Table 11-1. U.S. residing employed doctoral scientists and engineers, by fine field of doctorate and years since doctorate: 2017
Field of study |
All employed |
≤ 5 |
6–10 |
11–15 |
16–20 |
21–25 |
> 25 |
Number |
SE |
Number |
SE |
Number |
SE |
Number |
SE |
Number |
SE |
Number |
SE |
Number |
SE |
All fields |
815,100 |
1,400 |
134,300 |
625 |
143,200 |
800 |
116,050 |
775 |
112,850 |
875 |
99,600 |
750 |
209,100 |
1,300 |
Science |
612,450 |
1,500 |
94,800 |
650 |
104,450 |
875 |
86,300 |
800 |
84,200 |
775 |
73,900 |
750 |
168,750 |
1,350 |
Biological, agricultural, and environmental life sciences |
206,900 |
925 |
34,550 |
525 |
38,950 |
600 |
31,250 |
575 |
28,650 |
575 |
23,250 |
575 |
50,250 |
850 |
Agricultural and food sciences |
16,350 |
275 |
2,000 |
125 |
2,200 |
150 |
2,300 |
175 |
2,350 |
175 |
2,300 |
175 |
5,250 |
250 |
Agricultural sciences |
1,000 |
75 |
100 |
25 |
100 |
50 |
50 |
25 |
100 |
25 |
50 |
25 |
600 |
100 |
Animal sciences |
4,400 |
150 |
600 |
75 |
600 |
100 |
600 |
75 |
500 |
75 |
700 |
100 |
1,400 |
125 |
Food sciences and technology |
3,550 |
175 |
450 |
75 |
550 |
75 |
600 |
100 |
800 |
125 |
500 |
100 |
650 |
125 |
Plant sciences |
5,300 |
200 |
700 |
75 |
650 |
100 |
750 |
100 |
650 |
100 |
650 |
100 |
1,950 |
175 |
Soil sciences |
2,150 |
125 |
150 |
25 |
300 |
50 |
300 |
75 |
350 |
50 |
400 |
50 |
700 |
100 |
Biochemistry and biophysics |
28,250 |
425 |
3,800 |
200 |
5,050 |
300 |
4,000 |
250 |
3,700 |
225 |
3,450 |
225 |
8,250 |
350 |
Biochemistry |
23,400 |
425 |
3,000 |
200 |
3,950 |
275 |
3,350 |
200 |
3,050 |
200 |
2,850 |
225 |
7,150 |
325 |
Biophysics |
4,850 |
150 |
750 |
75 |
1,100 |
125 |
650 |
100 |
650 |
100 |
600 |
100 |
1,100 |
125 |
Cell, cellular biology, and molecular biology |
29,850 |
375 |
4,050 |
200 |
5,550 |
275 |
4,900 |
250 |
5,300 |
275 |
3,650 |
250 |
6,400 |
275 |
Microbiological sciences and immunology |
22,200 |
350 |
4,200 |
175 |
4,350 |
225 |
3,250 |
225 |
3,200 |
250 |
2,450 |
225 |
4,800 |
300 |
Immunology |
8,150 |
200 |
1,600 |
125 |
1,850 |
150 |
1,250 |
150 |
1,450 |
175 |
650 |
150 |
1,350 |
175 |
Microbiological sciences |
14,100 |
300 |
2,600 |
125 |
2,500 |
175 |
2,000 |
175 |
1,750 |
175 |
1,850 |
200 |
3,450 |
250 |
Natural resources and conservation |
8,550 |
225 |
1,450 |
100 |
1,800 |
125 |
1,400 |
125 |
1,200 |
100 |
1,050 |
125 |
1,600 |
175 |
Fish, fisheries, wildlife and wildlands science and management |
2,250 |
125 |
250 |
25 |
350 |
50 |
400 |
75 |
300 |
50 |
350 |
50 |
600 |
125 |
Forestry |
2,600 |
150 |
300 |
25 |
450 |
50 |
400 |
75 |
400 |
75 |
400 |
75 |
700 |
100 |
Natural resource conservation, research, management, and policy |
3,700 |
150 |
900 |
100 |
1,000 |
100 |
650 |
75 |
550 |
75 |
300 |
75 |
300 |
75 |
Zoology |
7,450 |
250 |
550 |
75 |
600 |
75 |
900 |
125 |
1,150 |
125 |
850 |
100 |
3,350 |
225 |
Other biological sciences |
94,200 |
625 |
18,500 |
400 |
19,400 |
425 |
14,450 |
400 |
11,700 |
350 |
9,500 |
350 |
20,600 |
500 |
Biomathematics, bioinformatics, and computational biology |
4,400 |
75 |
1,650 |
75 |
1,200 |
100 |
450 |
75 |
300 |
50 |
300 |
75 |
550 |
75 |
Botany and plant biology |
