Table 4-2. Involuntarily out-of-field rate among U.S. residing doctoral scientists and engineers, by field of doctorate: 2015
Field |
Involuntarily out-of-field rate |
Percent |
SE |
All fields |
3.0 |
0.10 |
Science |
3.3 |
0.15 |
Biological/agricultural/environmental life sciences |
3.5 |
0.25 |
Agricultural/food sciences |
3.0 |
0.45 |
Biochemistry/biophysics |
4.2 |
0.65 |
Cell/molecular biology |
4.3 |
0.95 |
Environmental life sciences |
3.5 |
1.05 |
Microbiology |
2.2 |
0.75 |
Zoology |
5.2 |
1.30 |
Other biological sciences |
3.2 |
0.30 |
Computer/information sciences |
1.5 |
0.50 |
Mathematics/statistics |
3.2 |
0.60 |
Physical sciences |
4.8 |
0.30 |
Astronomy/astrophysics |
4.1 |
1.15 |
Chemistry, except biochemistry |
4.2 |
0.40 |
Earth/atmospheric/ocean sciencesa |
3.6 |
0.40 |
Physics |
6.4 |
0.65 |
Psychology |
1.2 |
0.15 |
Social sciences |
3.7 |
0.35 |
Economics |
1.0 |
0.40 |
Political sciences |
4.2 |
0.80 |
Sociology |
2.9 |
0.70 |
Other social sciences |
5.8 |
0.70 |
Engineering |
2.7 |
0.25 |
Aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical engineering |
6.3 |
1.90 |
Chemical engineering |
3.1 |
0.65 |
Civil engineering |
1.0 |
0.45 |
Electrical/computer engineering |
1.6 |
0.30 |
Materials and metallurgical engineering |
3.6 |
0.75 |
Mechanical engineering |
3.1 |
0.80 |
Other engineering |
3.2 |
0.45 |
Health |
1.1 |
0.30 |