Longitudinal studies have shown that self-esteem increases in young adulthood and that individuals differ considerably in their self-esteem change. The experience of normative life events is considered a driver of these changes. This study aims to examine the predictive effect of the self-conscious emotion pride on average change and individual variability in change in self-esteem across the transition from university to work. We examine effects across days and months, above and beyond the non-self-conscious emotion joy. Data comes from an intensive longitudinal study on 232 young adults that contained 3 waves, each spaced 4 months apart. At Wave 1, participants were in the last year of their master’s program, and at Waves 2 and 3, most of the participants were expected to start work. We assessed momentary emotions and self-esteem four times a day in 14 daily-diary assessments at each wave. Findings have implications for understanding emotional processes underlying self-esteem change.