6,450 |
200 |
550 |
75 |
950 |
100 |
800 |
75 |
950 |
125 |
950 |
100 |
2,300 |
150 |
Epidemiology, ecology, and population biology |
14,800 |
275 |
3,550 |
175 |
3,800 |
200 |
2,400 |
175 |
1,650 |
125 |
1,250 |
150 |
2,150 |
200 |
Genetics |
8,200 |
225 |
1,800 |
125 |
1,850 |
150 |
1,250 |
125 |
1,100 |
125 |
850 |
100 |
1,350 |
150 |
Neurobiology and neuroscience |
14,600 |
225 |
3,750 |
200 |
4,000 |
250 |
2,650 |
200 |
2,000 |
200 |
1,000 |
150 |
1,200 |
125 |
Nutrition sciences |
3,800 |
150 |
600 |
75 |
600 |
100 |
500 |
75 |
550 |
100 |
500 |
100 |
1,000 |
125 |
Pharmacology and toxicology |
12,200 |
250 |
1,400 |
125 |
2,050 |
150 |
2,000 |
175 |
1,850 |
150 |
1,350 |
125 |
3,500 |
225 |
Physiology, pathology, and related sciences |
14,200 |
300 |
2,700 |
150 |
2,600 |
175 |
1,550 |
150 |
1,100 |
125 |
1,500 |
175 |
4,750 |
250 |
Biological and biomedical sciences, general |
10,950 |
250 |
2,150 |
150 |
2,000 |
175 |
1,950 |
175 |
1,450 |
175 |
1,200 |
150 |
2,200 |
200 |
Biological and biomedical sciences, other |
4,600 |
175 |
350 |
50 |
350 |
50 |
900 |
125 |
750 |
100 |
600 |
75 |
1,650 |
150 |
Computer and information sciences |
27,550 |
300 |
6,650 |
250 |
6,550 |
275 |
4,150 |
250 |
3,450 |
200 |
3,300 |
225 |
3,500 |
225 |
Computer science |
24,050 |
300 |
5,700 |
225 |
5,550 |
250 |
3,400 |
225 |
3,100 |
200 |
3,050 |
225 |
3,200 |
225 |
Information science, studies |
2,150 |
125 |
450 |
50 |
600 |
75 |
300 |
75 |
300 |
50 |
200 |
75 |
300 |
50 |
Computer and information sciences, other |
1,350 |
50 |
500 |
50 |
400 |
50 |
400 |
50 |
50 |
25 |
D |
D |
D |
D |
Mathematics and statistics |
35,200 |
500 |
5,600 |
225 |
6,400 |
325 |
5,100 |
325 |
4,300 |
250 |
4,650 |
300 |
9,150 |
350 |
Applied mathematics |
7,700 |
250 |
1,400 |
175 |
1,600 |
175 |
1,350 |
175 |
850 |
150 |
1,100 |
175 |
1,350 |
175 |
Mathematics |
16,450 |
275 |
2,500 |
150 |
2,700 |
200 |
1,900 |
150 |
2,100 |
200 |
2,250 |
200 |
5,000 |
250 |
Statistics |
7,000 |
225 |
1,100 |
125 |
1,500 |
175 |
1,100 |
150 |
650 |
125 |
900 |
125 |
1,800 |
225 |
Mathematics and statistics, other |
4,100 |
150 |
600 |
50 |
600 |
75 |
750 |
125 |
750 |
75 |
450 |
75 |
950 |
100 |
Physical sciences, geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences |
130,000 |
800 |
18,200 |
350 |
20,100 |
425 |
16,000 |
500 |
18,550 |
525 |
17,150 |
425 |
40,050 |
700 |
Astronomy and astrophysics |
5,600 |
125 |
950 |
100 |
1,000 |
75 |
700 |
75 |
750 |
75 |
600 |
75 |
1,600 |
125 |
Chemistry, except biochemistry |
63,550 |
525 |
8,700 |
250 |
9,250 |
325 |
7,900 |
375 |
9,150 |
400 |
8,700 |
375 |
19,850 |
500 |
Inorganic chemistry |
8,450 |
200 |
1,100 |
100 |
1,000 |
125 |
1,050 |
125 |
1,250 |
125 |
1,050 |
125 |
2,950 |
200 |
Organic chemistry |
17,150 |
375 |
2,250 |
150 |
2,500 |
200 |
2,000 |
200 |
2,350 |
200 |
2,500 |
250 |
5,500 |
300 |
Chemistry, other, except biochemistry |
37,950 |
400 |
5,350 |
200 |
5,700 |
250 |
4,850 |
300 |
5,550 |
300 |
5,100 |
250 |
11,350 |
375 |
Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences |
21,000 |
250 |
3,200 |
125 |
3,400 |
150 |
2,700 |
150 |
2,800 |
125 |
2,600 |
150 |
