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Digest of Education Statistics
2023 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 505.06.Number and percentage distribution of 25- to 64-year-old bachelor's degree holders, percentage of degree holders among all 25- to 64-year-olds, and unemployment rates and median annual earnings of 25- to 64-year-old bachelor's degree holders, by age group, field of study, and science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) status of field: 2022
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
Field of study and STEM status of field 25- to 64-year-old bachelor's degree holders, total Percent of all 25- to 64-year-olds with degree in specific field 25- to 64-year-old bachelor's degree holders, by age group
Unemployment rate for the civilian labor force Median annual earnings of full-time year-round workers1
Number, in thousands Percentage distribution 25- to 64-year-olds, total 25- to 34-year-olds 35- to 44-year-olds 45- to 54-year-olds 55- to 64-year-olds 25- to 64-year-olds, total 25- to 34-year-olds 35- to 44-year-olds 45- to 54-year-olds 55- to 64-year-olds
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
   Total, all bachelor's degrees  64,200 (164.4) 100.0 (†) 37.3 (0.09) 2.1 (0.02) 2.4 (0.05) 2.0 (0.04) 1.8 (0.04) 2.3 (0.06) $83,360 (387) $67,630 (282) $88,540 (327) $96,760 (530) $97,930 (607)
Agriculture 619 (10.2) 1.0 (0.02) 0.4 (0.01) 1.4 (0.19) 1.8 (0.48) 1.4 ! (0.43) 0.4 ! (0.16) 1.7 (0.41) 74,060 (1,028) 62,540 (1,275) 78,720 (2,823) 85,150 (3,258) 87,200 (2,859)
Architecture 460 (9.1) 0.7 (0.01) 0.3 (0.01) 2.1 (0.28) 2.3 (0.54) 1.6 (0.39) 1.9 ! (0.64) 2.7 (0.59) 88,460 (2,086) 67,120 (1,322) 93,530 (1,880) 103,980 (2,802) 103,550 (2,999)
Area, ethnic, and civilization studies 219 (5.9) 0.3 (0.01) 0.1 (#) 1.8 (0.38) 2.3 ! (0.74) 1.1 ! (0.46) 2.3 ! (0.74) (†) 81,070 (1,818) 65,440 (2,400) 83,220 (2,541) 97,880 (2,744) 105,190 (7,600)
Arts, fine and commercial 2,820 (22.4) 4.4 (0.03) 1.6 (0.01) 3.3 (0.13) 3.9 (0.31) 2.9 (0.25) 2.8 (0.30) 3.4 (0.34) 67,420 (520) 54,820 (1,026) 72,840 (1,137) 78,030 (1,315) 72,820 (2,193)
  Fine arts  2,092 (20.3) 3.3 (0.03) 1.2 (0.01) 3.3 (0.15) 4.0 (0.38) 3.0 (0.30) 2.8 (0.36) 3.2 (0.39) 67,020 (517) 52,110 (707) 72,530 (975) 78,010 (1,525) 73,440 (2,197)
  Commercial art and graphic design  728 (11.8) 1.1 (0.02) 0.4 (0.01) 3.1 (0.25) 3.4 (0.53) 2.5 (0.38) 2.8 (0.52) 4.0 (0.74) 67,740 (1,550) 58,060 (1,463) 77,550 (1,858) 78,060 (1,972) 72,080 (2,861)

Business

13,542


(62.0)

21.1


(0.08)

7.9


(0.04)

2.2


(0.05)

2.3


(0.11)

2.1


(0.10)

1.9


(0.07)

2.4


(0.11)

88,560


(381)

72,720


(590)

93,480


(655)

99,820


(746)

