This article examines the problem of professional self-determination of students in the contemporary socio-economic situation. It studies different approaches to the definition of professional self-determination, explainss the factors of its formation, characteristics and typology. Authors consider ecological competitions as the leading form of career-oriented activities that have a ignificant impact on the result of professional self-determination of students. They disclose goals, objectives, functions and levels of ecological competitions. On the basis of generalization of various approaches to the classifications presented typology Olympiad on ecology. They approaches to the selection of tasks at various levels of creative activity, depending on the type of competition. It is concluded that the participation of students in environmental competitions at various levels contributes to the development of creative activity and the building of professional self-determination of the future graduates.