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Table 10. U.S. residing employed doctoral scientists and engineers, by fine field of doctorate and age: 2017

Field of study All employed Under 35 35–39 40–44 45–49 50–54 55–59 60–64 65–75
Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE
All fields 815,100 1,400 90,850 1,000 115,700 1,225 107,600 1,150 106,750 1,250 102,650 1,425 97,100 1,375 89,100 1,250 105,300 1,300
Science 612,450 1,500 63,150 875 85,150 1,050 80,600 1,025 80,700 1,100 75,400 1,075 71,900 1,150 70,050 1,225 85,550 1,150
Biological, agricultural, and environmental life sciences 206,900 925 24,600 550 33,250 600 30,550 650 26,950 650 24,700 625 23,500 625 23,400 575 19,800 700
Agricultural and food sciences 16,350 275 1,150 100 1,700 150 1,900 150 1,800 200 2,350 175 2,700 200 2,750 200 2,000 200
Agricultural sciences 1,000 75 50 25 50 25 100 50 50 25 50 25 150 75 100 25 400 100
Animal sciences 4,400 150 400 50 600 100 550 100 550 125 450 75 700 75 600 100 550 100
Food sciences and technology 3,550 175 300 50 450 100 400 100 500 100 800 150 350 75 550 100 250 100
Plant sciences 5,300 200 400 50 450 75 600 75 500 100 650 100 1,100 150 1,100 125 550 125
Soil sciences 2,150 125 50 25 150 50 250 50 250 50 400 75 350 75 450 100 300 75
Biochemistry and biophysics 28,250 425 3,550 225 4,250 300 3,900 275 3,750 275 3,850 275 3,250 275 2,750 200 3,000 250
Biochemistry 23,400 425 2,800 225 3,350 275 3,200 250 3,050 250 3,300 250 2,800 250 2,350 200 2,550 250
Biophysics 4,850 150 750 100 950 125 700 125 700 125 550 100 400 100 400 75 450 100
Cell, cellular biology, and molecular biology 29,850 375 3,200 225 5,000 300 4,800 325 4,700 325 4,050 300 3,150 300 2,800 250 2,100 225
Microbiological sciences and immunology 22,200 350 3,200 200 4,250 250 3,250 250 3,000 225 2,150 225 2,550 250 2,050 225 1,800 225
Immunology 8,150 200 1,200 150 1,850 175 1,300 175 1,350 175 700 150 700 125 600 150 400 100
Microbiological sciences 14,100 300 2,000 150 2,400 150 1,900 200 1,700 175 1,450 150 1,850 225 1,400 200 1,400 200
Natural resources and conservation 8,550 225 650 100 1,000 100 1,300 125 1,150 125 1,100 100 1,200 125 1,250 150 900 150
Fish, fisheries, wildlife and wildlands science and management 2,250 125 100 50 200 50 300 50 300 50 350 50 300 75 450 100 250 100
Forestry 2,600 150 100 25 250 50 400 50 300 50 350 50 500 75 400 100 400 125
Natural resource conservation, research, management, and policy 3,700 150 400 75 550 100 600 100 550 100 450 75 400 75 450 100 250 75
Zoology 7,450 250 250 75 550 100 800 100 850 125 800 125 1,150 150 1,300 150 1,750 175
Other biological sciences 94,200 625 12,550 400 16,500 400 14,700 525 11,750 450 10,450 375 9,550 400 10,450 400 8,250 400
Biomathematics, bioinformatics, and computational biology 4,400 75 950 75 1,050 125 650 75 550 100 350 75 350 75 250 50 250 50
Botany and plant biology 6,450 200 300 75 650 100 850 125 650 100 1,000 150 900 100 1,200 125 900 100
Epidemiology, ecology, and population biology 14,800 275 1,600 150 3,050 225 2,650 200 1,750 200 1,650 175 1,350 175 1,650 200 1,050 150
Genetics 8,200 225 1,450 150 1,650 150 1,400 150 1,050 150 750 100 750 125 650 125 600 125
Neurobiology and neuroscience 14,600 225 2,900 200 3,450 250 3,000 275 1,900 250 1,700 200 950 150 600 125 S S
Nutrition sciences 3,800 150 300 75 500 100 500 100 400 100 350 100 450 100 900 125 400 100
Pharmacology and toxicology 12,200 250 1,300 150 1,550 150 1,700 200 1,850 175 1,550 175 1,400 175 1,850 200 1,050 150
Physiology, pathology, and related sciences 14,200 300 1,900 150 2,450 200 1,650 150 1,100 125 1,500 175 1,550 200 1,850 175 2,200 200
Biological and biomedical sciences, general 10,950 250 1,650 175 1,900 200 1,700 175 1,600 200 950 125 1,350 175 850 175 900 150
Biological and biomedical sciences, other 4,600 175 250 50 350 75 500 100 750 100 650 125 500 100 750 125 800 125
