Table 15-2. U.S. residing employed doctoral scientists and engineers, by field of doctorate and primary 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 |
326,350 |
2,150 |
156,000 |
1,525 |
93,650 |
1,400 |
19,550 |
650 |
57,150 |
1,200 |
34,000 |
875 |
143,300 |
1,700 |
95,800 |
1,400 |
152,800 |
1,725 |
35,050 |
950 |
Science |
597,050 |
1,975 |
229,550 |
1,925 |
108,850 |
1,350 |
83,400 |
1,275 |
7,700 |
475 |
29,650 |
850 |
22,250 |
725 |
105,000 |
1,350 |
85,450 |
1,275 |
127,550 |
1,525 |
27,200 |
800 |
Biological/agricultural/environmental life sciences |
195,050 |
1,075 |
92,850 |
1,100 |
41,250 |
875 |
40,150 |
800 |
1,300 |
175 |
10,200 |
525 |
3,400 |
300 |
35,650 |
900 |
22,000 |
700 |
31,250 |
775 |
9,900 |
475 |
Agricultural/food sciences |
18,050 |
400 |
8,950 |
350 |
5,750 |
325 |
1,500 |
175 |
150 |
75 |
1,500 |
175 |
300 |
75 |
4,050 |
250 |
900 |
150 |
2,700 |
225 |
1,150 |
150 |
Biochemistry/biophysics |
28,050 |
425 |
13,800 |
450 |
5,050 |
350 |
6,650 |
350 |
150 |
75 |
1,950 |
250 |
650 |
150 |
5,600 |
425 |
2,900 |
300 |
3,900 |
325 |
1,150 |
200 |
Cell/molecular biology |
23,300 |
350 |
11,300 |
500 |
4,100 |
400 |
6,000 |
425 |
D |
D |
1,200 |
225 |
350 |
125 |
4,150 |
325 |
3,400 |
325 |
2,850 |
300 |
1,250 |
275 |
Environmental life sciences |
8,400 |
225 |
3,500 |
175 |
2,600 |
175 |
400 |
75 |
100 |
50 |
350 |
75 |
150 |
50 |
2,250 |
200 |
350 |
75 |
1,500 |
125 |
700 |
150 |
Microbiology |
12,950 |
350 |
6,000 |
300 |
2,200 |
250 |
3,000 |
225 |
S |
S |
650 |
150 |
50 |
50 |
2,850 |
250 |
1,650 |
200 |
1,800 |
175 |
600 |
125 |
Zoology |
7,750 |
250 |
2,650 |
225 |
1,400 |
150 |
1,050 |
150 |
D |
D |
200 |
75 |
200 |
100 |
1,800 |
200 |
450 |
125 |
2,200 |
200 |
450 |
100 |
Other biological sciences |
96,550 |
625 |
46,650 |
775 |
20,150 |
575 |
21,550 |
650 |
650 |
125 |
4,300 |
325 |
1,700 |
200 |
14,950 |
600 |
12,300 |
500 |
16,350 |
550 |
4,600 |
300 |
Computer/information sciences |
24,600 |
325 |
9,500 |
425 |
4,850 |
300 |
2,350 |
250 |
800 |
150 |
1,550 |
200 |
6,550 |
400 |
4,100 |
300 |
150 |
75 |
3,950 |
275 |
400 |
100 |
Mathematics/statistics |
35,950 |
550 |
12,900 |
475 |
6,100 |
375 |
4,650 |
325 |
1,100 |
175 |
1,050 |
175 |
3,550 |
275 |
4,650 |
400 |
900 |
175 |
13,050 |
475 |
900 |
150 |
Physical sciences |
131,550 |
950 |
63,200 |
1,050 |
27,400 |
775 |
19,400 |
675 |
3,200 |
325 |
13,200 |
575 |
6,850 |
400 |
24,950 |
650 |
6,600 |
400 |
23,250 |
750 |
6,800 |
400 |
Astronomy/astrophysics |
5,350 |
150 |
2,700 |
175 |
550 |
100 |
1,750 |
150 |
200 |
75 |
200 |
75 |
450 |
100 |
750 |
125 |
150 |
75 |
1,150 |
125 |
200 |
75 |
Chemistry, except biochemistry |
65,700 |
600 |
30,650 |
725 |
14,400 |
575 |
7,300 |
400 |
1,150 |
175 |
7,800 |
400 |
1,700 |
225 |
14,350 |
550 |
3,800 |
325 |
11,400 |
525 |
3,800 |
325 |
Earth/atmospheric/ocean sciencesc |
21,050 |
250 |
10,550 |
300 |
5,500 |
