Children as young as 10 are choosing a career path based on factors such as their achievement in NAPLAN tests and gender, according to a new study that has major implications for primary school educators.

Students with high NAPLAN scores are more likely to show interest in science, law, engineering, architecture, social work and arts, and children who think their academic performance is above average are more likely to choose medicine, the study of 6492 students from years 3 to 12 across 64 NSW public schools has found.

Students with high NAPLAN scores are more likely to show interest in science, law, engineering, architecture, social work and arts early on. Credit:Louie Douvis

One of the study's authors, Professor Jenny Gore, who is director of the University of Newcastle's teachers and teaching research centre, said the way primary school tests are handled could have long-term impacts on students' aspirations.

"I think we have to be careful in schools not to too quickly label children as low achieving, because kids develop early ideas of their own abilities," Professor Gore said.