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Table 2. U.S. residing doctoral scientists and engineers, by field of doctorate, sex, and employment status: 2017

Field of study and sex 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 fields 967,500 1,225 815,100 1,400 721,950 1,925 93,150 1,575 17,100 625 113,450 1,250 21,850 750
Male 629,100 1,100 527,850 1,425 479,650 1,700 48,200 1,125 10,600 525 83,150 1,025 7,500 500
Female 338,400 850 287,250 1,050 242,300 1,300 44,950 900 6,500 375 30,300 725 14,400 575
Science 736,700 1,250 612,450 1,500 533,800 1,875 78,700 1,425 12,800 575 93,550 1,050 17,900 700
Male 456,850 1,125 376,700 1,425 337,550 1,700 39,150 1,075 7,550 475 67,100 925 5,500 425
Female 279,850 825 235,800 1,075 196,250 1,175 39,550 825 5,250 350 26,450 650 12,350 575
Biological, agricultural, and environmental life sciences 246,850 725 206,900 925 188,650 1,100 18,250 625 5,150 350 28,100 750 6,700 400
Male 144,850 800 120,800 875 112,150 950 8,650 450 2,500 250 19,900 600 1,650 200
Female 102,000 775 86,050 775 76,500 800 9,600 475 2,650 250 8,200 350 5,050 375
Agricultural and food sciences 20,800 300 16,350 275 15,050 300 1,300 150 200 75 3,700 275 500 100
Male 14,850 325 11,400 275 10,650 300 700 125 150 75 3,150 250 150 75
Female 5,950 225 4,950 200 4,400 200 550 100 50 25 550 125 400 100
Biochemistry and biophysics 34,500 300 28,250 425 25,750 450 2,500 200 750 150 4,500 300 1,000 175
Male 21,950 375 17,750 425 16,250 425 1,500 200 400 125 3,400 275 450 100
Female 12,550 350 10,500 350 9,500 350 1,000 150 350 100 1,100 175 550 125
Cell, cellular biology, and molecular biology 33,550 275 29,850 375 27,250 425 2,550 275 700 150 2,150 200 900 175
Male 18,100 425 16,450 450 15,450 450 1,050 200 200 100 1,250 175 150 75
Female 15,450 375 13,350 400 11,800 425 1,550 175 500 125 900 125 750 150
Microbiological sciences and immunology 26,250 250 22,200 350 20,450 350 1,750 225 800 150 2,550 275 700 150
Male 14,100 375 12,150 375 11,450 375 700 150 350 100 1,400 200 200 100
Female 12,150 350 10,100 300 9,000 300 1,050 175 450 125 1,150 175 500 100
Natural resources and conservation 10,900 150 8,550 225 7,800 225 800 125 200 75 1,850 225 300 100
Male 7,650 200 5,850 250 5,400 225 500 100 150 50 1,600 225 S S
Female 3,250 150 2,700 150 2,400 125 300 50 50 25 250 50 250 100
Zoology 10,350 175 7,450 250 6,500 250 950 125 150 75 2,550 200 200 75
Male 7,700 200 5,450 225 4,800 225 650 125 150 75 2,050 175 D D
Female 2,700 150 2,000 125 1,700 150 300 75 D D 500 100 150 75
Other biological sciences 110,450 450 94,200 625 85,800 750 8,400 425 2,350 225 10,800 475 3,100 275
Male 60,550 525 51,750 575 48,150 625 3,600 325 1,150 150 7,050 375 600 125
Female 49,900 575 42,450 550 37,650 600 4,800 300 1,250 175 3,750 250 2,500 250
Computer and information sciences 30,150 300 27,550 300 25,950 350 1,550 200 500 125 1,450 175 650 125
Male 24,600 325 22,800 350 21,600 375 1,200 200 450 125 1,000 150 350 100
Female 5,600 250 4,750 225 4,400 225 350 75 50 25 450 125 350 100
Mathematics and statistics 42,500 425 35,200 500 31,700 475 3,500 300 600 125 5,750 325 950 150
Male 33,300 500 27,200 525 24,900 525 2,300 225 350 100 5,100 325 600 125
Female 9,200 325 8,000 300 6,800 300 1,200 175 250 100 600 100 350 100
Physical sciences, geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences 159,250 600 130,000 800 118,050 800 11,950 550 3,550 300 22,700 550 3,000 300
Male 124,650 800 100,450 800 91,350 825 9,100 475 2,750 275 20,150 525 1,250 200
Female 34,600 650 29,550 600 26,700 550 2,850 200 750 125 2,550 200 1,700 200
Astronomy and astrophysics 6,450 100 5,600 125 5,200 125 400 75 100 50 600 100 150 50
Male 5,150 125 4,500 150 4,200 150 300 75 50 50 550 75 D D
Female 1,300 100 1,100 100 1,000 100 100 25 50 25 50 25 100 50
Chemistry, except biochemistry 78,950 400 63,550 525 57,300 525 6,200 375 1,750 200 12,100 425 1,550 200
Male 58,200 575 45,850 550 41,400 550 4,400 325 1,300 200 10,450 400 600 150
Female 20,750 500 17,700 475 15,900 450 1,800 175 450 100 1,650 200 1,000 150
Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences 25,350 200 21,000 250 18,850 300 2,150 175 700 125 3,250 175 400 75
Male 19,000 225 15,450 275 13,950 300 1,500 150 550 125 2,850 175 200 75
