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Table 45-2. U.S. residing employed doctoral scientists and engineers, by occupation and primary 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 1,900 326,350 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 occupations 446,850 2,100 204,100 1,975 97,350 1,175 76,800 1,275 6,000 425 23,950 800 24,950 775 43,600 950 51,000 1,050 107,250 1,450 15,950 575
Biological/agricultural/other life scientists 139,300 1,325 88,750 1,225 38,850 775 39,300 875 850 175 9,750 525 1,050 150 16,800 625 3,500 300 23,350 650 5,850 400
Agricultural/food scientists 9,100 425 6,550 325 4,550 275 900 125 S S 1,050 150 D D 1,650 200 200 50 100 50 600 125
Biochemists/biophysicists 13,150 575 10,900 475 4,100 325 5,250 350 S S 1,500 225 S S 1,550 200 50 25 100 50 450 125
Biological scientists 21,150 700 16,700 625 7,450 400 8,200 425 100 50 950 150 200 75 2,550 250 400 125 250 100 1,050 175
Forestry/conservation scientists 2,150 225 1,150 150 900 125 150 50 * * 100 25 S S 600 125 100 50 D D 300 100
Medical scientists 31,450 850 23,300 775 12,450 525 7,450 375 250 100 3,150 325 250 75 4,250 375 1,800 225 500 150 1,350 200
Postsecondary teachers, agricultural/other natural sciences 6,350 375 2,650 250 1,650 175 950 175 D D 50 25 D D 400 75 100 50 3,050 250 150 50
Postsecondary teachers, biological sciences 34,800 775 12,400 525 2,000 200 10,300 500 D D 100 50 D D 2,600 250 150 50 19,200 575 450 100
Other biological/agricultural/life scientists 21,100 625 15,100 550 5,750 375 6,050 350 400 150 2,850 325 450 100 3,200 300 750 150 200 50 1,450 200
Computer/information scientists 48,900 875 17,100 575 8,150 375 2,550 250 2,300 225 4,150 350 19,600 650 5,500 425 700 150 4,650 300 1,300 200
Computer/information scientists 40,450 825 14,000 550 6,600 350 1,000 175 2,300 225 4,150 350 19,350 650 5,000 400 700 150 250 75 1,200 200
Postsecondary teachers, computer science 8,450 375 3,100 275 1,550 200 1,550 175 D D D D 300 75 550 125 D D 4,450 300 50 50
Mathematical scientists 34,450 650 15,250 550 8,100 425 4,950 350 1,150 175 1,050 150 2,750 275 2,550 275 400 100 12,800 450 650 125
Mathematical scientists 15,650 550 10,200 475 7,000 400 1,100 175 1,100 175 1,000 150 2,700 275 1,700 250 400 100 200 75 500 100
Postsecondary teachers, mathematics/statistics 18,750 575 5,050 350 1,100 175 3,850 300 D D S S D D 850 175 D D 12,650 450 150 75
Physical scientists 84,150 1,175 47,200 975 21,750 625 16,450 600 1,400 200 7,600 475 1,350 175 8,050 450 1,150 150 23,050 750 3,350 300
Chemists, except biochemists 19,850 625 14,850 525 8,300 400 2,100 200 550 125 3,950 325 S S 2,700 300 400 100 200 75 1,600 200
Earth/atmospheric/ocean scientists 10,050 350 7,700 300 4,550 250 2,400 150 200 75 550 100 500 100 1,150 125 150 50 100 50 450 100
Physicists/astronomers 12,850 500 10,150 450 4,250 350 3,900 325 400 100 1,500 225 600 125 1,250 200 250 100 200 100 450 125
Postsecondary teachers, chemistry 15,950 600 3,400 250 550 100 2,850 225 D D D D D D 850 150 D D 11,400 550 250 100
Postsecondary teachers, physics 10,800 475 3,550 325 600 125 2,900 300 D D D D D D 500 125 100 50 6,500 425 50 50
Postsecondary teachers, other physical sciences 7,600 325 2,350 175 700 125 1,600 150 D D D D D D 500 100 D D 4,550 300 150 50
Other physical scientists 7,100 375 5,150 350 2,750 275 650 125 250 100 1,500 225 100 50 1,050 175 300 100 50 50 400 100
Psychologists 74,950 950 10,850 500 6,200 400 3,850 300 150 75 600 150 S S 4,900 375 43,550 975 13,600 525 2,000 250
Psychologists 55,900 900 6,200 400 4,100 325 1,350 175 150 75 600 150 S S 3,700 325 43,050 950 1,400 250 1,500 225
Postsecondary teachers, psychology 19,000 600 4,650 325 2,100 225 2,550 225 D D D D D D 1,150 175 550 125 12,150 475 500 125
Social scientists 65,150 950 24,950 700 14,300 550 9,650 425 200 75 750 125 100 50 5,800 400 1,700 250 29,750 750 2,850 275
Economists 7,800 450 5,100 375 4,100 325 650 125 150 75 200 75 S S 1,150 200 850 175 100 50 500 125