225 |
4,000 |
200 |
350 |
100 |
700 |
100 |
900 |
125 |
3,550 |
175 |
600 |
100 |
4,250 |
225 |
1,200 |
150 |
Physics |
39,450 |
550 |
19,300 |
600 |
6,950 |
425 |
6,400 |
425 |
1,500 |
200 |
4,500 |
400 |
3,800 |
350 |
6,300 |
375 |
2,100 |
225 |
6,400 |
450 |
1,600 |
250 |
Psychology |
114,200 |
750 |
20,800 |
575 |
12,600 |
500 |
5,450 |
350 |
650 |
125 |
2,100 |
250 |
900 |
150 |
18,000 |
650 |
50,700 |
1,025 |
19,300 |
600 |
4,550 |
375 |
Social sciences |
95,650 |
950 |
30,350 |
725 |
16,700 |
575 |
11,450 |
475 |
650 |
125 |
1,600 |
175 |
1,050 |
175 |
17,650 |
650 |
5,100 |
400 |
36,800 |
825 |
4,650 |
400 |
Economics |
25,900 |
500 |
11,600 |
475 |
7,450 |
400 |
3,550 |
275 |
300 |
75 |
350 |
100 |
500 |
125 |
4,650 |
325 |
1,450 |
200 |
6,750 |
375 |
950 |
200 |
Political sciences |
21,750 |
450 |
5,950 |
375 |
2,750 |
275 |
2,600 |
250 |
200 |
100 |
350 |
125 |
D |
D |
4,700 |
375 |
1,150 |
200 |
8,700 |
475 |
1,200 |
225 |
Sociology |
14,950 |
300 |
4,350 |
275 |
1,900 |
200 |
2,150 |
225 |
D |
D |
250 |
75 |
200 |
100 |
2,350 |
225 |
600 |
125 |
6,700 |
300 |
700 |
150 |
Other social sciences |
33,100 |
500 |
8,450 |
375 |
4,600 |
250 |
3,100 |
225 |
150 |
75 |
600 |
100 |
300 |
75 |
5,950 |
300 |
1,900 |
250 |
14,700 |
450 |
1,800 |
200 |
Engineering |
151,900 |
925 |
82,200 |
1,050 |
35,800 |
925 |
8,900 |
525 |
11,700 |
525 |
25,800 |
850 |
11,500 |
500 |
30,850 |
925 |
5,450 |
425 |
15,650 |
650 |
6,300 |
400 |
Aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical engineering |
6,400 |
175 |
3,550 |
200 |
1,450 |
150 |
400 |
100 |
450 |
125 |
1,250 |
200 |
550 |
125 |
1,450 |
175 |
100 |
75 |
500 |
125 |
200 |
75 |
Chemical engineering |
17,500 |
375 |
8,950 |
400 |
3,950 |
275 |
1,000 |
175 |
1,100 |
200 |
2,900 |
250 |
950 |
175 |
4,500 |
350 |
950 |
200 |
1,350 |
225 |
850 |
175 |
Civil engineering |
13,550 |
350 |
6,300 |
350 |
2,850 |
250 |
650 |
125 |
2,050 |
250 |
750 |
175 |
550 |
125 |
3,250 |
275 |
650 |
150 |
2,150 |
275 |
650 |
125 |
Electrical/computer engineering |
44,100 |
500 |
25,300 |
625 |
9,700 |
500 |
2,550 |
300 |
3,400 |
250 |
9,650 |
425 |
5,900 |
350 |
6,450 |
425 |
1,150 |
200 |
4,050 |
350 |
1,250 |
200 |
Materials and metallurgical engineering |
15,300 |
275 |
9,000 |
350 |
3,600 |
300 |
900 |
175 |
650 |
125 |
3,850 |
300 |
400 |
125 |
3,700 |
275 |
400 |
100 |
900 |
150 |
850 |
150 |
Mechanical engineering |
22,150 |
450 |
12,950 |
525 |
5,650 |
500 |
1,350 |
250 |
2,200 |
250 |
3,750 |
400 |
1,200 |
225 |
3,800 |
325 |
600 |
175 |
2,700 |
300 |
850 |
200 |
Other engineering |
32,900 |
400 |
16,200 |
425 |
8,650 |
350 |
2,000 |
175 |
1,850 |
200 |
3,700 |
275 |
1,900 |
200 |
7,700 |
375 |
1,600 |
175 |
3,950 |
225 |
1,600 |
175 |
Health |
38,350 |
475 |
14,600 |
425 |
11,300 |
375 |
1,400 |
175 |
200 |
75 |
1,700 |
200 |
250 |
100 |
7,450 |
425 |
4,900 |
350 |
9,600 |
425 |
1,500 |
200 |