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Table 1-3. U.S. residing doctoral scientists and engineers, by fine field of doctorate and employment status: 2015

Field Total Employed Unemployeda Not in the labor forceb
Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE
All fields 920,050 1,625 787,250 1,900 14,300 600 118,500 1,375
Science 704,950 1,625 597,050 1,975 11,200 500 96,700 1,375
Biological/agricultural/environmental life sciences 228,650 950 195,050 1,075 4,200 300 29,350 750
Agricultural/food sciences 23,050 475 18,050 400 400 100 4,550 325
Agriculture, general 200 25 150 25 * * 50 25
Agricultural and horticultural plant breeding/genetics 1,100 75 1,050 75 D D 50 25
Agricultural animal breedingc 850 175 500 100 D D 350 125
Agricultural science, other 1,300 75 850 75 S S 400 75
Agronomy and crop science 3,450 200 2,400 200 D D 1,000 150
Animal nutrition 2,150 100 1,700 100 D D 450 100
Animal science, poultry (or avian) 300 25 300 25 D D D D
Animal science, other 1,900 75 1,850 75 D D 50 50
Dairy science 150 25 150 25 D D D D
Food sciencec 2,100 225 1,350 150 S S 650 175
Food science and technology, other 1,950 100 1,750 125 S S 100 50
Horticulture science 1,850 100 1,450 100 D D 400 75
Plant pathology/phytophathology, agricultural sciences 2,100 125 1,650 125 D D 450 100
Plant sciences, otherc 900 75 850 75 * * 50 25
Soil chemistry/microbiology 550 25 500 25 D D 50 25
Soil sciences, otherc 2,200 225 1,650 175 D D 550 175
Biochemistry/biophysics 33,100 325 28,050 425 750 150 4,350 350
Biochemistry 28,000 300 23,500 400 650 150 3,850 325
Biophysics, biological sciences 5,100 125 4,500 150 100 50 500 100
Cell/molecular biology 25,600 275 23,300 350 500 150 1,800 250
Cell/cellular biology and histology 7,750 125 6,950 175 150 75 650 150
Molecular biology 17,850 250 16,350 300 350 125 1,100 225
Environmental life sciences 10,000 300 8,400 225 150 50 1,450 200
Environmental science 3,050 100 2,700 125 D D 350 75
Fishing and fisheries sciences/managementc 1,450 125 1,150 100 D D 300 125
Forest engineering 50 25 * * D D D D
Forest sciences and biologyc 1,700 250 1,050 175 D D 650 175
Forest/resources management 500 25 500 25 D D * *
Forestry and related science, other 800 50 750 50 * * 50 25
Natural resources/conservation 900 25 850 50 50 25 50 25
Wildlife/range managementc 1,250 100 1,150 100 D D 50 25
Wood science and pulp/paper technology 300 25 300 25 * * * *
Microbiology 15,500 375 12,950 350 250 75 2,300 300
Bacteriology 450 25 400 25 * * 50 25
Microbiology, generalc 14,450 375 12,000 350 250 75 2,250 300
Virology 600 25 550 25 * * * *
Zoology 10,700 225 7,750 250 250 75 2,650 200
Entomology 4,550 175 3,500 175 150 75 900 125
Zoology, other 6,150 125 4,250 150 100 50 1,750 150
Other biological sciences 110,750 475 96,550 625 1,900 225 12,300 450
Biology/biomedical sciences, general 7,800 175 6,250 225 250 100 1,250 175
Anatomy 2,850 75 2,300 100 50 25 500 75
Bioinformatics 850 25 850 25 D D D D
Biomedical sciences 4,000 100 3,650 100 S S 200 75
Biometrics and biostatistics 2,750 50 2,550 75 D D 200 50
Biotechnology 400 25 350 25 * * * *
Botany/plant biology 4,300 100 3,150 150 50 50 1,050 150
Cancer biology 1,950 50 1,850 50 50 25 50 25
Computational biology 300 25 300 25 D D * *
Developmental biology/embryology 2,950 100 2,650 100 D D 250 75
Ecologyc 9,150 150 8,050 200 100 50 1,000 150
Endocrinology 650 25 600 25 D D 50 25
Environmental toxicology, biological sciences 150 25 100 25 D D D D
Evolutionary biology 1,050 25 1,000 25 50 25 50 25
Genetics/genomics, human and animalc 7,800 275 6,800 225 100 50 950 175
Immunology 8,450 125 7,650 175 150 75 650 150
Marine biology and biological oceanography 200 25 200 25 D D * *
