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Digest of Education Statistics
2015 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 324.80. Statistical profile of persons receiving doctor's degrees, by field of study and selected characteristics: 2012-13 and
2013-14
Selected characteristic Field of study, 2012-13 Field of study, 2013-14
All fields Educa-tion Engineer-ing Human-ities Life sciences Physical sciences, mathematics, and computer science1 Social sciences and psychol-ogy Other fields All fields Educa-tion Engineer-ing Human-ities Life sciences Physical sciences, mathematics, and computer science1 Social sciences and psychol-ogy Other fields
Total Mathe-matics Total Mathe-matics
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Number of doctor's degrees conferred 52,760 4,944 8,963 5,662 12,305 9,290 1,817 8,401 3,195 54,070 4,793 9,568 5,486 12,504 9,859 1,879 8,657 3,203
                                     
Sex (percent)2                                    
Male 53.7 31.9 77.1 48.7 44.7 70.9 71.0 40.7 50.2 53.7 30.6 76.8 49.2 43.7 71.0 71.1 40.2 49.5
Female 46.2 68.1 22.9 51.2 55.3 29.0 29.0 59.3 49.7 46.0 69.2 22.8 50.8 56.0 28.6 28.5 59.5 50.1
                                     
Race/ethnicity (percent)3                                    
White 72.9 69.8 68.9 78.4 71.6 77.1 74.9 72.5 70.7 73.0 69.0 69.5 79.1 72.2 75.5 77.6 73.9 68.8
Black 6.4 12.5 4.6 3.7 6.2 2.9 3.0 7.3 9.3 6.4 13.3 4.1 3.8 5.9 3.5 4.0 6.7 11.2
Hispanic 6.3 6.5 5.1 7.4 6.6 4.6 3.9 7.0 5.8 6.5 6.5 6.0 7.2 6.3 5.4 4.1 7.2 6.2
Asian 8.5 5.4 15.1 4.3 10.5 9.6 12.4 6.1 8.8 8.5 5.0 14.3 4.3 10.3 9.8 9.3 6.3 8.2
American Indian/Alaska Native 0.4 0.6 0.1 0.5 0.4 0.1 0.0 0.4 0.2 0.3 0.5 0.1 0.4 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.4 0.1
Two or more races 2.5 2.0 2.3 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.3 3.0 2.2 2.6 2.3 2.6 2.7 2.7 2.5 1.8 2.7 2.0
Other and unknown4 3.1 3.3 3.9 3.1 2.2 3.1 3.6 3.6 2.9 2.8 3.4 3.4 2.5 2.2 3.0 3.0 2.8 3.5
                                     
Citizenship (percent)                                    
U.S. citizen/permanent resident 64.3 83.3 41.7 79.8 68.6 52.4 47.9 75.0 61.3 62.9 82.0 42.1 79.5 67.5 51.3 49.7 72.4 59.9
Temporary visa holder 29.7 10.4 52.8 13.3 25.8 42.1 46.4 19.3 30.5 29.3 10.0 51.6 12.9 25.2 41.5 43.6 17.9 29.0
Unknown 6.0 6.3 5.5 6.9 5.7 5.5 5.7 5.7 8.2 7.8 8.0 6.3 7.7 7.3 7.1 6.7 9.7 11.1
                                     
Median age at doctorate (years) 31.8 38.8 30.1 34.2 31.1 29.9 29.5 32.4 34.9 31.6 38.3 30.0 34.2 31.0 29.9 29.5 32.5 35.1
                                     
                                     
Percent with bachelor's degree in same
      field as doctorate
54.9 25.1 76.5 51.4 50.1 67.4 71.8 52.2 36.0 54.7 24.6 76.3 52.4 50.6 64.3 70.9 50.9 36.4
                                     
