Table 505.10.

Number, percentage distribution, unemployment rates, and median earnings of 25- to 29-year-old bachelor’s degree holders and percentage of degree holders among all 25- to 29-year-olds, by field of study: 2009 and 2012

[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
Field of study	2009															2012
	25- to 29-year-old bachelor's degree holders												Percent of all 25- to 29-year-olds with degree in specific field			25- to 29-year-old bachelor's degree holders												Percent of all 25- to 29-year-olds with degree in specific field
	Number, in thousands			Percentage distribution			Unemploy-ment rate			Median annual earnings (in current dollars)						Number, in thousands			Percentage distribution			Unemployment rate			Median annual earnings (in current dollars)
1	2			3			4			5			6			7			8			9			10			11
Total, all bachelor's degrees	6,418		(30.8)	100.0		(†)	5.2		(0.12)	$44,880		(547)	29.9		(0.14)	6,738		(37.0)	100.0		(†)	4.8		(0.13)	$44,530		(760)	31.8		(0.17)
Agriculture	59		(2.9)	0.9		(0.04)	2.2	!	(0.85)	38,970		(995)	0.3		(0.01)	62		(2.6)	0.9		(0.04)	1.8	!	(0.61)	42,570		(1,333)	0.3		(0.01)
Architecture	45		(2.3)	0.7		(0.04)	9.6		(1.58)	45,950		(1,186)	0.2		(0.01)	53		(3.3)	0.8		(0.05)	6.0		(1.51)	44,930		(1,394)	0.2		(0.02)
Area, ethnic, and civilization studies	27		(2.1)	0.4		(0.03)	7.3		(2.10)	39,930		(1,495)	0.1		(0.01)	28		(2.2)	0.4		(0.03)	5.4		(1.54)	36,940		(2,323)	0.1		(0.01)
Arts, fine and commercial
Fine arts	250		(6.5)	3.9		(0.10)	8.8		(0.79)	35,870		(889)	1.2		(0.03)	273		(8.1)	4.1		(0.12)	6.6		(0.69)	36,190		(1,170)	1.3		(0.04)
Commercial art and graphic design	96		(4.9)	1.5		(0.08)	9.2		(1.22)	39,940		(535)	0.4		(0.02)	108		(4.9)	1.6		(0.07)	5.6		(1.07)	38,300		(1,686)	0.5		(0.02)
Business
Business, general	224		(6.6)	3.5		(0.10)	5.2		(0.63)	45,910		(1,110)	1.0		(0.03)	245		(8.0)	3.6		(0.12)	4.1		(0.61)	45,230		(155)	1.2		(0.04)
Accounting	184		(5.9)	2.9		(0.09)	4.4		(0.63)	52,840		(1,428)	0.9		(0.03)	201		(6.5)	3.0		(0.10)	4.6		(0.67)	52,190		(829)	0.9		(0.03)
Business management and administration	372		(8.7)	5.8		(0.13)	5.9		(0.46)	43,900		(1,237)	1.7		(0.04)	349		(7.9)	5.2		(0.12)	4.5		(0.47)	44,370		(1,176)	1.6		(0.04)
Marketing and marketing research	196		(6.3)	3.0		(0.10)	5.7		(0.67)	44,740		(134)	0.9		(0.03)	201		(5.4)	3.0		(0.08)	5.0		(0.64)	44,570		(854)	1.0		(0.03)
Finance	168		(5.2)	2.6		(0.08)	4.8		(0.74)	51,390		(891)	0.8		(0.02)	167		(6.0)	2.5		(0.09)	4.3		(0.76)	54,940		(1,092)	0.8		(0.03)