99,570


(947)
  Business, general  2,842 (24.4) 4.4 (0.04) 1.7 (0.01) 1.9 (0.12) 1.9 (0.25) 2.1 (0.25) 1.6 (0.19) 2.1 (0.26) 87,730 (905) 67,440 (956) 92,500 (1,061) 98,920 (1,996) 98,060 (1,241)
  Accounting  2,304 (20.0) 3.6 (0.03) 1.3 (0.01) 2.0 (0.13) 2.2 (0.35) 2.2 (0.24) 1.4 (0.17) 2.5 (0.24) 93,720 (949) 78,050 (1,788) 98,700 (2,565) 103,210 (780) 103,950 (1,256)
  Business management and administration  3,847 (28.8) 6.0 (0.04) 2.2 (0.02) 2.3 (0.10) 2.9 (0.23) 1.9 (0.19) 2.1 (0.18) 2.4 (0.20) 82,850 (438) 67,280 (867) 83,290 (840) 92,930 (1,017) 93,500 (1,196)
  Marketing and marketing research  1,513 (15.9) 2.4 (0.02) 0.9 (0.01) 2.3 (0.15) 2.2 (0.27) 2.4 (0.29) 2.1 (0.33) 2.5 (0.34) 83,240 (920) 69,510 (1,085) 91,100 (1,329) 100,690 (1,807) 95,900 (3,594)
  Finance  1,433 (15.5) 2.2 (0.02) 0.8 (0.01) 2.1 (0.17) 2.1 (0.29) 2.4 (0.35) 2.0 (0.35) 1.8 (0.26) 104,040 (1,438) 87,850 (1,425) 116,140 (4,061) 124,770 (3,549) 114,460 (4,540)
  Management information systems and 
     statistics 

290


(6.6)

0.5


(0.01)

0.2


(#)

2.1


(0.41)

3.4

!

(1.17)

1.3

!

(0.46)

1.4


(0.39)

3.7


(0.99)

104,110


(1,407)

83,220


(3,495)

109,640


(2,370)

113,850


(3,516)

113,710


(3,588)
  Business, other and medical 
     administration 

1,314


(17.4)

2.0


(0.03)

0.8


(0.01)

2.3


(0.17)

1.9


(0.31)

2.4


(0.32)

2.4


(0.34)

2.6


(0.46)

82,940


(1,075)

67,670


(1,461)

85,900


(739)

91,230


(1,311)

93,520


(2,710)

Communications and communications 
   technologies 

2,993


(24.3)

4.7


(0.04)

1.7


(0.01)

2.8


(0.12)

3.1


(0.23)

2.2


(0.18)

2.9


(0.26)

2.9


(0.36)

77,980


(662)

62,310


(704)

83,120


(1,037)

90,760


(802)

84,980


(1,106)
Computer and information sciences 2,675 (19.1) 4.2 (0.03) 1.6 (0.01) 2.4 (0.11) 3.1 (0.25) 2.2 (0.20) 1.8 (0.20) 2.4 (0.32) 105,890 (1,356) 89,320 (1,104) 114,080 (1,696) 122,410 (1,219) 123,420 (1,467)
Construction/electrical/transportation 
   technologies 

347


(7.5)

0.5


(0.01)

0.2


(#)

1.9


(0.37)

1.0

!

(0.37)

2.0


(0.55)

2.3

!

(1.04)

2.7


(0.84)

95,380


(2,777)

77,770


(2,014)

103,420


(2,838)

109,210


(4,574)

117,180


(3,892)
Criminal justice and fire protection 1,392 (16.6) 2.2 (0.03) 0.8 (0.01) 2.2 (0.16) 2.4 (0.34) 2.2 (0.30) 2.0 (0.34) 2.1 (0.46) 70,770 (958) 55,990 (720) 76,080 (927) 83,170 (2,013) 77,960 (2,066)

Education

5,611


(33.0)

8.7


(0.04)

3.3


(0.02)

1.4


(0.06)

1.5


(0.16)

1.1


(0.10)

1.2


(0.11)

1.9


(0.18)

62,420


(689)

52,040


(483)

62,450


(772)

70,780


(813)