Median time lapse to doctorate (years)                                    
Since bachelor's degree completion 9.0 15.0 7.3 11.0 8.4 7.3 7.0 9.4 11.6 8.8 14.7 7.3 11.0 8.3 7.3 7.0 9.4 11.5
Since starting graduate school 7.5 11.7 6.6 9.2 6.9 6.5 6.2 7.7 9.3 7.3 11.7 6.5 9.2 6.7 6.5 6.3 7.8 9.2
                                     
Postdoctoral plans (percent)5                                    
Definite postdoctoral study6 23.9 5.0 20.4 8.1 36.6 34.7 31.9 24.4 5.3 23.4 5.1 18.6 9.6 36.5 31.6 32.0 24.3 4.9
Fellowship 12.4 2.3 6.4 6.6 20.7 14.5 17.0 16.8 3.0 12.5 2.6 6.2 8.0 21.0 13.1 17.0 17.7 2.9
Research associateship 10.8 2.4 13.6 1.3 14.7 19.6 14.5 6.2 2.0 10.3 2.2 12.2 1.5 14.6 18.0 14.5 5.5 1.8
Other7 0.7 0.3 0.4 0.3 1.1 0.6 0.3 1.4 0.2 0.6 0.3 0.3 0.1 0.9 0.6 0.5 1.1 0.2
Definite postdoctoral employment8 36.8 58.5 37.3 43.5 20.4 30.1 35.8 43.0 62.5 35.9 56.8 36.5 41.9 19.7 30.9 33.9 42.4 60.4
Postsecondary educational institution9 19.1 34.8 6.3 36.0 9.6 9.7 18.9 26.7 50.4 18.2 34.1 6.6 34.9 9.4 9.4 17.4 26.0 47.8
Government 2.9 2.0 3.6 1.2 2.6 1.9 1.6 5.3 2.9 2.8 2.9 3.8 0.9 2.2 1.9 1.7 4.8 2.9
Industry, business 10.6 2.6 26.1 2.0 5.7 17.4 14.0 5.9 5.0 11.1 2.1 25.1 1.8 5.8 18.5 13.3 6.7 6.2
Nonprofit organization 2.0 3.0 1.0 2.2 1.9 0.7 0.9 3.6 3.1 1.9 2.6 0.8 2.3 1.8 0.7 0.7 3.5 2.7
Other and unknown10 2.2 16.0 0.3 2.2 0.6 0.5 0.5 1.5 1.1 1.9 15.0 0.2 1.9 0.4 0.5 0.7 1.4 0.8
Seeking employment or study 34.9 32.8 38.0 44.7 36.0 32.2 28.9 29.8 29.0 35.9 34.3 40.1 44.1 36.6 33.6 30.6 29.9 30.4
Other/unknown 4.3 3.7 4.3 3.6 7.0 3.0 3.5 2.7 3.2 4.8 3.8 4.8 4.4 7.2 3.8 3.6 3.4 4.3
                                     
Primary work activity after
      doctorate (percent)11
                                   
Research and development 41.7 12.4 74.8 9.4 43.5 65.4 48.5 37.9 35.8 42.4 11.3 72.6 9.9 45.3 66.3 52.6 36.9 35.0
Teaching 35.7 43.5 7.6 76.8 28.4 22.3 41.2 38.0 48.4 34.7 44.3 8.8 75.5 29.2 20.1 38.5 37.5 47.1
Management or administration 11.3 33.0 6.0 7.4 12.6 3.4 1.6 7.9 9.8 10.8 32.2 5.1 8.4 10.6 3.3 9.2 10.5
Professional services 9.6 10.5 8.7 4.6 13.0 6.8 7.6 15.2 5.3 10.0 10.9 10.1 5.0 12.5 7.4 5.3 15.2 6.0
Other 1.7 0.7 3.0 1.7 2.5 2.1 1.1 1.0 0.7 2.1 1.3 3.5 1.3 2.4 2.8 1.2 1.3
                                     