Female 6,350 150 5,550 150 4,900 150 650 75 150 50 400 75 200 50
Physics 48,500 400 39,850 500 36,700 500 3,150 275 1,000 175 6,750 325 900 175
Male 42,250 425 34,650 500 31,800 500 2,850 250 850 175 6,300 325 450 125
Female 6,200 300 5,200 275 4,900 275 300 75 150 50 450 100 400 100
Psychology 136,900 525 113,950 750 84,400 850 29,550 750 1,300 175 17,600 575 4,050 350
Male 56,850 800 46,800 775 36,850 700 9,950 550 450 150 8,700 450 850 175
Female 80,100 750 67,150 825 47,500 800 19,650 600 850 150 8,900 450 3,200 300
Social sciences 121,050 700 98,850 775 85,000 850 13,850 500 1,750 225 17,900 500 2,500 250
Male 72,650 700 58,600 775 50,650 725 7,950 450 1,100 200 12,150 475 800 150
Female 48,400 575 40,300 600 34,350 600 5,950 350 700 100 5,750 325 1,700 225
Economics 32,000 425 26,600 425 23,550 425 3,050 275 250 100 4,650 275 500 100
Male 23,900 375 19,500 400 17,250 400 2,250 250 200 100 3,900 275 300 75
Female 8,100 250 7,100 275 6,300 250 750 125 50 25 750 125 200 50
Political science and government 24,150 350 19,950 425 17,300 450 2,650 300 350 100 3,450 325 400 125
Male 16,150 375 13,150 350 11,450 350 1,700 250 200 100 2,650 300 D D
Female 8,000 325 6,750 350 5,850 350 950 175 150 50 800 125 300 100
Sociology, demography, and population studies 19,450 275 15,150 325 12,700 350 2,400 225 250 75 3,600 250 500 150
Male 9,250 275 6,900 275 5,850 275 1,050 175 200 75 2,050 200 100 50
Female 10,200 225 8,250 250 6,900 275 1,350 150 50 50 1,500 150 400 125
Other social sciences 45,450 375 37,200 450 31,450 475 5,750 300 950 150 6,200 325 1,100 150
Male 23,350 425 19,050 425 16,150 425 2,900 250 500 125 3,550 250 250 100
Female 22,100 350 18,200 400 15,300 375 2,900 225 450 100 2,650 200 850 150
Engineering 186,700 775 164,650 850 154,450 900 10,200 525 3,550 325 15,250 550 3,250 275
Male 156,250 800 137,200 850 129,200 900 8,000 475 2,750 300 14,450 525 1,900 225
Female 30,400 525 27,450 525 25,300 550 2,200 225 750 150 850 125 1,350 150
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 7,350 175 6,500 175 6,200 175 350 100 50 50 650 125 100 50
Male 6,600 175 5,900 175 5,600 175 300 75 50 50 650 125 D D
Female 700 100 650 100 600 100 D D D D D D 50 50
Chemical engineering 23,200 325 20,250 350 19,000 375 1,200 175 250 100 2,200 225 500 150
Male 18,600 350 16,050 350 15,200 350 850 150 150 75 2,150 225 300 125
Female 4,550 200 4,150 200 3,800 200 400 100 100 50 S S 200 75
Civil engineering 20,000 325 17,900 350 16,600 350 1,250 175 300 100 1,550 175 300 75
Male 16,300 350 14,550 350 13,500 350 1,100 175 150 75 1,350 175 200 75
Female 3,700 200 3,300 175 3,150 175 200 75 S S 150 50 100 50
Electrical and computer engineering 50,950 425 45,850 475 43,050 500 2,800 350 950 175 3,350 300 800 150
Male 44,450 450 39,800 450 37,650 500 2,150 300 850 150 3,300 300 500 125
Female 6,550 300 6,000 300 5,400 275 650 150 100 50 100 50 300 100
Mechanical engineering 26,700 325 23,700 375 22,600 375 1,100 150 550 150 1,900 225 500 125
Male 23,750 325 21,150 400 20,200 400 950 150 400 125 1,850 225 350 100
Female 2,950 200 2,600 200 2,400 200 150 75 D D D D 200 100
Metallurgical and materials engineering 17,950 225 15,400 275 14,550 300 850 125 550 125 1,700 200 300 75
Male 14,750 275 12,500 275 11,850 300 650 100 450 125 1,600 200 200 75
Female 3,200 175 2,850 175 2,650 175 200 50 100 50 150 50 100 50
Other engineering 40,550 350 35,050 400 32,450 400 2,650 225 850 150 3,950 250 650 100
Male 31,800 400 27,200 425 25,150 425 2,050 200 700 150 3,550 250 350 75
Female 8,750 275 7,900 275 7,300 275 600 100 200 50 350 75 300 75
Health 44,100 325 37,950 425 33,700 475 4,250 350 750 150 4,650 350 750 125
Male 15,950 350 14,000 350 12,950 350 1,050 150 300 75 1,650 200 S S
Female 28,150 350 24,000 400 20,800 450 3,200 300 450 125 3,000 275 700 125
Codes used in data tables: * = suppressed when population estimate < 25. D = suppressed to avoid disclosure of confidential information. na = not applicable. 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 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. 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 the labor force. Residence location is based on reported living location on 1 February 2017.
SOURCE: National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Doctorate Recipients: 2017.