Neurosciences 13,550 200 12,750 225 250 75 550 125
Nutrition sciences 4,250 125 3,750 150 S S 400 100
Parasitology 650 25 550 25 D D 100 25
Pathology, human and animal 3,700 75 3,150 125 50 50 500 100
Pharmacology, human and animal 10,250 150 8,900 225 100 50 1,250 175
Physiology, human and animal 10,250 150 8,350 250 50 50 1,850 200
Plant genetics 950 25 850 50 50 25 50 25
Plant pathology/phytophathology, biological sciences 700 25 650 50 * * 50 25
Plant physiology 1,750 75 1,350 75 D D 350 75
Structural biology 200 25 200 25 * * D D
Toxicology 3,250 50 2,900 100 100 50 250 75
Biology/biomedical sciences, other 5,600 150 4,800 175 D D 750 125
Computer/information sciences 26,350 275 24,600 325 500 125 1,250 175
Computer science 22,750 275 21,450 325 400 125 900 150
Information science/systems 2,350 100 2,000 100 S S 300 50
Robotics 150 25 150 25 D D D D
Computer/information sciences, other 1,100 50 1,000 50 50 25 50 25
Mathematics/statistics 43,400 425 35,950 550 600 150 6,850 350
Mathematics/statistics, general 4,600 200 3,850 225 D D 600 150
Algebra 3,650 125 2,750 150 D D 800 125
Analysis and functional analysis 4,450 200 3,300 225 D D 1,100 150
Applied mathematics 7,400 250 6,550 250 D D 750 150
Computing theory and practice 1,450 50 850 75 50 25 550 50
Geometry/geometric analysis 1,800 75 1,650 100 D D 100 50
Logic 800 50 600 50 50 25 150 25
Number theory 1,300 50 1,050 75 D D 150 50
Operations research, business 1,250 50 1,150 75 D D 50 25
Operations research, engineering 2,350 75 1,950 100 D D 350 75
Operations research, mathematics and statistics 800 50 700 50 D D 100 25
Statistics, mathematics 7,400 200 6,350 225 D D 1,000 175
Statistics, social sciences 1,350 75 1,100 100 D D 200 50
Topology/foundations 2,450 100 2,000 100 D D 450 75
Mathematics/statistics, other 2,400 75 2,050 100 D D 350 75
Physical sciences 157,100 800 131,550 950 2,750 250 22,800 675
Astronomy/astrophysics 6,000 150 5,350 150 D D 600 100
Astronomyc 2,600 100 2,200 100 D D 350 75
Astronomy, other 50 25 50 25 D D D D
Astrophysics 3,400 125 3,150 125 D D 250 50
Chemistry, except biochemistry 79,450 500 65,700 600 1,600 200 12,200 500
Chemistry, general 9,250 200 8,450 225 S S 600 125
Analytical chemistry 11,450 150 9,850 200 200 100 1,400 175
Inorganic chemistry 9,900 175 8,450 200 150 50 1,350 150
Medicinal/pharmaceutical 2,400 100 2,100 100 100 50 250 50
Nuclear chemistry 450 25 300 25 * * 150 25
Organic chemistry 23,150 275 18,000 375 600 150 4,550 300
Physical chemistry 13,400 225 10,450 300 250 75 2,700 250
Polymer chemistry 3,250 75 2,950 100 D D 250 75
Theoretical chemistry 2,050 75 1,650 75 50 25 350 50
Chemistry, otherc 4,100 125 3,450 125 50 25 600 125
Earth/atmospheric/ocean sciences 24,450 250 21,050 250 300 50 3,050 175
Atmospheric chemistry and climatology 900 25 850 50 D D 50 25
Atmospheric physics and dynamics 800 25 750 25 D D 50 25
Atmospheric science/meteorology, general 800 25 750 25 D D * *
Atmospheric science/meteorology, other 600 25 550 25 D D 100 25
Geochemistry 1,800 75 1,550 75 D D 250 50
Geological and earth sciences, general 850 50 650 50 D D 150 25
Geological and earth sciences, otherc 1,200 75 1,050 75 50 25 150 50
Geology 3,900 100 3,650 125 S S 200 75
Geomorphology and glacial geology 650 25 550 25 D D 100 25
Geophysics and seismologyc 3,300 125 2,650 125 D D 600 125
Hydrology and water resources 1,000 25 850 50 S S 100 25
Marine sciences 1,050 25 1,000 25 D D 50 25
Meteorology 850 25 650 50 D D 150 25
Mineralogy and petrologyc 1,000 50 750 75 D D 250 25
Ocean/marine, other 700 25 600 25 D D 50 25
Oceanography, chemical and physical 3,000 100 2,600 100 D D 400 75
Paleontology 1,050 25 850 50 * * 200 25
