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Table 29. U.S. residing doctoral scientists and engineers, by occupation and employment status: 2015

Occupation Total Employed Unemployeda Retired Not employed or not seeking workb
Total Full time Part time
Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE
All occupations 919,750 1,600 787,250 1,900 700,700 1,875 86,550 1,375 14,300 600 101,200 1,375 17,000 600
Science occupations 521,400 2,275 446,850 2,100 395,350 2,050 51,550 1,050 8,500 450 55,700 1,025 10,300 475
Biological/agricultural/other life scientists 163,450 1,450 139,300 1,325 129,350 1,325 10,000 400 3,700 275 16,300 625 4,100 275
Agricultural/food scientists 11,750 475 9,100 425 8,600 400 550 100 300 100 2,200 275 150 50
Biochemists/biophysicists 16,050 675 13,150 575 12,350 550 800 150 600 125 1,400 225 900 150
Biological scientists 25,050 725 21,150 700 19,700 650 1,450 175 700 125 2,550 250 650 125
Forestry/conservation scientists 2,650 250 2,150 225 1,800 175 350 125 S S 300 100 100 75
Medical scientists 35,950 850 31,450 850 29,250 825 2,200 250 900 150 2,650 225 1,000 125
Postsecondary teachers, agricultural/other natural sciences 7,800 400 6,350 375 5,900 350 450 100 50 25 1,300 175 100 50
Postsecondary teachers, biological sciences 39,950 850 34,800 775 31,900 750 2,900 250 400 100 4,200 350 500 100
Other biological/agricultural/life scientists 24,300 650 21,100 625 19,850 625 1,250 175 750 150 1,750 225 700 125
Computer/information scientists 56,000 975 48,900 875 45,950 875 2,950 275 950 175 5,200 350 950 175
Computer/information scientists 46,300 925 40,450 825 38,050 825 2,400 225 900 175 4,150 325 800 175
Postsecondary teachers, computer science 9,700 425 8,450 375 7,900 375 550 125 50 50 1,050 175 150 75
Mathematical scientists 40,050 675 34,450 650 31,100 625 3,300 300 600 150 4,300 300 750 125
Mathematical scientists 18,150 600 15,650 550 14,200 525 1,450 175 400 125 1,700 225 400 100
Postsecondary teachers, mathematics/statistics 21,900 625 18,750 575 16,900 575 1,850 225 200 75 2,650 225 300 100
Physical scientists 99,350 1,200 84,150 1,175 75,900 1,125 8,300 475 1,650 225 11,800 525 1,750 200
Chemists, except biochemists 24,650 650 19,850 625 18,450 600 1,400 200 700 150 3,500 275 600 125
Earth/atmospheric/ocean scientists 12,050 375 10,050 350 9,000 325 1,050 125 200 50 1,550 150 300 100
Physicists/astronomers 15,000 550 12,850 500 11,750 500 1,100 175 300 75 1,650 200 200 75
Postsecondary teachers, chemistry 18,200 600 15,950 600 13,850 550 2,100 250 S S 1,850 200 250 75
Postsecondary teachers, physics 12,350 550 10,800 475 9,550 450 1,250 200 100 50 1,350 200 50 25
Postsecondary teachers, other physical sciences 8,700 325 7,600 325 6,950 275 650 150 50 25 1,000 150 100 50
Other physical scientists 8,400 425 7,100 375 6,350 375 750 150 150 75 850 150 250 100
Psychologists 86,050 950 74,950 950 54,950 875 20,000 725 650 125 8,900 475 1,550 200
Psychologists 64,000 875 55,900 900 38,500 800 17,400 700 400 125 6,450 450 1,200 200
Postsecondary teachers, psychology 22,050 675 19,000 600 16,450 550 2,550 275 250 75 2,450 250 350 100
Social scientists 76,500 1,025 65,150 950 58,100 925 7,000 450 950 150 9,150 400 1,250 175
Economists 9,450 500 7,800 450 7,150 400 600 125 50 50 1,400 200 200 75
Political scientists 2,050 225 1,700 200 1,550 200 150 75 S S 250 100 D D
Postsecondary teachers, economics 11,850 450 10,200 425 9,200 400 1,000 150 D D 1,500 200 100 50
Postsecondary teachers, political science 11,550 450 10,100 450 9,150 425 950 200 100 50 1,300 200 S S