67,710


(694)
  General education  1,884 (18.8) 2.9 (0.03) 1.1 (0.01) 1.5 (0.13) 1.7 (0.35) 1.3 (0.22) 1.3 (0.23) 1.8 (0.28) 62,460 (734) 52,070 (613) 62,410 (695) 69,590 (944) 67,620 (1,369)
  Early childhood education  296 (6.9) 0.5 (0.01) 0.2 (#) 1.7 (0.28) 1.7 ! (0.55) 1.6 ! (0.58) 1.4 ! (0.46) 2.1 (0.81) 53,140 (484) 48,640 (1,153) 56,850 (1,254) 61,580 (2,279) 51,500 (2,520)
  Elementary education  1,492 (15.7) 2.3 (0.02) 0.9 (0.01) 1.1 (0.12) 1.3 (0.37) 0.8 (0.16) 0.9 (0.21) 1.3 (0.27) 59,700 (526) 49,830 (491) 61,570 (634) 67,450 (928) 64,050 (782)
  Secondary teacher education  189 (5.2) 0.3 (0.01) 0.1 (#) 1.7 (0.44) (†) (†) (†) 4.3 (1.60) 67,630 (1,857) 53,310 (1,546) 67,450 (2,098) 74,670 (2,127) 72,840 (2,846)
  Education, other  1,749 (18.5) 2.7 (0.03) 1.0 (0.01) 1.3 (0.10) 1.4 (0.23) 1.0 (0.15) 1.2 (0.18) 2.0 (0.29) 64,510 (768) 52,060 (556) 67,560 (700) 75,770 (925) 72,440 (693)

Engineering and engineering-related fields

5,717


(39.0)

8.9


(0.05)

3.3


(0.02)

1.8


(0.08)

1.9


(0.16)

1.7


(0.14)

1.5


(0.14)

2.2


(0.21)

114,510


(715)

89,210


(565)

124,650


(1,440)

135,100


(1,472)

130,240


(1,431)
  General engineering  698 (12.2) 1.1 (0.02) 0.4 (0.01) 2.2 (0.25) 2.4 (0.56) 2.6 (0.57) 1.9 (0.49) 2.0 (0.45) 103,880 (1,396) 83,610 (1,429) 104,130 (2,357) 124,500 (3,259) 118,890 (3,968)
  Chemical engineering  384 (7.1) 0.6 (0.01) 0.2 (#) 1.8 (0.31) 1.4 ! (0.43) 3.0 ! (0.97) 1.4 ! (0.59) 1.6 (0.46) 124,270 (2,453) 93,330 (1,899) 136,280 (5,039) 150,240 (4,512) 145,690 (5,181)
  Civil engineering  557 (9.0) 0.9 (0.01) 0.3 (0.01) 1.5 (0.25) 2.1 (0.63) 0.8 ! (0.28) 1.3 (0.37) 1.8 (0.55) 104,010 (1,310) 83,200 (1,442) 108,560 (2,347) 129,460 (2,897) 124,360 (3,733)
  Computer engineering  477 (9.6) 0.7 (0.01) 0.3 (0.01) 1.9 (0.28) 2.3 (0.56) 1.7 (0.35) 2.1 (0.52) (†) 126,070 (1,134) 103,610 (1,845) 140,350 (2,883) 145,370 (5,314) 139,800 (6,576)
  Electrical engineering  1,186 (16.4) 1.8 (0.02) 0.7 (0.01) 1.9 (0.19) 2.5 (0.44) 1.6 (0.32) 1.2 (0.22) 2.6 (0.47) 128,000 (1,189) 103,210 (1,304) 129,250 (1,606) 145,680 (4,132) 145,210 (2,022)
  Mechanical engineering  1,025 (13.8) 1.6 (0.02) 0.6 (0.01) 1.6 (0.15) 1.5 (0.27) 1.2 (0.23) 1.6 (0.39) 2.2 (0.34) 114,020 (1,274) 88,460 (1,360) 124,540 (1,599) 140,050 (2,273) 138,430 (4,062)
  Engineering, other  923 (11.5) 1.4 (0.02) 0.5 (0.01) 1.6 (0.17) 1.5 (0.25) 1.4 (0.27) 1.5 (0.36) 2.0 (0.47) 105,100 (2,500) 87,770 (965) 120,170 (1,703) 130,100 (3,519) 133,640 (3,241)
  Engineering technologies  467 (9.2) 0.7 (0.01) 0.3 (0.01) 2.3 (0.29) 2.5 (0.55) 2.7 (0.72) 1.4 ! (0.46) 2.6 (0.52) 98,170 (1,347) 78,130 (2,555) 103,520 (1,976) 104,190 (3,989) 103,740 (2,130)

