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Table 45-1. U.S. residing employed doctoral scientists and engineers, by occupation and primary or secondary work activity: 2015

Occupation 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 occupations 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 occupations 446,850 2,100 302,700 2,200 165,400 1,875 140,900 1,525 21,150 675 52,900 1,150 47,200 1,075 136,900 1,675 59,400 1,100 157,500 1,625 35,700 875
Biological/agricultural/other life scientists 139,300 1,325 112,750 1,225 62,950 1,150 61,450 1,025 4,250 325 19,500 675 5,200 325 51,750 1,100 5,700 400 36,000 825 12,000 550
Agricultural/food scientists 9,100 425 7,750 375 6,250 350 2,050 175 250 75 2,350 200 250 100 4,250 350 250 75 300 75 1,000 150
Biochemists/biophysicists 13,150 575 12,400 550 7,350 425 7,000 400 650 100 3,250 300 550 125 4,800 375 150 50 300 75 700 150
Biological scientists 21,150 700 18,750 625 11,350 525 11,450 475 650 125 2,250 225 1,150 125 7,750 425 800 175 650 125 2,250 275
Forestry/conservation scientists 2,150 225 1,650 175 1,300 150 350 75 150 50 300 75 250 100 1,050 150 150 50 50 50 350 100
Medical scientists 31,450 850 27,600 775 18,550 650 12,350 525 1,350 200 6,000 425 1,300 175 13,000 600 2,650 275 1,050 175 2,400 300
Postsecondary teachers, agricultural/other natural sciences 6,350 375 4,400 275 3,000 225 1,500 200 50 25 150 50 D D 1,550 200 200 100 5,250 350 450 75
Postsecondary teachers, biological sciences 34,800 775 22,050 650 5,000 350 18,000 600 100 50 400 100 200 75 10,850 525 450 100 27,800 700 2,350 250
Other biological/agricultural/life scientists 21,100 625 18,100 575 10,200 525 8,700 400 1,100 200 4,800 350 1,500 225 8,500 400 1,050 150 600 125 2,500 250
Computer/information scientists 48,900 875 32,000 775 16,350 600 5,100 350 6,850 375 10,000 500 27,450 775 13,150 600 1,200 175 7,350 350 2,650 250
Computer/information scientists 40,450 825 26,550 775 13,250 575 2,500 275 6,750 375 9,800 500 26,150 750 11,350 600 1,150 175 600 125 2,500 250
Postsecondary teachers, computer science 8,450 375 5,450 325 3,100 325 2,600 225 100 50 200 75 1,300 175 1,800 225 D D 6,750 325 150 50
Mathematical scientists 34,450 650 24,750 600 12,550 500 11,550 500 2,650 225 2,750 275 6,900 425 6,850 375 950 200 17,500 525 2,350 225
Mathematical scientists 15,650 550 13,050 500 9,800 475 2,400 225 2,550 250 2,350 225 6,300 375 3,950 325 850 200 500 125 900 150
Postsecondary teachers, mathematics/statistics 18,750 575 11,700 525 2,750 250 9,150 475 50 50 400 125 600 125 2,900 250 50 50 17,050 525 1,500 200
Physical scientists 84,150 1,175 64,700 1,100 35,750 800 29,950 775 5,950 375 15,400 600 5,850 325 22,950 650 1,850 200 31,650 825 7,250 425
Chemists, except biochemists 19,850 625 17,100 550 12,450 500 3,700 275 1,750 225 8,200 475 400 100 6,500 400 650 150 450 100 2,750 300
Earth/atmospheric/ocean scientists 10,050 350 9,100 350 6,650 300 3,700 175 800 125 1,250 150 1,950 175 3,150 225 250 75 250 75 900 125
Physicists/astronomers 12,850 500 11,900 475 7,200 400 5,600 375 1,850 225 2,950 275 2,350 225 3,200 275 300 100 300 100 800 125
Postsecondary teachers, chemistry 15,950 600 8,100 425 1,950 225 6,500 400 100 50 150 75 50 50 4,350 300 50 50 14,300 575 1,100 175
Postsecondary teachers, physics 10,800 475 7,050 400 1,300 200 5,700 375 300 100 150 100 350 125 2,200 250 100 50 9,300 450 600 125
Postsecondary teachers, other physical sciences 7,600 325 5,350 275 2,000 175 3,400 200 D D 50 25 100 50 1,450 125 50 25 6,750 300 550 75
Other physical scientists 7,100 375 6,100 375 4,250 350 1,350 200 1,100 175 2,650 225 600 100 2,100 225 450 125 300 100 600 125
Psychologists 74,950 950 22,950 750 13,400 625 9,150 475 500 100 2,500 275 500 125 26,050 850 46,850 975 23,450 725 4,700 375
Psychologists 55,900 900 12,150 550 8,350 450 3,150 300 450 100 2,200 275 400 125 21,850 825 45,300 950 7,000 475 2,900 325
Postsecondary teachers, psychology 19,000 600 10,800 500 5,050 375 6,000 350 D D 350 100 S S 4,200 325 1,550 200 16,500 575 1,750 200
Social scientists 65,150 950 45,500 850 24,350 675 23,700 650 1,000 175 2,700 250 1,300 175 16,150 575 2,900 325 41,550 825 6,750 375
Economists 7,800 450 6,200 400 5,400 375 1,500 200 650 150 550 100 700 125 3,150 275 1,300 200 350 100 700 125
Political scientists 1,700 200 1,150 175 900 150 650 150 D D 100 50 D D 650 150 200 75 D D 350 100