Stratigraphy and sedimentation 900 50 700 50 D D 200 50
Physics 47,200 525 39,450 550 800 150 6,950 350
Physics, general 7,000 250 6,250 250 150 75 600 150
Acoustics 600 25 500 25 * * 100 25
Applied physics 1,150 50 1,100 50 50 25 D D
Atomic/molecular/chemical physicsc 3,850 100 3,100 125 D D 700 100
Biophysics, physics 1,000 25 950 25 * * 50 25
Condensed matter/low temperature physics 11,500 275 9,350 350 D D 2,000 250
Fluids 500 25 350 25 D D 150 25
Medical physics/radiological science 300 25 300 25 D D D D
Nuclear physics 3,650 125 2,900 150 D D 700 100
Optics/phototonics 3,250 100 2,950 100 50 25 200 75
Particle (elementary) physicsc 6,300 200 5,050 225 200 75 1,050 175
Plasma/fusion physicsc 2,400 100 1,950 100 D D 450 75
Polymer physics 550 25 500 25 D D * *
Physics, other 5,250 150 4,300 200 D D 850 150
Psychology 134,250 525 114,200 750 1,500 200 18,600 600
Psychology, general 9,100 175 7,700 225 200 75 1,200 175
Behavioral analysis 100 25 100 25 D D D D
Clinical psychology 45,550 375 40,850 525 150 75 4,500 375
Cognitive psychology and psycholinguistics 3,550 75 3,300 75 100 50 150 50
Comparative psychology 400 25 300 25 D D 100 25
Counseling 15,150 150 13,350 300 D D 1,650 225
Developmental and child psychology 7,150 125 5,950 175 50 50 1,150 150
Educational psychology 3,450 75 2,750 125 100 50 600 100
Educational psychology, research and administration 11,000 200 8,150 275 150 75 2,700 275
Experimental psychology 7,550 125 5,450 225 D D 2,100 200
Family psychology 800 25 750 25 D D 50 25
Health and medical psychology 100 25 100 25 D D D D
Human development and family studies 2,650 50 2,400 75 D D 200 50
Industrial and organizational 5,350 100 4,700 150 150 50 500 100
Personality psychology 1,100 25 900 50 D D 200 50
Physiological/psychobiology psychology 3,650 75 3,050 100 50 25 550 75
Psychometrics 400 25 250 25 D D 150 25
Psychometrics and quantitative psychology 550 25 500 25 D D * *
School psychology 4,100 75 3,400 125 D D 650 125
Social psychology 7,000 125 5,850 150 50 25 1,050 125
Psychology, other 5,700 125 4,450 175 100 50 1,100 175
Social sciences 115,150 850 95,650 950 1,650 175 17,850 525
Economics 31,000 450 25,900 500 300 100 4,800 275
Agricultural economics 3,750 175 3,050 175 S S 650 100
Econometrics 800 50 650 50 D D 100 25
Economics 26,350 400 22,100 450 250 75 4,000 275
Natural resource/environmental economics, agricultural 50 25 50 25 D D D D
Natural resource/environmental economics, social sciences 100 25 100 25 D D D D
Political sciences 25,450 475 21,750 450 150 50 3,550 300
International relations/affairs 2,700 150 2,050 150 100 50 550 125
Political science and governmentc 19,300 425 16,600 425 D D 2,650 275
Public policy analysis 3,500 125 3,100 125 50 25 350 100
Sociology 18,750 300 14,950 300 300 100 3,550 250
Other social sciences 39,950 400 33,100 500 850 125 6,000 325
Social sciences, general 950 50 700 50 50 25 150 50
American/U.S. studies 2,500 100 2,200 100 D D 300 75
Anthropology 13,250 225 10,650 275 350 100 2,250 250
Archaeology 1,150 50 1,000 50 50 25 150 50
Area/ethnic/cultural/gender studies 1,200 50 1,000 50 50 25 150 50
Criminology 1,600 50 1,450 50 D D 150 50
Demography/population studies 450 25 400 25 * * 50 25
Geography 5,300 150 4,300 175 100 50 850 125
Gerontology, social sciences 100 25 100 25 D D * *
History, science and technology and society 1,150 50 1,000 50 * * 150 25
Linguistics 5,850 225 5,100 225 S S 650 125
Urban affairs/studies 2,000 100 1,550 100 50 50 400 75
Social sciences, other 4,400 125 3,650 150 D D 750 125
Engineering 171,250 925 151,900 925 2,500 300 16,850 525
Aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical engineering 7,150 150 6,400 175 D D 750 125