English language and literature

1,808


(17.2)

2.8


(0.03)

1.1


(0.01)

2.9


(0.16)

3.6


(0.40)

3.0


(0.34)

2.3


(0.25)

2.8


(0.33)

77,990


(700)

57,070


(942)

79,710


(1,810)

91,090


(1,119)

87,890


(2,338)
Family and consumer sciences 493 (7.6) 0.8 (0.01) 0.3 (#) 1.9 (0.26) 1.6 (0.45) 2.7 (0.56) 1.9 (0.54) 1.4 (0.39) 61,880 (830) 51,850 (950) 63,710 (1,397) 72,620 (2,581) 63,150 (4,545)
Health professions 5,257 (28.8) 8.2 (0.04) 3.1 (0.02) 1.6 (0.08) 1.7 (0.14) 1.8 (0.15) 1.2 (0.15) 1.5 (0.15) 83,170 (621) 69,540 (618) 84,710 (963) 93,580 (806) 95,820 (936)
  General medical and health services  2,389 (22.7) 3.7 (0.03) 1.4 (0.01) 1.7 (0.12) 2.0 (0.23) 1.8 (0.21) 1.4 (0.21) 1.6 (0.23) 77,960 (1,076) 62,310 (982) 82,360 (1,090) 93,270 (1,490) 93,790 (2,677)
  Nursing  2,868 (23.3) 4.5 (0.03) 1.7 (0.01) 1.4 (0.11) 1.3 (0.18) 1.8 (0.23) 1.1 (0.20) 1.4 (0.19) 85,820 (1,007) 72,770 (635) 88,360 (980) 93,780 (738) 97,590 (867)
History 1,187 (14.4) 1.8 (0.02) 0.7 (0.01) 2.6 (0.21) 3.6 (0.41) 1.9 (0.34) 2.2 (0.29) 3.1 (0.49) 82,570 (948) 60,730 (708) 83,000 (1,764) 102,700 (1,709) 103,360 (2,015)
Liberal arts and humanities 803 (9.7) 1.3 (0.01) 0.5 (0.01) 2.9 (0.35) 3.3 (0.75) 2.7 (0.55) 2.8 (0.51) 3.1 (0.53) 71,090 (979) 52,560 (1,605) 72,440 (2,508) 83,080 (2,574) 81,130 (2,040)
Linguistics and comparative language and 
   literature 

601


(9.6)

0.9


(0.01)

0.3


(0.01)

2.9


(0.32)

3.3


(0.64)

2.9


(0.65)

2.4


(0.56)

3.1


(0.79)

77,560


(1,346)

61,690


(1,246)

81,250


(1,238)

89,610


(2,563)

82,970


(3,528)

Mathematics

852


(11.6)

1.3


(0.02)

0.5


(0.01)

2.1


(0.21)

2.0


(0.39)

1.9


(0.36)

2.1


(0.34)

2.4


(0.44)

100,260


(1,612)

77,620


(1,899)

103,820


(2,133)

112,620


(2,177)