Political scientists 1,700 200 1,000 175 650 150 300 100 D D D D D D 200 75 150 75 D D 300 100
Postsecondary teachers, economics 10,200 425 4,350 275 2,000 225 2,300 225 D D D D D D 350 100 D D 5,400 350 150 75
Postsecondary teachers, political science 10,100 450 2,550 225 500 100 2,050 225 D D D D D D 550 150 D D 6,850 425 200 100
Postsecondary teachers, sociology 8,200 400 1,700 175 250 75 1,450 175 D D D D D D 350 125 D D 5,950 350 200 100
Postsecondary teachers, other social sciences 16,150 550 3,300 250 1,350 175 1,950 200 D D D D D D 1,150 175 50 25 11,250 450 400 100
Sociologists/anthropologists 3,050 225 2,100 175 1,600 175 350 75 D D 150 75 D D 450 100 S S 150 50 250 100
Other social scientists 8,000 400 4,850 275 3,850 275 600 125 S S 350 100 50 25 1,650 200 500 125 100 50 850 150
Engineering occupations 107,450 1,300 69,150 1,150 29,050 800 6,800 450 11,100 500 22,150 775 4,450 375 14,300 575 2,150 275 12,300 600 5,100 375
Aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical engineers 5,650 375 3,800 300 1,750 225 150 75 650 175 1,250 175 450 125 1,150 175 D D D D 250 75
Chemical engineers 6,650 400 5,100 400 2,050 225 250 100 950 175 1,900 225 250 125 900 175 D D D D 300 100
Civil/architectural/sanitary engineers 5,650 350 3,550 325 1,550 225 200 100 1,500 225 300 100 250 100 1,000 175 600 125 D D 200 75
Electrical engineers 21,450 650 16,100 600 4,850 350 550 150 3,100 250 7,600 475 1,800 250 2,200 250 400 150 D D 850 175
Industrial engineers 1,050 175 600 150 200 75 D D 150 75 150 75 S S 150 75 50 50 D D S S
Mechanical engineers 10,200 450 8,000 425 3,100 325 400 125 2,050 250 2,500 275 350 125 1,250 225 S S D D 500 150
Postsecondary teachers, engineering 25,850 875 11,600 600 6,900 450 4,150 350 150 75 400 150 D D 2,000 225 D D 11,950 600 200 100
Other engineers 31,050 700 20,350 675 8,650 450 1,050 175 2,550 275 8,100 425 1,250 175 5,700 375 850 150 200 75 2,650 275
S&E-related occupations 92,750 1,550 25,200 850 15,400 600 5,400 375 800 125 3,650 375 2,750 275 23,050 875 23,000 825 16,000 625 2,750 275
Health occupations, except postsecondary teachers and managers 34,550 1,050 8,300 525 5,350 375 1,550 200 100 50 1,300 225 200 100 4,600 375 18,850 825 1,050 175 1,500 200
Postsecondary teachers, health and related sciences 23,050 700 7,550 425 4,800 325 2,650 300 D D 100 50 D D 2,200 250 2,350 275 10,500 475 400 100
S&E managers, including health 26,600 950 8,100 475 4,700 375 1,050 150 400 100 2,000 250 600 175 15,850 775 1,450 175 S S 600 125
S&E precollege teachers 4,650 325 D D D D D D D D D D D D 50 50 D D 4,400 325 150 75
S&E technicians and technologists 3,050 275 850 175 450 125 S S S S 150 75 1,800 200 200 75 D D D D S S
Other S&E-related occupations 850 125 400 100 S S D D 200 75 50 50 100 50 150 50 200 75 D D D D
Non-S&E occupations 140,150 1,700 27,900 650 14,200 575 4,700 350 1,600 200 7,400 375 1,850 200 62,300 1,300 19,650 625 17,250 600 11,250 550
Arts/humanities-related occupations 7,950 450 2,550 300 1,200 200 550 150 S S 750 150 100 50 1,550 200 2,100 225 200 75 1,450 150
Management-related occupations 27,000 750 4,850 325 2,450 250 200 75 550 100 1,700 200 600 150 14,050 575 3,950 325 850 150 2,700 300
Non-S&E managers 55,450 1,200 12,550 525 6,450 375 1,450 225 800 150 3,900 325 1,050 150 35,000 1,025 3,700 275 500 100 2,650 275
Non-S&E postsecondary teachers 18,750 600 4,600 325 2,450 250 2,000 200 D D 150 75 D D 1,400 200 200 75 12,050 500 450 125
Non-S&E precollege/other teachers 3,900 275 200 75 150 75 D D D D * * D D 550 125 200 75 2,700 225 200 75
Sales/marketing occupations 8,150 450 850 150 500 125 D D 100 50 250 100 100 50 5,850 400 600 125 200 100 500 125
Social service–related occupations 6,000 400 350 125 150 75 D D D D S S D D 900 150 3,450 275 450 125 900 175
Other non-S&E occupations 12,900 500 1,800 200 850 150 350 100 S S 500 125 D D 2,950 275 5,500 350 300 75 2,350 275
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. 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.