Computer and information sciences 27,550 300 3,600 225 5,500 325 4,800 275 3,450 275 3,350 300 3,450 275 2,250 225 1,150 150
Computer science 24,050 300 3,250 225 5,000 325 4,250 275 3,000 275 3,000 275 3,050 250 1,750 200 850 150
Information science, studies 2,150 125 150 50 250 50 300 50 300 75 250 75 350 75 400 75 200 50
Computer and information sciences, other 1,350 50 200 50 300 50 250 50 200 50 150 25 100 25 100 50 100 50
Mathematics and statistics 35,200 500 5,200 300 4,600 325 4,900 375 4,100 300 5,100 350 3,650 275 3,350 275 4,300 275
Applied mathematics 7,700 250 1,500 200 1,100 200 1,000 175 1,000 175 1,350 200 600 150 600 150 550 125
Mathematics 16,450 275 2,350 175 2,250 200 2,000 225 1,850 200 2,050 200 1,900 225 1,500 175 2,500 200
Statistics 7,000 225 850 175 900 175 1,250 200 700 150 1,000 175 700 150 800 175 750 150
Mathematics and statistics, other 4,100 150 450 50 400 75 650 125 550 100 650 100 450 75 450 75 450 100
Physical sciences, geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences 130,000 800 15,200 425 17,600 475 15,650 500 17,600 625 18,100 500 16,050 500 14,100 575 15,800 525
Astronomy and astrophysics 5,600 125 900 100 850 100 800 100 650 100 550 75 500 100 550 100 750 75
Chemistry, except biochemistry 63,550 525 7,750 325 8,900 350 7,450 350 9,000 400 9,200 375 7,800 375 6,950 375 6,500 350
Inorganic chemistry 8,450 200 1,050 125 1,100 125 950 125 1,150 125 1,300 150 1,300 175 900 150 750 150
Organic chemistry 17,150 375 2,000 175 2,450 225 2,000 200 2,300 225 2,400 250 2,150 225 1,700 175 2,050 200
Chemistry, other, except biochemistry 37,950 400 4,700 250 5,350 275 4,500 300 5,500 300 5,500 275 4,350 275 4,350 300 3,700 250
Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences 21,000 250 2,000 100 2,400 125 2,650 175 2,550 175 2,500 175 3,000 200 2,700 175 3,150 175
Atmospheric sciences and meteorology 3,750 75 500 50 600 50 500 50 550 75 450 50 400 50 350 50 400 50
Geological and earth sciences, geosciences 12,900 225 1,050 100 1,400 100 1,600 150 1,350 150 1,450 125 2,050 150 1,850 150 2,150 175
Ocean sciences and marine sciences 1,900 75 250 25 300 50 300 50 200 25 250 50 250 50 200 50 150 25
Oceanography, chemical and physical 2,450 125 150 50 150 50 250 50 450 75 300 75 350 75 300 75 500 100
Physics 39,850 500 4,500 250 5,450 300 4,700 325 5,400 400 5,850 300 4,750 325 3,900 375 5,350 325
Psychology 113,950 750 8,050 300 11,950 475 12,450 450 13,950 500 12,900 450 13,150 500 15,000 575 26,400 725
Clinical psychology 40,800 500 2,600 200 3,800 350 4,650 325 5,050 350 4,650 350 5,550 375 5,600 400 8,850 475
Counseling and applied psychology 15,200 250 850 125 1,350 150 1,300 175 2,100 225 1,850 200 1,650 200 2,200 250 3,900 300
Educational and school psychology 13,650 300 800 125 1,350 175 1,300 175 1,400 150 1,250 150 1,050 125 1,700 150 4,800 275
Industrial and organizational psychology 4,950 150 500 100 650 100 800 125 550 125 800 125 550 100 550 125 600 125
Research and experimental psychology 27,500 325 2,450 175 3,800 200 3,300 225 3,450 200 2,950 200 2,950 225 3,050 200 5,600 300
Psychology, general 7,400 250 550 125 550 125 600 125 750 150 1,100 175 950 150 1,100 175 1,750 200
Psychology, other 4,450 175 250 75 400 75 550 100 700 125 300 75 500 125 800 125 900 125
Social sciences 98,850 775 6,500 325 12,200 450 12,250 450 14,600 475 11,250 475 12,050 450 11,950 450 18,100 550
Economics 26,600 425 2,350 225 3,650 225 3,350 250 3,050 225 3,150 275 3,600 225 3,200 275 4,250 300
Political science and government 19,950 425 1,600 175 2,300 275 2,350 200 3,200 300 2,450 225 2,500 275 2,550 250 3,000 275
Political science and government 16,150 400 1,200 175 1,700 225 1,800 200 2,650 300 2,100 225 2,100 250 1,850 225 2,750 250
Public policy analysis 3,750 125 400 75 550 100 550 100 600 100 350 75 400 100 650 100 250 75