Location after doctorate (percent)12                                    
New England 8.3 4.1 8.0 9.3 9.3 9.3 8.3 8.9 5.8 8.3 4.7 8.0 8.7 9.9 8.7 8.9 8.6 5.4
Middle Atlantic 12.6 9.8 10.8 17.2 12.5 12.7 14.6 13.5 12.6 12.5 10.4 9.5 17.2 12.1 11.9 15.0 14.8 13.0
East North Central 12.3 15.3 11.4 13.4 11.2 11.4 15.0 12.5 14.9 11.8 15.0 12.3 13.0 11.0 10.4 13.8 10.6 14.7
West North Central 5.4 9.1 3.7 5.8 6.7 3.2 4.2 5.3 5.6 5.3 7.4 3.7 6.0 6.5 4.1 7.0 5.3 5.4
South Atlantic 16.3 21.1 13.0 15.4 18.4 12.7 13.2 18.3 17.3 16.3 20.0 13.5 14.2 18.1 12.6 13.0 19.3 18.1
East South Central 3.8 8.6 2.8 4.7 3.7 2.3 2.6 3.4 4.2 3.8 8.2 3.3 4.3 3.7 2.0 2.1 3.4 5.1
West South Central 7.6 9.9 8.7 7.5 7.0 6.3 5.6 7.0 9.2 8.0 11.0 8.7 7.7 7.3 7.0 6.8 7.1 9.8
Mountain 5.5 8.2 6.0 5.3 4.7 5.8 4.1 4.3 5.6 5.2 7.5 5.7 4.5 4.5 5.4 4.9 4.3 5.5
Pacific and insular 17.0 8.9 23.7 11.3 17.2 23.5 15.2 13.4 9.2 18.0 10.1 24.5 12.5 18.1 24.8 13.0 13.2 11.1
Foreign 10.8 4.7 11.6 9.9 8.8 12.5 16.8 13.0 15.0 10.6 5.4 10.4 11.6 8.4 12.5 15.2 13.0 11.6
Region unknown 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.1 0.2
‡Reporting standards not met (too few cases).
1 Includes mathematics, computer science, physics and astronomy, chemistry, and earth, atmospheric, and marine sciences.
2 Distribution based on respondents reporting sex data.
3 Distribution based on U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
4 Includes Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders.
5 Percentages are based on only those doctorate recipients who responded to questions about postgraduation plans.
6 Percentages are based on only those doctorate recipients who indicated definite postgraduation plans for study and who indicated the type of study.
7 Includes respondents who indicated definite postgraduation study plans for traineeship, internship/clinical residency, or other study.
8 Percentages are based on only those doctorate recipients who indicated definite postgraduation plans for employment and who indicated the sector of employment.
9 Includes 2-year, 4-year, and foreign colleges and universities, and medical schools.
10 Other is mainly composed of elementary and secondary schools.
11 Percentages are based on only those doctorate recipients who indicated definite postgraduation plans for employment and who indicated their primary work activity.
12 Percentages are based on only those doctorate recipients who indicated definite postgraduation plans and type of plans.
NOTE: The above classification of degrees by field differs somewhat from that in most publications by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). One major difference is that history is included under humanities rather than social sciences. Includes Ph.D., Ed.D., and comparable degrees at the doctoral level. Includes only graduates of research programs, which typically require the preparation and defense of a dissertation based on original research, or the planning and execution of an original project demonstrating substantial artistic or scholarly achievement. Excludes nonresearch professional practice doctor's degrees (e.g., M.D., D.D.S., and J.D.) that are conferred upon completion of a program providing the knowledge and skills for the recognition, credential, or license required for professional practice in such fields as health and theology. The number of doctor's degrees in this table differs from that reported in the NCES Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), which includes both research and nonresearch degrees. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.
SOURCE: Doctorate Recipients From U.S. Universities: 2013 and 2014, Survey of Earned Doctorates, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Education, National Endowment for the Humanities, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (This table was prepared March 2016.)

2015 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest