Jobs and Education Preferences Based on Your Myers-Briggs MBTI Type

In a recent classroom discussion I had with some technology students, we debated whether online students were more likely to be introverts or extroverts.  In this particular school, most of my students are introverts.  This isn’t surprising as they are studying technology which can draw the attention of the introvert.

I have seen statistics that show that there are more extroverts in the world.  Some reports show that as many as 60-70% of people are extroverts.  I believe that is an inaccurately high reporting.  In my training to become MBTI-qualified, the numbers were closer to 50/50 split with slightly more women being extroverted than men.

CAPT.org, a very reputable site for personality assessment information, listed the following statistics for MBTI percentages:

Estimated Frequencies
of the Types in the United States Population

TOTAL ISTJ
11-14%		 ISFJ
9-14%		 INFJ
1-3%		 INTJ
2-4%
E
45-53%S
66-74%T
40-50%J
54-60%		 I
47-55%N
26-34%F
50-60%P
40-46%		 ISTP
4-6%		 ISFP
5-9%		 INFP
4-5%		 INTP
3-5%
ESTP
4-5%		 ESFP
4-9%		 ENFP
6-8%		 ENTP
2-5%
ESTJ
8-12%		 ESFJ
9-13%		 ENFJ
2-5%		 ENTJ
2-5%
FEMALES ISTJ
7-10%		 ISFJ
15-20%		 INFJ
2-4%		 INTJ
1-3%
E
45-55%S
70-75%T
24-35%J
55-60%		 I
45-55%N
25-30%F
65-76%P
40-45%		 ISTP
2-3%		 ISFP
6-10%		 INFP
4-7%		 INTP
1-3%
ESTP
2-4%		 ESFP
7-10%		 ENFP
8-10%		 ENTP
2-4%
ESTJ
6-8%		 ESFJ
12-17%		 ENFJ
3-6%		 ENTJ
1-4%
MALES ISTJ
14-19%		 ISFJ
6-8%		 INFJ
1-2%		 INTJ
2-6%
E
45-50%S
65-72%T
55-67%J
52-58%		 I
50-55%N
28-35%F
33-45%P
42-48%		 ISTP
6-9%		 ISFP
4-8%		 INFP
3-5%		 INTP
4-7%
ESTP
5-6%		 ESFP
3-7%		 ENFP
5-7%		 ENTP
3-7%
ESTJ
10-12%		 ESFJ
5-8%		 ENFJ
1-3%		 ENTJ
3-6%
image via capt.org

I personally see more introverts in the online classroom, but I have also seen that this is changing as more people are taking online courses. There is no denying the popularity of online learning.  Campustechnology.com reported “Nearly 12 million post-secondary students in the United States take some or all of their classes online right now. But this will skyrocket to more than 22 million in the next five years.”

The online environment can be attractive to the introvert because they are not put on the spot to answer questions quickly.  Introverts prefer to think about what they want to say before they answer.  The online environment gives the introvert some time to think.  This environment may also be appealing to the extrovert who tends to think as they speak.  Extroverts may blurt out something that they may not have really have meant to say.  In the online environment, they have the ability to hit the backspace key before they actually hit the send button. 

If you haven’t had a chance to take the Myers-Briggs MBTI, it can be a very helpful tool to help you decide on a degree program that fits your personality type.  It can also help you with your job search.  In our book, It’s Not You It’s Your Personality, Toni Rothpletz and I included the following chart to show the jobs that may be a good match based on your type. 

If you cannot afford to take the Myers-Briggs MBTI, you can take a free not as valid version to give you an idea of your possible type.  To take the free assessment, click here. 

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