6,200 |
200 |
Atmospheric sciences and meteorology |
3,750 |
75 |
700 |
50 |
750 |
50 |
550 |
50 |
550 |
50 |
400 |
50 |
850 |
50 |
Geological and earth sciences, geosciences |
12,900 |
225 |
1,800 |
100 |
2,000 |
125 |
1,600 |
125 |
1,650 |
125 |
1,700 |
150 |
4,100 |
175 |
Ocean sciences and marine sciences |
1,900 |
75 |
550 |
50 |
350 |
50 |
250 |
25 |
200 |
50 |
200 |
25 |
400 |
50 |
Oceanography, chemical and physical |
2,450 |
125 |
200 |
50 |
300 |
50 |
300 |
75 |
450 |
75 |
300 |
50 |
850 |
100 |
Physics |
39,850 |
500 |
5,300 |
275 |
6,400 |
275 |
4,650 |
325 |
5,800 |
325 |
5,250 |
300 |
12,400 |
450 |
Psychology |
113,950 |
750 |
13,700 |
325 |
16,100 |
375 |
15,150 |
425 |
16,100 |
425 |
14,400 |
475 |
38,450 |
750 |
Clinical psychology |
40,800 |
500 |
4,150 |
250 |
5,200 |
250 |
5,200 |
275 |
6,050 |
325 |
5,500 |
325 |
14,600 |
475 |
Counseling and applied psychology |
15,200 |
250 |
2,100 |
125 |
1,950 |
175 |
2,250 |
175 |
2,150 |
175 |
1,950 |
175 |
4,800 |
275 |
Educational and school psychology |
13,650 |
300 |
1,550 |
125 |
1,950 |
150 |
1,950 |
175 |
1,650 |
150 |
1,650 |
150 |
4,800 |
250 |
Industrial and organizational psychology |
4,950 |
150 |
750 |
100 |
1,000 |
125 |
700 |
125 |
750 |
125 |
600 |
100 |
1,150 |
150 |
Research and experimental psychology |
27,500 |
325 |
3,700 |
150 |
4,550 |
200 |
3,550 |
150 |
3,750 |
200 |
3,250 |
200 |
8,700 |
325 |
Psychology, general |
7,400 |
250 |
800 |
100 |
750 |
125 |
850 |
125 |
1,100 |
150 |
950 |
150 |
3,050 |
225 |
Psychology, other |
4,450 |
175 |
650 |
75 |
700 |
100 |
600 |
100 |
650 |
100 |
500 |
75 |
1,350 |
150 |
Social sciences |
98,850 |
775 |
16,100 |
350 |
16,350 |
450 |
14,700 |
400 |
13,200 |
425 |
11,100 |
350 |
27,400 |
500 |
Economics |
26,600 |
425 |
3,700 |
175 |
4,250 |
250 |
3,300 |
200 |
3,500 |
200 |
2,800 |
175 |
9,050 |
325 |
Political science and government |
19,950 |
425 |
3,750 |
200 |
2,900 |
200 |
3,250 |
200 |
2,700 |
225 |
2,500 |
200 |
4,900 |
275 |
Political science and government |
16,150 |
400 |
2,450 |
175 |
2,050 |
200 |
2,700 |
200 |
2,250 |
200 |
2,150 |
200 |
4,550 |
275 |
Public policy analysis |
3,750 |
125 |
1,250 |
125 |
850 |
100 |
550 |
75 |
450 |
100 |
300 |
75 |
350 |
75 |
Sociology, demography, and population studies |
15,150 |
325 |
2,500 |
175 |
2,600 |
175 |
2,450 |
150 |
2,100 |
150 |
1,550 |
150 |
3,950 |
250 |
Other social sciences |
37,200 |
450 |
6,200 |
225 |
6,650 |
275 |
5,700 |
200 |
4,900 |
275 |
4,300 |
225 |
9,500 |
325 |
Anthropology |
11,550 |
250 |
1,650 |
100 |
2,050 |
150 |
1,950 |
150 |
1,650 |
150 |
1,200 |
125 |
3,050 |
200 |
Area, ethnic, cultural, gender, and group studies |
3,450 |
125 |
700 |
75 |
850 |
75 |
450 |
50 |
350 |
50 |
400 |
75 |
750 |
100 |
Geography and cartography |
4,600 |
150 |
900 |
100 |
900 |
100 |
850 |
100 |
550 |
100 |
550 |
75 |
800 |
125 |
International relations and national security studies |
2,000 |
150 |
350 |
75 |
350 |
75 |
250 |
75 |
300 |
100 |
250 |
75 |
550 |
100 |
Linguistics |
5,050 |
225 |
800 |
100 |
850 |
125 |
700 |
100 |
700 |
125 |
550 |
100 |
1,400 |
175 |
Urban studies, affairs |
1,500 |
100 |
150 |
50 |
150 |