119,810


(2,805)
Multi/interdisciplinary studies 591 (9.3) 0.9 (0.01) 0.3 (0.01) 1.7 (0.21) 1.6 (0.34) 1.5 (0.28) 2.0 (0.51) 1.9 (0.57) 72,210 (731) 61,710 (754) 77,580 (1,817) 82,710 (3,006) 88,080 (4,355)
Natural sciences 5,623 (31.5) 8.8 (0.04) 3.3 (0.02) 1.8 (0.08) 2.2 (0.16) 1.6 (0.13) 1.3 (0.11) 2.0 (0.16) 90,580 (634) 65,360 (952) 98,300 (1,093) 113,710 (1,130) 119,730 (1,923)
  Biology  3,351 (24.5) 5.2 (0.03) 1.9 (0.01) 1.7 (0.09) 2.1 (0.19) 1.6 (0.17) 1.2 (0.14) 1.8 (0.20) 93,210 (628) 67,340 (477) 103,570 (1,341) 123,260 (1,761) 124,720 (1,931)
  Environmental science  495 (9.5) 0.8 (0.01) 0.3 (0.01) 2.1 (0.30) 2.6 (0.53) 1.6 ! (0.50) 2.1 (0.45) 1.8 (0.58) 72,130 (1,016) 56,990 (1,598) 77,260 (1,764) 93,200 (2,116) 92,870 (2,948)
  Physical sciences  1,776 (18.7) 2.8 (0.03) 1.0 (0.01) 1.9 (0.15) 2.2 (0.33) 1.6 (0.24) 1.4 (0.21) 2.4 (0.27) 93,670 (1,005) 66,880 (973) 96,350 (1,036) 108,870 (2,154) 119,480 (1,204)

Philosophy and religious studies

406


(7.9)

0.6


(0.01)

0.2


(#)

2.5


(0.34)

2.8


(0.59)

2.5


(0.56)

2.5


(0.72)

1.8


(0.58)

78,850


(1,803)

62,020


(1,496)

84,400


(3,766)

93,360


(3,559)

88,270


(5,350)
Physical fitness, parks, recreation and 
   leisure 

850


(12.2)

1.3


(0.02)

0.5


(0.01)

2.1


(0.17)

2.6


(0.32)

1.4


(0.39)

1.2


(0.28)

3.3


(1.09)

67,400


(893)

58,350


(1,655)

77,670


(1,787)

83,050


(2,084)

77,380


(2,977)
Psychology 3,299 (26.5) 5.1 (0.04) 1.9 (0.02) 2.5 (0.10) 2.8 (0.23) 2.3 (0.23) 2.2 (0.21) 2.8 (0.30) 71,860 (559) 57,080 (711) 76,970 (689) 83,360 (1,145) 83,360 (1,668)
Public administration and public policy 143 (4.8) 0.2 (0.01) 0.1 (#) 2.2 (0.46) 3.3 ! (1.27) 1.4 ! (0.57) (†) 4.2 (1.73) 83,310 (2,509) 69,040 (2,514) 85,550 (5,567) 85,020 (4,461) 103,670 (6,295)

Social sciences

4,556


(30.2)

7.1


(0.04)

2.6


(0.02)

2.4


(0.11)

2.6


(0.21)

2.3


(0.19)

2.3


(0.22)

2.6


(0.23)

93,600


(592)

72,920


(975)

96,020


(1,064)

104,140


(2,027)