Management information systems and statistics	27		(2.0)	0.4		(0.03)	5.8		(1.66)	55,350		(2,569)	0.1		(0.01)	21		(1.8)	0.3		(0.03)	‡		(�†)	50,920		(5,066)	0.1		(0.01)
Business, other and medical administration	121		(5.2)	1.9		(0.08)	4.9		(0.88)	45,040		(1,434)	0.6		(0.02)	135		(4.9)	2.0		(0.07)	4.2		(0.67)	45,000		(899)	0.6		(0.02)
Communications and communications technologies	384		(8.8)	6.0		(0.13)	5.4		(0.51)	39,900		(62)	1.8		(0.04)	375		(7.8)	5.6		(0.12)	4.8		(0.48)	40,180		(88)	1.8		(0.04)
Computer and information systems	259		(6.2)	4.0		(0.09)	5.2		(0.64)	59,030		(947)	1.2		(0.03)	227		(7.9)	3.4		(0.11)	4.5		(0.72)	58,330		(1,662)	1.1		(0.04)
Construction/electrical/transportation technologies	34		(2.2)	0.5		(0.03)	4.1		(1.19)	49,950		(2,248)	0.2		(0.01)	39		(2.5)	0.6		(0.04)	4.7	!	(1.41)	49,700		(1,829)	0.2		(0.01)
Criminal justice and fire protection	133		(4.5)	2.1		(0.07)	4.2		(0.72)	39,900		(453)	0.6		(0.02)	157		(5.3)	2.3		(0.08)	6.2		(0.84)	39,140		(1,450)	0.7		(0.03)
Education
General education	143		(4.8)	2.2		(0.08)	3.3		(0.63)	39,180		(537)	0.7		(0.02)	156		(6.0)	2.3		(0.09)	3.3		(0.71)	38,290		(1,335)	0.7		(0.03)
Early childhood education	41		(2.5)	0.6		(0.04)	2.8	!	(1.00)	35,230		(889)	0.2		(0.01)	41		(2.6)	0.6		(0.04)	3.2	!	(1.26)	35,210		(976)	0.2		(0.01)
Elementary education	192		(5.2)	3.0		(0.08)	3.2		(0.49)	35,980		(896)	0.9		(0.02)	172		(4.9)	2.6		(0.07)	2.9		(0.55)	37,320		(584)	0.8		(0.02)
Secondary teacher education	21		(1.5)	0.3		(0.02)	3.8	!	(1.86)	38,480		(958)	0.1		(0.01)	19		(1.6)	0.3		(0.02)	4.5	!	(1.74)	37,970		(2,214)	0.1		(0.01)
Education, other	180		(5.0)	2.8		(0.08)	3.2		(0.59)	37,970		(824)	0.8		(0.02)	193		(6.1)	2.9		(0.09)	3.3		(0.58)	39,270		(1,022)	0.9		(0.03)
Engineering and engineering-related fields
General engineering	55		(3.2)	0.9		(0.05)	6.0		(1.25)	59,780		(1,395)	0.3		(0.01)	72		(4.1)	1.1		(0.06)	4.4	!	(1.36)	59,830		(610)	0.3		(0.02)
Chemical engineering	30		(2.1)	0.5		(0.03)	3.6	!	(1.65)	64,930		(3,706)	0.1		(0.01)	26		(1.9)	0.4		(0.03)	0.9	!	(0.60)	70,210		(1,422)	0.1		(0.01)
Civil engineering	42		(2.3)	0.7		(0.03)	4.2		(1.13)	57,840		(1,793)	0.2		(0.01)	53		(2.9)	0.8		(0.04)	6.3		(1.56)	59,650		(2,110)	0.3		(0.01)
Computer engineering	55		(2.5)	0.9		(0.04)	4.9		(1.19)	59,900		(1,524)	0.3		(0.01)	52		(3.0)	0.8		(0.05)	6.1		(1.63)	69,790		(2,362)	0.2		(0.01)
Electrical engineering	95		(3.3)	1.5		(0.05)	4.3		(0.90)	63,580		(1,522)	0.4		(0.02)	88		(3.8)	1.3		(0.06)	3.7		(0.88)	69,080		(2,330)	0.4		(0.02)
