Get selected value in dropdown list using JavaScript

Plain JavaScript:

var e = document.getElementById("elementId");
var value = e.options[e.selectedIndex].value;
var text = e.options[e.selectedIndex].text;

jQuery:

$("#elementId :selected").text(); // The text content of the selected option
$("#elementId").val(); // The value of the selected option

AngularJS: (http://jsfiddle.net/qk5wwyct):

// HTML
<select ng-model="selectItem" ng-options="item as item.text for item in items">
</select>
<p>Text: {{selectItem.text}}</p>
<p>Value: {{selectItem.value}}</p>

// JavaScript
$scope.items = [{
  value: 'item_1_id',
  text: 'Item 1'
}, {
  value: 'item_2_id',
  text: 'Item 2'
}];

Given a select element that looks like this:

<select id="ddlViewBy">
  <option value="1">test1</option>
  <option value="2" selected="selected">test2</option>
  <option value="3">test3</option>
</select>

Running this code:

var e = document.getElementById("ddlViewBy");
var value = e.value;
var text = e.options[e.selectedIndex].text;

Results in:

value == 2
text == "test2"

Interactive example:

var e = document.getElementById("ddlViewBy");
function onChange() {
  var value = e.value;
  var text = e.options[e.selectedIndex].text;
  console.log(value, text);
}
e.onchange = onChange;
onChange();

<form>
  <select id="ddlViewBy">
    <option value="1">test1</option>
    <option value="2" selected="selected">test2</option>
    <option value="3">test3</option>
  </select>
</form>

var strUser = e.options[e.selectedIndex].value;

This is correct and should give you the value. Is it the text you're after?

var strUser = e.options[e.selectedIndex].text;

So you're clear on the terminology:

<select>
    <option value="hello">Hello World</option>
</select>

This option has:

• Index = 0
• Value = hello
• Text = Hello World