104,050


(1,713)
  Anthropology and archeology  286 (6.1) 0.4 (0.01) 0.2 (#) 2.6 (0.37) 2.9 (0.69) 2.3 (0.61) 2.3 ! (0.70) 3.5 (1.15) 72,580 (1,893) 56,370 (1,668) 77,650 (2,278) 88,450 (4,701) 92,790 (3,243)
  Economics  1,267 (12.9) 2.0 (0.02) 0.7 (0.01) 2.7 (0.23) 2.6 (0.31) 2.3 (0.39) 3.2 (0.54) 3.0 (0.40) 110,220 (2,096) 90,410 (1,672) 124,370 (3,041) 135,180 (4,742) 119,810 (2,203)
  Geography  173 (5.3) 0.3 (0.01) 0.1 (#) 1.8 (0.41) (†) 2.2 ! (0.68) 1.9 ! (0.81) (†) 81,300 (1,192) 67,140 (2,516) 81,050 (2,728) 91,540 (5,375) 103,660 (4,709)
  International relations  200 (5.3) 0.3 (0.01) 0.1 (#) 2.8 (0.43) 3.4 (0.86) 3.1 (0.91) 1.8 ! (0.66) 2.2 (1.03) 98,470 (2,387) 75,660 (3,008) 114,530 (6,146) 126,420 (12,095) 103,550 (10,028)
  Political science and government  1,436 (16.8) 2.2 (0.03) 0.8 (0.01) 2.2 (0.20) 2.6 (0.42) 2.1 (0.39) 1.6 (0.24) 2.6 (0.39) 98,920 (2,358) 77,380 (1,097) 103,570 (1,672) 119,460 (1,984) 111,520 (3,574)
  Sociology  874 (12.2) 1.4 (0.02) 0.5 (0.01) 2.7 (0.20) 2.8 (0.44) 2.9 (0.41) 2.9 (0.48) 2.0 (0.37) 72,700 (848) 61,870 (1,204) 76,400 (929) 83,230 (2,560) 78,680 (2,514)
  Miscellaneous social sciences  320 (7.8) 0.5 (0.01) 0.2 (#) 1.6 (0.26) 2.0 (0.56) 1.6 ! (0.49) 0.9 ! (0.34) 2.2 (0.76) 72,770 (1,217) 58,410 (1,534) 74,600 (3,619) 81,180 (3,548) 78,530 (3,100)

Social work and human services

785


(12.1)

1.2


(0.02)

0.5


(0.01)

1.9


(0.21)

2.2


(0.57)

1.9


(0.40)

1.6


(0.45)

1.6


(0.44)

61,810


(758)

52,110


(857)

63,370


(783)

66,920


(1,382)

63,660


(2,343)
Theology and religious vocations 347 (7.6) 0.5 (0.01) 0.2 (#) 1.5 (0.31) 1.1 ! (0.43) 1.1 ! (0.43) 0.8 ! (0.33) 3.0 (0.81) 57,660 (1,594) 49,550 (1,295) 62,440 (2,338) 66,610 (2,945) 57,400 (2,530)
Other fields 204 (6.5) 0.3 (0.01) 0.1 (#) 2.8 (0.51) 2.8 ! (0.94) 2.2 ! (0.81) 3.2 (0.83) 2.9 (1.33) 67,680 (2,617) 53,620 (3,955) 72,690 (2,786) 78,130 (4,690) 72,000 (3,913)

STEM status of field2







































  STEM field  14,371 (64.6) 22.4 (0.07) 8.4 (0.04) 1.9 (0.06) 2.2 (0.10) 1.8 (0.09) 1.5 (0.08) 2.2 (0.14) 104,130 (482) 82,340 (441) 114,200 (801) 124,970 (1,384) 124,960 (1,783)
  Non-STEM field  49,829 (128.6) 77.6 (0.07) 29.0 (0.07) 2.2 (0.03) 2.5 (0.06) 2.1 (0.05) 1.9 (0.05) 2.4 (0.06) 78,070 (355) 62,540 (320) 83,090 (425) 88,590 (1,379) 88,500 (729)
†Not applicable.
!Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent.
#Rounds to zero.
‡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.
1Estimates of median annual earnings are restricted to individuals working full time (35 or more hours per week) and year round.
2STEM fields include biological and biomedical sciences, computer and information sciences, engineering and engineering technologies, mathematics and statistics, and physical sciences and science technologies.
NOTE: Data are based on sample surveys of the entire population residing within the United States, including both noninstitutionalized persons (e.g., those living in households, college housing, or military housing located within the United States) and institutionalized persons (e.g., those living in prisons, nursing facilities, or other healthcare facilities). The first bachelor’s degree major reported by respondents was used to classify their field of study, even though they were able to report a second bachelor’s degree major and may possess advanced degrees in other fields. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), 1-Year Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) data, 2022. (This table was prepared February 2024.)

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