Students Who Study Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in Postsecondary Education

Title:	Students Who Study Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in Postsecondary Education
Description:	Using data from the 1995-96 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS:96/01), this Statistics in Brief focuses on undergraduates who enter STEM programs and examines their characteristics and postsecondary outcomes (persistence and degree completion) several years after beginning postsecondary education. Findings include: Twenty-three percent of 1995–96 beginning postsecondary students had majored in a STEM field at some point between their initial enrollment in 1995–96 and about 6 years later, as of 2001. STEM entrants generally did better than non-STEM entrants in terms of bachelor's degree attainment and overall persistence. Among all STEM entrants between 1995–96 and 2001, some 53 percent persisted in a STEM field by either completing a degree in a STEM field or staying enrolled in a STEM field, and the remaining 47 percent left STEM fields by either switching to a non-STEM field or leaving postsecondary education without earning any credential.
Online Availability:	Download, view and print the report as a pdf file. (383KB) View/Download Table Parameter Files (TPFs). Need Help Viewing PDF files?
Cover Date:	July 2009
Web Release:	July 29, 2009
Publication #:	NCES 2009161
Center/Program:	NCES
Authors:	Xianglei Chen
Type of Product:	Statistics in Brief
Survey/Program Areas:	Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS) Career/Technical Education Statistics (CTES) Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS) National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS)
Keywords:	Beginning students in postsecondary education Higher education Mathematics/Science education Postsecondary education • outcomes • persistence and attainment STEM (Science, Engineering, Technology, Mathematics)
Questions:	For questions about the content of this Statistics in Brief, please contact: Aurora M. D'Amico.

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National Center for Education Statistics - http://nces.ed.gov
U.S. Department of Education

U.S. Department of Education
Institute of Education Sciences
National Center for Education Statistics