Chemical engineering 20,600 325 17,500 375 150 75 2,950 250
Civil engineering 14,850 350 13,550 350 200 100 1,050 175
Civil engineering 14,400 350 13,150 350 200 100 1,050 175
Geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering 50 25 50 25 D D D D
Structural engineering 250 25 200 25 D D D D
Transportation and highway engineering 150 25 150 25 D D D D
Electrical/computer engineering 49,350 500 44,100 500 750 150 4,500 375
Communications engineering 650 25 650 25 D D D D
Computer engineering 5,950 150 5,600 150 150 75 200 50
Electrical, electronics and communications engineeringc 40,900 475 36,300 475 600 125 4,000 350
Systems engineering 1,850 50 1,550 75 D D 300 50
Materials and metallurgical engineering 17,450 250 15,300 275 400 150 1,750 175
Ceramic sciences engineering 900 50 700 50 D D 150 25
Materials science engineering 12,650 250 11,700 275 300 100 700 150
Metallurgical engineering 2,750 100 1,850 125 D D 800 125
Polymer and plastics engineering 1,150 50 1,050 50 D D 100 50
Mechanical engineering 24,600 375 22,150 450 250 100 2,250 300
Other engineering 37,200 350 32,900 400 750 150 3,550 225
Engineering, general 1,400 50 1,200 75 D D 150 50
Agricultural engineering 2,000 75 1,800 75 D D 200 50
Bioengineering and biomedical engineering 10,400 150 9,750 200 350 100 350 100
Engineering management and administration 250 25 200 25 D D D D
Engineering mechanics 3,550 125 2,750 150 D D 750 100
Engineering physics 950 25 750 50 50 25 150 25
Engineering science 1,050 50 1,000 50 D D 50 25
Environmental health engineering 2,850 100 2,550 100 D D 300 50
Industrial and manufacturing engineering 5,000 200 4,550 200 D D 400 100
Mining and mineral engineering 450 25 400 25 D D 50 25
Nuclear engineering 3,450 100 2,950 125 50 25 500 75
Ocean engineering 500 25 500 25 D D D D
Petroleum engineering 1,100 50 1,050 50 D D 50 25
Engineering, otherc 4,200 150 3,450 150 S S 600 125
Health 43,900 350 38,350 475 600 150 5,000 350
Health sciences, general 1,100 25 950 50 * * 100 25
Environmental health 1,500 50 1,300 75 50 25 150 50
Environmental toxicology, health sciences 200 25 200 25 D D * *
Epidemiology 5,000 125 4,600 150 D D 350 100
Gerontology, health sciences 50 25 50 25 D D D D
Health policy analysis 100 25 100 25 D D * *
Health systems/service administrationc 2,600 225 2,050 200 D D 550 125
Kinesiology/exercise science 2,750 100 2,650 100 D D 100 50
Medicinal/pharmaceutical sciencesc 5,300 150 4,900 175 100 50 300 100
Nursing science 10,000 200 8,500 275 D D 1,400 225
Oral biology/oral pathology 50 25 50 25 D D D D
Public health 4,900 125 4,350 175 D D 500 150
Rehabilitation/therapeutic services 1,050 25 1,000 50 D D 50 25
Speech-language pathology and audiology 4,100 75 3,100 150 D D 850 150
Veterinary sciences 1,500 75 1,350 75 D D 150 50
Health sciences, other 3,700 100 3,200 150 D D 450 100
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 Unemployed includes individuals who were not working during the survey reference week but had been seeking work in the prior 4 weeks or who were on layoff from their job.
b Not in the labor force includes indivuals who are retired and those not employed or not seeking work who were not working during the survey reference week and had not been seeking work in the prior 4 weeks because of family responsibilities, chronic illness, or other reasons.
c This field includes results for more than one field. See Table A-1 in the Technical Notes for aggregation detail.
NOTES:  Numbers are rounded to the nearest 50. Standard errors are rounded up to the nearest 25. Detail may not add to total because of rounding. 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.