50 |
250 |
50 |
250 |
50 |
200 |
50 |
500 |
100 |
Social sciences, other |
9,100 |
200 |
1,600 |
100 |
1,500 |
100 |
1,300 |
100 |
1,150 |
125 |
1,100 |
125 |
2,450 |
150 |
Engineering |
164,650 |
850 |
31,200 |
525 |
31,650 |
575 |
23,000 |
525 |
23,200 |
475 |
21,300 |
575 |
34,250 |
850 |
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering |
6,500 |
175 |
1,200 |
100 |
950 |
125 |
850 |
125 |
1,100 |
125 |
1,000 |
125 |
1,450 |
125 |
Chemical engineering |
20,250 |
350 |
3,450 |
175 |
3,800 |
225 |
2,800 |
225 |
3,150 |
225 |
2,300 |
225 |
4,750 |
275 |
Civil engineering |
17,900 |
350 |
3,700 |
175 |
3,600 |
225 |
2,250 |
200 |
2,200 |
175 |
1,900 |
175 |
4,250 |
225 |
Electrical and computer engineering |
45,850 |
475 |
8,450 |
325 |
9,350 |
350 |
6,200 |
300 |
6,300 |
250 |
6,450 |
300 |
9,050 |
500 |
Computer engineering |
6,000 |
175 |
1,400 |
150 |
1,350 |
125 |
650 |
100 |
1,000 |
125 |
700 |
100 |
850 |
100 |
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering |
39,800 |
450 |
7,050 |
350 |
7,950 |
325 |
5,550 |
275 |
5,300 |
250 |
5,700 |
300 |
8,200 |
500 |
Mechanical engineering |
23,700 |
375 |
4,750 |
250 |
4,250 |
275 |
3,700 |
225 |
3,950 |
250 |
3,000 |
225 |
4,050 |
300 |
Metallurgical and materials engineering |
15,400 |
275 |
2,700 |
200 |
3,100 |
200 |
2,200 |
175 |
2,150 |
175 |
2,200 |
150 |
3,050 |
225 |
Other engineering |
35,050 |
400 |
6,950 |
225 |
6,600 |
300 |
5,050 |
225 |
4,350 |
225 |
4,450 |
275 |
7,700 |
300 |
Agricultural engineering |
1,550 |
125 |
200 |
50 |
150 |
50 |
250 |
50 |
150 |
50 |
350 |
100 |
450 |
75 |
Bioengineering and biomedical engineering |
11,600 |
175 |
3,800 |
175 |
3,250 |
175 |
1,500 |
125 |
1,100 |
150 |
850 |
125 |
1,150 |
125 |
Engineering mechanics, physics, and science |
4,150 |
175 |
500 |
75 |
450 |
75 |
550 |
100 |
550 |
100 |
750 |
100 |
1,300 |
125 |
Industrial and manufacturing engineering |
8,700 |
225 |
1,200 |
125 |
1,500 |
150 |
1,450 |
150 |
1,300 |
150 |
1,350 |
150 |
1,850 |
175 |
Nuclear engineering |
2,750 |
125 |
350 |
50 |
350 |
50 |
350 |
75 |
350 |
75 |
350 |
75 |
1,000 |
125 |
Engineering, other |
6,300 |
200 |
950 |
100 |
900 |
100 |
950 |
125 |
850 |
100 |
800 |
125 |
1,950 |
225 |
Health |
37,950 |
425 |
8,250 |
300 |
7,100 |
275 |
6,750 |
275 |
5,450 |
250 |
4,350 |
225 |
6,050 |
300 |
Communication disorders sciences and services |
3,400 |
125 |
350 |
75 |
450 |
75 |
600 |
100 |
350 |
75 |
450 |
75 |
1,250 |
125 |
Hospital and medical administration services |
1,700 |
125 |
300 |
50 |
400 |
75 |
200 |
75 |
200 |
50 |
100 |
25 |
450 |
125 |
Pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences, and administration |
7,400 |
175 |
1,350 |
125 |
1,100 |
150 |
1,150 |
150 |
1,050 |
150 |
1,100 |
125 |
1,700 |
150 |
Public health |
7,100 |
175 |
2,400 |
150 |
1,450 |
125 |
1,000 |
125 |
850 |
125 |
600 |
100 |
800 |
125 |
Registered nursing, nursing administration, nursing research |
8,900 |
275 |
1,850 |
175 |
2,100 |
175 |
1,850 |
175 |
1,400 |
150 |
1,050 |
150 |
650 |
150 |
Health sciences, other |
9,450 |
200 |
2,000 |
125 |
1,650 |
125 |
1,900 |
150 |
1,550 |
150 |
1,050 |
100 |
1,250 |
125 |