic), view college and higher education as a key credential towards their career choice, and expressed an equal interest in vocational and technical training* as they do with traditional college courses.
This commitment to higher education starts with funding it; and a majority of teenagers surveyed said they will personally pay for it, with more than half of those intending to pay the full amount.
"Today's high school students are taking control of their lives with the highest interest in financial and workforce preparedness that we have seen in the last five years. They are motivated to avoid student debt, and are believers in planning and saving during high school and earlier," said Chris McGee, Chair of CSF, a national nonprofit helping families save for a lifetime of education.
Today's high school students are tackling the cost of college and higher education in the following four ways at record levels:
- Looking at career and technical schools. More students - 74% this year - think about career and technical school, certifications and apprenticeships in the same way as traditional college.
- Asking for education gifts: 83% want their parents to provide gift givers a contribution link to a 529 gifting account. 76% would rather receive money for education than material gifts; and 62% expect education gifts from relatives.
- Saving more: 63% are saving for their education, with three quarters of those having saved at least $1,000. 40% of students say that either they or their parents are using a 529 education saving plan.
- Working and cutting costs: 86% of students will work while attending higher ed classes, with 33% planning to work full-time. 71% plan to live at home while taking classes.
Students were confident about their financial knowledge, with 83% understanding the total cost of higher education (tuition, fees, housing, books); and 77% knowing how student loans work. Similarly, they are up to speed on 529 education savings plans, with 41% aware that unused funds in a 529 account can be rolled over into a Roth IRA.
However, students wished they had started to plan and save earlier. While 47% said it was important to start in high school, more than half suggested even earlier: 29% in middle school, 14% in grade school, and 10% in preschool or younger.
To estimate college costs and compare options, the majority of these "digital natives" use online planning and tools. Two-thirds of students said that a mobile app would be important in deciding whether or not to invest in a 529 plan.
"Our survey gave us a window into these students' future. They are embracing innovation now and will likely expect more options as they get older and save for their families," McGee said. "We can already see a multi-generational trend in the 30 years since 529s were created by Congress. Among the 1,000 parents we surveyed last year, 25% had used 529s to fund their education, and are now using them to save for their children's."
A changing definition of higher education
Student debt continues to be a worry for high schoolers. 68% plan to or will possibly borrow and two thirds are concerned about paying back their loans.
That may be one reason career and technical schools and certifications are increasingly attractive. Following last year's legislation allowing 529s to cover these pathways, more young people can fast-track into well-paying jobs such as health care technicians and aircraft mechanics, or plumbing or HVAC specialists.
*When asked how they would design their ideal education, high school respondents prioritized workforce preparedness. 68% said they would prefer courses focused on career and technical training, and 89% said they would like to get credit for actual work experience in conjunction with a higher education institution.
At the same time, they also think traditional college experience can help their financial futures. 80% said it would help them earn more over their career than other post-high school education choices.
One-in-five students say they are headed to private school, the highest level in five years. 42% are going to public college, 16% to community college, 8% to career and technical schools, 4% to workforce training and credentialling, and 2% to apprenticeships. (4% are going into the military).
The role of parents in planning for higher ed
Parents play a strong role in students' planning and financial habits. 84% of all students have talked with their parents about college and higher education affordability.
"Even when it is difficult to save, parents can talk with children about the value of taking small steps to achieve big goals, with help from family and friends on special occasions," McGee said.
The 2026 Youth Survey indicated that parents were doing their part. 72% of all respondents said their parents were saving for their education, with 72% of savers amassing more than $5,000; and 33% of them saving primarily in 529s.
The CSF 17th Annual Youth Survey was conducted by survey monkey with parental permission among more than 1,000 high school students across the country. CSF is a Washington, D.C.- based not-for-profit organization helping families achieve their education savings goals for a lifetime. www.collegesavingsfoundation.org
Media contact: Lynthia Romney, RomneyCom LLC, [email protected], 914-589-2140
SOURCE The College Savings Foundation
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