Postsecondary teachers, economics 10,200 425 7,700 400 4,150 300 4,150 325 D D 50 50 D D 1,150 175 50 50 8,650 425 750 125
Postsecondary teachers, political science 10,100 450 6,600 375 1,900 250 4,900 350 D D 150 100 D D 1,550 225 D D 9,300 450 1,000 175
Postsecondary teachers, sociology 8,200 400 5,100 325 1,250 175 3,900 275 D D 150 75 D D 1,100 150 50 25 7,650 375 1,050 175
Postsecondary teachers, other social sciences 16,150 550 10,150 425 3,550 225 6,400 350 D D 400 125 D D 3,350 275 250 75 14,750 500 1,500 175
Sociologists/anthropologists 3,050 225 2,500 200 2,100 200 700 100 50 25 350 100 100 50 1,350 150 200 75 300 75 350 100
Other social scientists 8,000 400 6,150 350 5,150 325 1,500 150 300 75 950 125 350 75 3,900 300 800 175 450 125 1,050 175
Engineering occupations 107,450 1,300 90,850 1,250 49,350 1,100 14,800 650 23,300 775 38,850 950 10,750 475 30,750 825 3,200 325 21,900 850 9,550 550
Aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical engineers 5,650 375 4,800 350 2,650 275 450 100 1,550 250 2,300 275 1,000 150 2,050 225 D D S S 400 100
Chemical engineers 6,650 400 6,000 400 3,300 325 750 150 1,950 250 3,150 300 450 125 2,350 250 100 50 D D 650 125
Civil/architectural/sanitary engineers 5,650 350 4,650 350 2,350 275 650 175 2,200 250 1,000 175 600 150 2,350 275 800 150 S S 300 75
Electrical engineers 21,450 650 19,700 650 8,550 475 1,500 225 7,200 450 12,050 525 3,800 325 4,800 325 450 150 200 100 1,900 225
Industrial engineers 1,050 175 900 175 400 125 D D 250 75 350 125 200 75 400 100 50 50 D D 250 100
Mechanical engineers 10,200 450 9,150 425 4,850 375 1,200 200 3,350 300 4,850 375 1,200 175 2,350 275 250 100 150 100 850 200
Postsecondary teachers, engineering 25,850 875 19,850 775 12,850 625 7,550 500 550 125 1,100 200 500 125 5,250 375 150 50 20,900 825 900 175
Other engineers 31,050 700 25,850 725 14,350 600 2,600 275 6,250 400 14,050 550 2,950 275 11,150 475 1,350 200 500 100 4,300 350
S&E-related occupations 92,750 1,550 46,000 1,125 28,100 750 9,650 475 2,900 275 9,250 525 4,850 375 48,650 1,225 27,400 925 28,650 825 5,850 400
Health occupations, except postsecondary teachers and managers 34,550 1,050 13,550 625 9,500 475 3,200 275 600 125 3,050 350 700 150 14,300 675 21,100 875 5,200 375 2,350 250
Postsecondary teachers, health and related sciences 23,050 700 13,750 625 9,350 450 4,250 350 50 25 700 150 100 50 6,000 375 3,750 350 18,450 650 1,350 200
S&E managers, including health 26,600 950 15,850 650 8,200 450 1,500 150 1,500 225 4,700 375 1,350 250 26,250 925 2,100 225 400 125 1,300 175
S&E precollege teachers 4,650 325 450 100 100 50 250 75 D D 100 50 200 100 1,200 125 100 50 4,550 350 550 125
S&E technicians and technologists 3,050 275 1,900 225 850 150 350 125 400 125 600 125 2,250 225 650 150 150 100 D D 300 100
Other S&E-related occupations 850 125 500 100 150 75 D D 300 75 150 75 300 75 300 75 250 75 D D S S
Non-S&E occupations 140,150 1,700 54,750 1,000 29,550 800 10,300 450 5,450 400 16,400 575 4,250 325 94,200 1,550 26,450 800 25,950 725 18,000 775
Arts/humanities-related occupations 7,950 450 3,400 325 1,750 225 850 175 350 125 1,150 175 250 75 3,450 275 2,350 250 500 100 1,550 150
Management-related occupations 27,000 750 9,100 500 5,000 375 700 150 1,450 200 3,300 300 1,350 175 20,000 700 5,950 400 1,650 225 3,750 350
Non-S&E managers 55,450 1,200 24,450 725 13,350 550 2,950 300 2,800 250 8,550 450 2,100 225 48,200 1,150 6,300 400 1,500 200 5,600 425
Non-S&E postsecondary teachers 18,750 600 10,800 500 5,800 375 4,550 300 200 100 900 150 50 25 4,100 300 600 125 16,550 550 1,850 175
Non-S&E precollege/other teachers 3,900 275 750 125 400 100 250 75 50 25 150 50 D D 1,650 225 350 100 3,200 250 400 100
Sales/marketing occupations 8,150 450 1,900 200 800 150 150 75 300 75 900 150 300 100 7,150 425 900 175 500 100 800 150
Social service–related occupations 6,000 400 1,050 175 600 125 250 100 D D 300 125 D D 2,350 250 3,950 300 1,350 175 1,200 200
Other non-S&E occupations 12,900 500 3,250 250 1,850 200 600 125 300 125 1,100 175 150 75 7,250 400 6,050 375 700 125 2,800 275
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 Administration includes accounting, finance, contracts, and human resources.
b Includes production, operations, maintenance, and other activities not broken out separately.
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 the 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.