Mechanical engineering	84		(3.7)	1.3		(0.06)	5.0		(0.92)	61,590		(1,699)	0.4		(0.02)	90		(4.0)	1.3		(0.06)	2.7		(0.60)	65,150		(1,589)	0.4		(0.02)
Engineering, other	74		(3.7)	1.2		(0.06)	4.3		(0.93)	58,870		(931)	0.3		(0.02)	85		(3.9)	1.3		(0.06)	3.6		(0.94)	64,710		(3,193)	0.4		(0.02)
Engineering technologies	38		(2.8)	0.6		(0.04)	7.0		(1.59)	54,240		(1,871)	0.2		(0.01)	41		(3.0)	0.6		(0.04)	5.7		(1.70)	52,360		(2,039)	0.2		(0.01)
English language and literature	200		(5.3)	3.1		(0.08)	5.7		(0.77)	37,960		(1,050)	0.9		(0.02)	203		(5.8)	3.0		(0.09)	5.9		(0.68)	39,510		(1,017)	1.0		(0.03)
Family and consumer sciences	62		(2.8)	1.0		(0.05)	2.4		(0.65)	35,920		(2,415)	0.3		(0.01)	59		(2.9)	0.9		(0.04)	4.9		(1.19)	36,220		(1,582)	0.3		(0.01)
Health professions
General medical and health services	183		(5.2)	2.9		(0.08)	3.3		(0.60)	49,880		(1,305)	0.9		(0.02)	224		(6.4)	3.3		(0.09)	3.6		(0.48)	49,480		(1,364)	1.1		(0.03)
Nursing	164		(5.2)	2.6		(0.08)	1.5		(0.34)	52,890		(1,753)	0.8		(0.02)	221		(6.2)	3.3		(0.09)	3.2		(0.52)	50,830		(1,220)	1.0		(0.03)
History	133		(4.3)	2.1		(0.07)	7.4		(0.90)	39,640		(737)	0.6		(0.02)	141		(5.0)	2.1		(0.07)	5.8		(0.80)	40,900		(1,706)	0.7		(0.02)
Liberal arts and humanities	117		(4.4)	1.8		(0.07)	7.1		(0.88)	38,890		(1,374)	0.5		(0.02)	84		(4.5)	1.2		(0.07)	5.7		(1.20)	35,280		(1,162)	0.4		(0.02)
Linguistics and comparative language and literature	68		(3.3)	1.1		(0.05)	5.6		(1.18)	39,910		(795)	0.3		(0.02)	74		(3.6)	1.1		(0.05)	5.6		(1.09)	42,050		(1,251)	0.4		(0.02)
Mathematics	70		(3.2)	1.1		(0.05)	4.7		(1.33)	49,540		(909)	0.3		(0.01)	87		(3.6)	1.3		(0.05)	2.7		(0.63)	48,180		(1,957)	0.4		(0.02)
Multi/interdisciplinary studies	121		(4.3)	1.9		(0.07)	5.8		(0.92)	42,980		(1,946)	0.6		(0.02)	71		(4.3)	1.1		(0.06)	5.6		(1.08)	40,030		(803)	0.3		(0.02)
Natural sciences
Biology	354		(6.8)	5.5		(0.10)	4.5		(0.52)	42,300		(879)	1.6		(0.03)	394		(7.6)	5.8		(0.11)	4.1		(0.41)	42,530		(1,279)	1.9		(0.04)
Environmental science	42		(2.5)	0.7		(0.04)	3.0	!	(1.15)	39,220		(603)	0.2		(0.01)	37		(2.3)	0.6		(0.03)	2.9	!	(0.99)	39,500		(1,621)	0.2		(0.01)
Physical sciences	104		(4.2)	1.6		(0.06)	4.2		(0.81)	44,170		(433)	0.5		(0.02)	183		(5.9)	2.7		(0.09)	4.4		(0.63)	45,030		(1,150)	0.9		(0.03)
Physical fitness, parks, recreation and leisure	96		(3.9)	1.5		(0.06)	5.9		(0.93)	39,380		(350)	0.4		(0.02)	109		(3.9)	1.6		(0.06)	4.1		(0.70)	40,380		(1,487)	0.5		(0.02)
