Career aspirations represent a critical component of adolescent development, influencing students’ academic engagement, occupational readiness, and long-term professional success. However, socio-personal variables continue to shape students’ career expectations, particularly in developing regions where access to career guidance resources may be limited. This study examined the influence of peer influence, self-esteem, and parental involvement on career aspirations among secondary school students in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The study adopted an ex-post facto research design. The population comprised 62,464 Senior Secondary Two (SS2) students in 263 public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State. A sample of 1,874 students were selected using a multistage sampling technique involving proportionate, stratified and simple random sampling procedures. Data were collected using a researcher-developed instrument titled “Socio-Personal Factors and Career Aspirations of Students’ Questionnaire (SPFCASQ)”, which had a reliability coefficient of 0.82 determined using Cronbach Alpha statistics. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that peer influence, self-esteem, and parental involvement significantly influenced the career aspirations of secondary school students. It was concluded that socio-personal factors play a crucial role in shaping students’ career ambitions and decision-making processes. The study recommended that school counsellors should implement structured peer mentoring programmes, organize self-esteem enhancement workshops, and encourage active parental participation in career guidance initiatives. These interventions are expected to enhance students’ career clarity, motivation, and long-term educational outcomes.