The data: Per a CFPB survey of 2,205 undergraduates, 83% believe financial wellbeing is important (39%) or very important (44%) to happiness and life satisfaction.

Digging into the data: Students’ confidence managing basic finances, post-graduation financial goals, and demand for financial and educational tools all shape how they navigate money and prepare for the future. Overall, they most value financial stability.

• College students’ top two financial concerns were finding a stable job (66%) and affording major purchases (e.g., a home or car) (64%), followed by saving for emergencies or retirement (55%) and achieving general financial goals (54%).
• Their primary financial goals post-graduation were paying off student loans (30%) and building an emergency fund (18%), followed by investing for retirement (16%) and saving for a large purchase (16%).
• Most students (64%) are interested in learning more about personal finance topics, and most trust advice from family (58%) and financial planners (55%).
• Educational resources (38%) and bank advisors (33%) distantly trail family and financial planners as sources of advice. Social media influencers (5%) are second to last, trailing only those who “will not seek financial advice.”

Zoom out: Many gen Zers (currently ages 14 to 29) are in college or entering college. A Pathward study noted that their sources of advice change from pre-college to post-graduation as they become increasingly financially independent.

Implications for banks: According to our June 2025 report Future-Proofing Banking Through Customer-Centric Journeys, banks must guide customers through their financial needs during different life stages. Banks must be ready for when each stage occurs, which is influenced by age, financial security, and specific needs.

Banks can best prepare for these moments via their customer data and the products and services they offer. But they must first view customers through the lens of life stages and adapt their data management and analytics capabilities to support it.