Postsecondary teachers, sociology 9,550 375 8,200 400 7,300 350 900 125 S S 1,050 150 150 50
Postsecondary teachers, other social sciences 18,400 550 16,150 550 14,750 525 1,400 150 250 75 1,750 175 300 75
Sociologists/anthropologists 4,150 250 3,050 225 2,400 200 600 100 150 50 850 150 150 50
Other social scientists 9,500 425 8,000 400 6,600 350 1,400 200 150 75 1,050 175 250 100
Engineering occupations 119,800 1,350 107,450 1,300 101,450 1,275 6,050 400 1,500 225 9,550 475 1,250 200
Aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical engineers 6,850 425 5,650 375 5,550 375 100 50 S S 1,050 175 D D
Chemical engineers 7,950 450 6,650 400 6,350 400 300 100 100 50 1,100 200 100 50
Civil/architectural/sanitary engineers 6,400 375 5,650 350 5,000 325 650 150 150 75 600 125 D D
Electrical engineers 23,550 700 21,450 650 20,450 650 1,000 200 300 75 1,550 225 300 100
Industrial engineers 1,200 175 1,050 175 950 150 S S D D 150 75 D D
Mechanical engineers 11,600 500 10,200 450 9,700 450 500 150 200 75 1,150 200 100 50
Postsecondary teachers, engineering 27,750 925 25,850 875 24,350 850 1,450 200 100 50 1,550 200 300 100
Other engineers 34,450 750 31,050 700 29,100 700 2,000 250 600 150 2,400 275 400 125
S&E-related occupations 108,650 1,600 92,750 1,550 84,500 1,500 8,300 475 1,650 225 12,550 550 1,700 200
Health occupations, except postsecondary teachers and managers 39,500 1,075 34,550 1,050 29,300 950 5,250 425 400 100 3,800 350 750 150
Postsecondary teachers, health and related sciences 26,300 725 23,050 700 21,250 675 1,800 200 300 125 2,700 275 250 75
S&E managers, including health 30,600 1,000 26,600 950 26,050 950 550 150 300 100 3,500 300 150 50
S&E precollege teachers 5,550 350 4,650 325 4,250 300 400 75 S S 700 125 150 75
S&E technicians and technologists 5,700 400 3,050 275 2,850 275 200 75 550 150 1,700 225 400 100
Other S&E-related occupations 1,000 150 850 125 750 125 100 50 D D 100 50 D D
Non-S&E occupations 169,900 1,775 140,150 1,700 119,450 1,625 20,700 650 2,600 300 23,350 800 3,750 300
Arts/humanities-related occupations 9,850 475 7,950 450 5,000 375 2,950 250 200 75 1,350 175 350 75
Management-related occupations 32,550 900 27,000 750 23,150 725 3,900 325 450 100 4,500 375 600 125
Non-S&E managers 65,050 1,275 55,450 1,200 52,250 1,175 3,250 300 800 175 8,250 425 550 150
Non-S&E postsecondary teachers 21,800 650 18,750 600 16,100 575 2,650 250 250 75 2,450 250 400 100
Non-S&E precollege/other teachers 6,000 375 3,900 275 2,200 225 1,700 225 150 50 1,450 200 450 100
Sales/marketing occupations 10,300 500 8,150 450 6,350 375 1,750 225 200 75 1,650 225 350 125
Social service–related occupations 7,700 450 6,000 400 4,000 275 2,000 225 150 75 1,100 175 450 125
Other non-S&E occupations 16,650 550 12,900 500 10,400 475 2,550 250 400 100 2,650 275 650 150
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.
S&E = science and engineering; 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 employed or not seeking work includes individuals 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.
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. If respondent was not employed during survey reference period, occupation when last employed was reported. Excludes 300 individuals who reported never having worked so could not be classified by occupation. Designation of full-time and part-time employment status is based on principal job only, not on all jobs held in labor force. For example, an individual could work part-time in his or her principal job but full-time in labor force. 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.