The article presents the results of an empirical study, the purpose of which is to determine motivational and volitional characteristics of secondary professional education institutions’ students. Presumably, personal motivational and volitional spheres in students at the stage of secondary professional education differ from those of higher education students. The research involved students (N = 158) of secondary (n = 81) and higher (n = 77) professional education institutions, aged from 16 to 22, among whom 45% were girls. We identified and analysed the distinctive features of motivational and volitional personal characteristics in students of secondary professional education institutions compared with students of higher education institutions: level of aspiration, personality orientation, dominant general motives, level of internality, degree of development of the basic volitional qualities and their self-assessment. It has been found out that students of these levels of professional education are characterized by personal orientation, but at the same time, students of secondary professional education institutions are less internal in the areas of achievements and failures, productive and interpersonal relationships, health and illness areas. Students at the level of secondary professional education put more value on social esteem, active life, and intolerance of the drawbacks in themselves and others. Students of secondary professional education institutions are inferior to students of higher education institutions by the level of alertness development, perseverance, independence, determination, initiativity, responsibility and moderation. The results of the study can be used in the development of corrective and developmental psychological and pedagogical programs in the field of professional education.