The paper gives the analysis of the results of the study of specific attitude to extremism of Russian students living in big cities and having different levels of professional identity development. Students with developed professional identity show further understanding of extremism, negative attitude to it, value democratic rights and liberties, tend to legally assert their interests in the society. Students with low level of professional identity have a nodding acquaintance with extremism, and are prone to use oppositional, protest means of advancing own rights and interests. And help in attaining professional identity can be one of the preventing measures of extremism among youth.