The article presents a comparative analysis of values and personal readiness for activity of university students who are living in cities with different innovation statuses: St. Petersburg, Tomsk and Irkutsk (N = 468). We used diagnostic methods with statistical processing (program Statistica 6. 0). There are descriptive statistics, factor analysis and analysis of variance. The results showed that basic values are a leading factor in university students, as well as an economic values, personal readiness for activity, and innovation. Significant differences of indicators were revealed in the three analyzed cities: “Realizability of basic values”, economic values “Long-term / short-term orientation” and “Traditional values”, “Planning” and “Need for achievement”. Each city is unique in terms of personal potential and personal and professional development of university students.