Sociology, demography, and population studies 15,150 325 750 125 2,300 225 1,850 200 2,450 200 1,400 175 1,700 200 1,500 175 3,200 250
Other social sciences 37,200 450 1,800 150 4,000 250 4,700 275 5,900 275 4,200 250 4,250 250 4,750 300 7,600 350
Anthropology 11,550 250 450 75 1,350 150 1,300 150 2,150 175 1,050 150 1,200 150 1,550 175 2,500 225
Area, ethnic, cultural, gender, and group studies 3,450 125 200 50 450 75 600 75 500 75 300 75 400 75 450 100 550 75
Geography and cartography 4,600 150 200 75 500 100 650 100 900 150 700 125 550 125 600 125 500 100
International relations and national security studies 2,000 150 D D 250 50 250 75 350 100 250 75 300 75 200 75 400 75
Linguistics 5,050 225 300 75 550 100 750 150 450 100 650 125 550 125 600 125 1,200 150
Urban studies, affairs 1,500 100 S S 50 50 100 25 200 50 150 50 150 50 200 50 550 100
Social sciences, other 9,100 200 550 50 900 100 1,100 100 1,350 125 1,050 125 1,050 125 1,150 125 1,900 150
Engineering 164,650 850 24,550 575 26,350 725 22,700 625 21,350 625 22,700 700 19,550 550 13,150 625 14,300 625
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 6,500 175 1,000 125 750 125 650 125 1,100 125 850 125 850 150 450 100 850 150
Chemical engineering 20,250 350 3,300 200 3,900 300 2,800 275 2,450 250 2,550 250 2,200 225 1,450 200 1,500 200
Civil engineering 17,900 350 2,100 175 2,800 275 2,550 225 2,050 225 2,350 225 2,300 225 1,650 225 2,050 225
Electrical and computer engineering 45,850 475 6,400 400 7,150 400 7,100 375 6,450 375 6,750 325 5,200 275 3,750 350 3,100 375
Computer engineering 6,000 175 950 125 1,150 125 800 125 1,000 150 900 150 500 100 350 100 400 100
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering 39,800 450 5,450 400 5,950 375 6,300 350 5,450 325 5,850 300 4,700 275 3,400 325 2,700 350
Mechanical engineering 23,700 375 3,850 275 3,800 300 3,250 275 3,050 300 3,500 325 3,050 275 1,600 250 1,600 200
Metallurgical and materials engineering 15,400 275 2,600 175 2,600 250 1,950 175 1,950 200 2,150 225 1,750 175 1,000 150 1,400 150
Other engineering 35,050 400 5,300 250 5,350 275 4,400 275 4,250 275 4,550 275 4,200 250 3,300 275 3,750 225
Agricultural engineering 1,550 125 100 25 150 50 100 50 250 50 200 75 300 75 250 75 250 50
Bioengineering and biomedical engineering 11,600 175 3,150 200 2,850 225 1,750 175 1,300 175 1,200 200 500 100 300 75 550 100
Engineering mechanics, physics, and science 4,150 175 450 75 350 50 400 75 400 75 550 100 800 125 700 125 550 100
Industrial and manufacturing engineering 8,700 225 700 100 1,000 125 1,250 175 1,200 175 1,200 150 1,400 175 800 150 1,150 150
Nuclear engineering 2,750 125 250 50 300 75 250 75 250 100 550 100 350 75 500 125 350 75
Engineering, other 6,300 200 650 100 750 100 600 100 850 125 800 100 900 125 750 125 950 150
Health 37,950 425 3,150 225 4,150 250 4,300 275 4,700 300 4,550 275 5,650 325 5,950 375 5,450 375
Communication disorders sciences and services 3,400 125 200 50 200 50 400 100 350 75 300 75 400 100 600 125 950 125
Hospital and medical administration services 1,700 125 50 25 200 50 250 75 250 75 200 50 200 50 200 75 450 125
Pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences, and administration 7,400 175 1,000 150 1,050 150 950 150 950 150 1,250 150 950 125 600 100 650 125
Public health 7,100 175 950 125 1,150 150 1,000 175 1,100 150 650 125 750 125 1,000 150 550 125
Registered nursing, nursing administration, nursing research 8,900 275 D D 350 125 450 125 550 125 1,000 175 2,300 250 2,300 275 1,850 250
Health sciences, other 9,450 200 900 125 1,200 125 1,300 150 1,500 150 1,150 125 1,100 125 1,200 150 1,100 150
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.
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. 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.