Given the shortage of STEM workers, it is important to examine the factors associated with students’ academic career intentions. However, the mechanism through which subjective norms influence academic career intentions has not been determined. Our study empirically tests a model identifying science identity as an intervening variable in this relationship. In a longitudinal survey study of master’s and doctoral students from 17 research institutes in China, we found that science identity mediated the relationship between subjective norms and academic career intentions. In addition, creative self-efficacy, valuable to academic careers, moderated the relationship between science identity and academic career intentions.