Overall, 604,600 master's degrees and 60,600 doctoral degrees were awarded in 2006-07, an increase of 44 and 32 percent, respectively, since 1996-97.

In 2006-07, of the 605,000 master's degrees awarded that year, over 50 percent were concentrated in two fields: education (29 percent) and business (25 percent) (see table A-41-1). During that same time period, an additional 9 percent of all master's degrees awarded were in the field of health professions and related clinical sciences. The fewest number of master's degrees were conferred in the field of mathematics and statistics (about 1 percent or 4,900 degrees).

Overall, 185,000 more master's degrees were awarded in 2006-07 than in 1996-97 (a 44 percent increase). Master's degrees awarded in the field of security and protective services had the largest percent increase (166 percent), followed by the field of education (62 percent). The field of physical sciences and science technologies had the smallest percent increase over this period (6 percent).

Females earned 61 percent of all master's degrees awarded in 2006-07. In the two most prevalent master's degree fields, education and business, females earned 77 and 44 percent, respectively, of all degrees awarded. In addition, females earned 80 percent of all degrees awarded in the field of health professions and related clinical sciences. However, females earned fewer master's degrees than males in 2006-07 in fields such as engineering and engineering technologies (23 percent female) and computer and information sciences and support services (26 percent female). For females and males, the field with the largest percent increase in master's degrees awarded was security and protective services (247 and 111 percent, respectively). For females, this was followed by a 75 percent increase in master's degrees conferred in the field of business, and for males, a 59 percent increase in computer and information sciences and support services.

In 2006-07, of the 60,600 doctoral degrees awarded, over 50 percent were awarded in four fields: health professions and related clinical sciences (14 percent), education (14 percent), engineering and engineering technologies (13 percent), and biological and biomedical sciences (10 percent). Overall, 14,700 more doctoral degrees were awarded in 2006-07 than in 1996-97 (a 32 percent increase). The doctoral field of health professions and related clinical sciences had the greatest percent increase over this time period (283 percent).

Females earned about 50 percent (or 30,400 degrees) of all doctoral degrees awarded in 2006-07, a 62 percent increase from 1996-97. Females earned fewer doctoral degrees than males (i.e., males earned more degrees than females) in 2006-07 in fields such as engineering and engineering technologies (21 percent female).

In 2006-07, of the 90,100 first-professional degrees awarded, over 48 percent were awarded in the field of law. An additional 17 percent of first-professional degrees were conferred in the field of medicine, and 12 percent were conferred in pharmacy. Between 1996-97 and 2006-07, there was a 14 percent increase in the number of first-professional degrees awarded. The field with the greatest percent increase over this period was pharmacy (285 percent). Females earned half of all first-professional degrees awarded in 2006-07, a 36 percent increase from 1996-97.

Technical Notes

The percent increases discussed in this indicator refer to aggregate fields of study. For more information on fields of study for postsecondary degrees, see supplemental note 9. The new Classification of Instructional Programs was initiated in 2002-03. Estimates for 1996-97 have been reclassified when necessary to conform to the new taxonomy. For more information on the Classification of Postsecondary Education Institutions, see supplemental note 8. For more information on the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), see supplemental note 3.