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Table 15-1. U.S. residing employed doctoral scientists and engineers, by field of doctorate and primary or secondary work activity: 2015

Field All employed Research and development Computer applications Management, sales, or administrationa Professional services Teaching Otherb
Any R&D Applied research Basic research Design Development
Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE
All fields 787,250 1,900 494,300 2,400 272,400 2,225 175,600 1,700 52,800 1,125 117,400 1,625 67,000 1,100 310,450 2,075 116,450 1,625 234,000 2,050 69,100 1,325
Science 597,050 1,975 356,450 2,100 191,600 1,875 152,450 1,500 26,350 700 65,400 1,175 43,750 925 237,550 1,800 102,350 1,450 193,150 1,725 53,950 1,150
Biological/agricultural/environmental life sciences 195,050 1,075 127,700 1,125 70,200 1,100 63,950 875 4,850 350 21,450 675 8,350 375 85,850 1,300 27,750 850 51,100 1,000 17,800 650
Agricultural/food sciences 18,050 400 12,850 400 9,350 350 3,200 250 550 125 2,850 200 600 100 8,300 325 1,200 175 4,600 275 2,000 200
Biochemistry/biophysics 28,050 425 18,350 450 9,250 425 9,900 400 800 125 4,050 300 1,300 200 13,200 525 3,800 350 6,400 375 2,100 250
Cell/molecular biology 23,300 350 14,700 500 7,200 475 8,750 475 150 75 2,300 275 950 200 10,250 500 4,300 350 5,500 350 2,500 375
Environmental life sciences 8,400 225 5,400 225 4,300 200 1,150 100 350 75 750 100 650 125 4,100 225 500 100 2,150 150 1,100 175
Microbiology 12,950 350 7,900 350 3,800 275 4,500 250 400 125 1,650 225 200 75 6,650 375 1,900 200 3,050 250 950 150
Zoology 7,750 250 4,500 250 2,450 225 2,250 200 150 75 550 100 300 100 3,500 250 550 125 2,950 225 1,050 150
Other biological sciences 96,550 625 64,000 825 33,850 700 34,200 700 2,450 250 9,350 475 4,400 275 39,900 775 15,500 600 26,500 725 8,100 400
Computer/information sciences 24,600 325 17,050 425 9,150 350 4,000 300 2,750 250 4,350 300 10,300 450 7,750 400 350 100 6,350 325 1,000 150
Mathematics/statistics 35,950 550 23,500 550 10,400 500 10,800 500 2,700 250 3,100 300 6,750 350 9,600 475 1,600 250 18,100 550 2,650 250
Physical sciences 131,550 950 90,600 1,150 47,250 975 33,850 800 11,600 525 25,600 775 13,600 475 50,950 900 8,550 525 33,700 800 12,900 500
Astronomy/astrophysics 5,350 150 3,800 200 1,000 125 2,550 175 550 100 400 100 1,200 125 1,700 150 200 75 1,850 150 400 75
Chemistry, except biochemistry 65,700 600 43,250 725 24,950 700 13,550 525 3,750 300 15,800 600 3,050 300 28,800 700 5,000 400 15,500 550 6,950 400
Earth/atmospheric/ocean sciencesc 21,050 250 15,150 300 8,750 275 7,150 225 1,200 150 1,600 125 2,350 150 7,850 275 900 125 6,500 225 2,300 175
Physics 39,450 550 28,400 675 12,600 550 10,650 525 6,100 375 7,750 450 7,000 400 12,650 525 2,500 275 9,850 500 3,300 275
Psychology 114,200 750 39,900 775 24,150 725 12,300 500 2,200 225 6,400 425 1,950 225 49,400 1,050 56,350 1,025 32,900 775 9,050 475
Social sciences 95,650 950 57,750 900 30,450 725 27,500 675 2,250 250 4,500 300 2,750 275 34,000 850 7,700 475 51,000 875 10,550 500
Economics 25,900 500 17,850 525 11,950 475 6,750 400 1,100 200 1,050 150 1,500 225 9,000 425 2,600 250 11,000 450 2,050 250
Political sciences 21,750 450 12,500 475 5,950 425 6,500 375 500 125 1,100 200 150 75 8,250 525 1,600 225 11,800 500 2,500 275
Sociology 14,950 300 9,000 350 3,950 300 5,250 300 150 75 700 125 500 125 4,650 275 900 150 9,000 350 1,800 200
Other social sciences 33,100 500 18,400 450 8,650 275 9,050 350 550 125 1,650 175 650 100 12,050 450 2,600 250 19,200 450 4,150 250
Engineering 151,900 925 114,450 1,125 62,700 1,150 19,200 725 25,500 800 47,750 975 22,350 650 55,950 1,075 7,350 500 25,700 875 11,900 550
Aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical engineering 6,400 175 5,150 225 2,500 200 950 150 1,150 150 2,300 225 1,100 175 2,350 200 150 75 950 175 350 100
Chemical engineering 17,500 375 12,150 425 6,500 400 2,200 250 2,550 275 5,600 350 1,650 200 7,750 400 1,150 225 2,400 250 1,850 275
Civil engineering 13,550 350 9,650 375 5,350 325 1,650 225 3,200 325 1,600 225 1,200 200 6,250 325 1,000 175 3,350 300 950 150
Electrical/computer engineering 44,100 500 35,050 575 17,750 625 4,900 375 7,850 425 16,650 500 10,800 475 12,800 500 1,500 225 6,700 475 2,600 250
Materials and metallurgical engineering 15,300 275 12,100 350 6,450 300 2,050 225 2,050 225 6,900 350 750 150 6,100 350 500 125 1,650 200 1,650 200
Mechanical engineering 22,150 450 17,150 450 9,600 525 3,100 350 4,150 350 7,400 500 2,900 325 7,150 475 750 175 4,100 350 1,750 275
Other engineering 32,900 400 23,250 450 14,550 425 4,350 300 4,500 275 7,300 350 3,900 275 13,550 475 2,300 200 6,500 275 2,750 225
Health 38,350 475 23,400 550 18,050 475 3,950 275 950 150 4,250 300 850 150 16,950 600 6,750 400 15,150 500 3,250 300
Codes used in data tables: * = suppressed when population estimate < 25. D = suppressed to avoid disclosure of confidential information. S = suppressed for reliability; coefficient of variation exceeds publication standards.
SE = standard error.
a Administration includes accounting, finance, contracts, and human resources.
b Includes production, operations, maintenance, and other activities not broken out separately.
c Includes other physical sciences.
NOTES: Numbers are rounded to the nearest 50. Standard errors are rounded up to the nearest 25. Detail may exceed total due to multiple responses. Primary and secondary work activities were self-defined by respondent in response to the question: "On which two activities...did you work the most hours during a typical week on this job?" Residence location is based on reported living location on 1 February 2015.
SOURCE: National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Doctorate Recipients, 2015.