This study focuses on the career plans and preferences of undergraduate music education majors. Thornton and Bergee (2008) stated that 70% of music education undergraduates plan to teach after graduation, but as many as a third quit the profession immediately, and another third drop out within a decade (Thornton & Bergee, 2008; Krueger, 2000; Madsen & Hancock, 2002). The purpose of this study is to explore the career preference of music education majors from different countries and the reasons behind their choices, with the goal of providing more effective and targeted support, especially for those who may be planning to leave the field. In addition to participants from United states universities, this study also includes undergraduate music education majors from Chinese universities to provide cross cultural perspectives. Although these students come from different educational and cultural background, they may face similar challenges and motivations related to teaching confidence, professional identity, and career stability. Recent studies in China indicate that policy incentives, job security, and family expectations strongly influence music education students’ career decisions (Yang, 2021; Liusong & Charoenmongcolkij, 2023). Other research finding that personal commitment and selfworth remain key factors for persistence in the profession (Wang, Poon, & Cheong, 2024). Research questions are as follows: (a) What are the career preferences of music education majors? (b) What reasons influence their career decisions within or outside the field of music education? (c) What similar challenges do students from different cultural backgrounds face in their career decisions?Researchers show that music teachers are the most influential role models in motivating students to enter the field (Bergee, 1992; Gillespie & Hamann, 1999), therefore, music educators not only need to be good role models but also need to understand students’ needs. This study employs a researcher-designed survey containing fourteen items across four categories: (a) public school teaching, (b) other music careers, (c) graduate study, and (d) non-music careers. Participants include undergraduate music education students from both the United States and China. Data collection and analysis are expected to be completed by early 2026, prior to the ISME World Conference.