Philosophy and religious studies	57		(3.0)	0.9		(0.05)	8.1		(1.51)	40,970		(1,387)	0.3		(0.01)	53		(2.9)	0.8		(0.04)	6.6		(1.52)	39,710		(1,977)	0.3		(0.01)
Psychology	371		(7.6)	5.8		(0.12)	5.0		(0.50)	39,890		(765)	1.7		(0.04)	394		(8.5)	5.8		(0.12)	5.8		(0.53)	38,350		(662)	1.9		(0.04)
Public administration and public policy	14		(1.7)	0.2		(0.03)	‡		(�†)	52,150		(4,290)	0.1		(0.01)	13		(1.4)	0.2		(0.02)	7.3	!	(3.48)	58,080		(2,186)	0.1		(0.01)
Social sciences
Anthropology and archeology	33		(2.1)	0.5		(0.03)	5.6	!	(1.91)	33,260		(2,555)	0.2		(0.01)	40		(2.7)	0.6		(0.04)	8.6		(1.92)	34,410		(2,232)	0.2		(0.01)
Economics	126		(4.5)	2.0		(0.07)	5.1		(0.80)	58,980		(3,144)	0.6		(0.02)	126		(4.7)	1.9		(0.07)	4.8		(0.82)	54,250		(1,456)	0.6		(0.02)
Geography	21		(1.7)	0.3		(0.03)	5.8	!	(2.11)	40,170		(1,216)	0.1		(0.01)	24		(2.3)	0.4		(0.03)	9.1	!	(3.23)	40,400		(2,675)	0.1		(0.01)
International relations	20		(1.6)	0.3		(0.02)	7.4		(2.18)	45,320		(2,964)	0.1		(0.01)	28		(2.1)	0.4		(0.03)	7.5	!	(2.28)	50,110		(2,051)	0.1		(0.01)
Political science and government	167		(5.2)	2.6		(0.08)	6.6		(0.85)	47,480		(1,034)	0.8		(0.02)	172		(5.4)	2.6		(0.08)	8.2		(0.96)	46,980		(2,495)	0.8		(0.03)
Sociology	113		(3.9)	1.8		(0.06)	5.3		(0.94)	38,620		(1,585)	0.5		(0.02)	109		(4.1)	1.6		(0.06)	5.1		(0.81)	40,300		(205)	0.5		(0.02)
Miscellaneous social sciences	32		(2.4)	0.5		(0.04)	6.6	!	(2.21)	39,900		(526)	0.2		(0.01)	33		(2.3)	0.5		(0.03)	6.6	!	(2.13)	40,230		(2,561)	0.2		(0.01)
Social work and human services	67		(3.9)	1.0		(0.06)	4.0		(0.92)	34,950		(1,081)	0.3		(0.02)	68		(3.4)	1.0		(0.05)	4.3		(1.00)	34,240		(1,594)	0.3		(0.02)
Theology and religious vocations	32		(2.4)	0.5		(0.04)	3.7	!	(1.20)	35,300		(962)	0.1		(0.01)	33		(2.5)	0.5		(0.04)	‡		(�†)	35,140		(2,456)	0.2		(0.01)
Other fields	22		(2.2)	0.3		(0.03)	7.2	!	(2.59)	42,760		(3,817)	0.1		(0.01)	26		(2.3)	0.4		(0.03)	8.6	!	(2.99)	39,640		(1,473)	0.1		(0.01)

†Not applicable.

!Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent.

‡Reporting standards not met. Either there are too few cases for a reliable estimate or the coefficient of variation (CV) is 50 percent or greater.

NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Some data have been revised from previously published figures.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, 2009 and 2012 American Community Survey (ACS) Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) data. (This table was prepared April 2014.)