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Table 15-1. U.S. residing employed doctoral scientists and engineers, by fine field of doctorate and primary or secondary work activity: 2017

Field of study All employed Research and development Computer applications Management, sales, or administration Professional services Teaching Othera
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 fields 815,100 1,400 512,550 2,425 283,500 2,100 173,150 1,750 58,150 1,075 131,500 1,875 80,200 1,325 320,500 2,300 122,600 1,550 230,400 2,350 66,400 1,200
Science 612,450 1,500 367,550 2,025 202,950 1,725 149,300 1,775 28,700 825 72,400 1,450 52,700 1,125 241,850 2,000 105,950 1,300 190,700 1,925 50,350 975
Biological, agricultural, and environmental life sciences 206,900 925 136,350 1,150 78,450 1,000 62,950 1,025 6,300 375 25,200 775 10,900 525 90,600 1,125 30,400 775 49,450 1,125 17,700 600
Agricultural and food sciences 16,350 275 10,750 325 7,550 300 2,750 225 500 100 2,800 225 700 125 8,200 300 1,100 150 3,800 225 1,750 175
Agricultural sciences 1,000 75 650 100 400 75 150 75 50 25 250 75 S S 400 75 150 75 250 75 100 25
Animal sciences 4,400 150 2,650 150 1,850 150 650 100 150 50 750 100 150 50 2,200 150 500 100 1,050 100 500 100
Food sciences and technology 3,550 175 2,600 175 1,650 150 750 125 100 50 900 125 50 25 1,850 175 150 75 550 100 450 125
Plant sciences 5,300 200 3,500 200 2,600 175 900 150 150 50 800 125 300 75 2,750 175 200 75 1,300 150 350 75
Soil sciences 2,150 125 1,350 125 1,050 100 350 75 100 50 150 50 150 50 950 125 100 25 600 100 300 75
Biochemistry and biophysics 28,250 425 19,650 475 10,200 475 9,750 400 1,050 200 5,000 375 1,800 225 12,550 475 3,200 250 5,300 325 2,050 225
Biochemistry 23,400 425 16,050 475 8,350 475 7,800 375 700 175 4,400 350 1,200 200 10,800 425 2,500 275 4,400 325 1,700 200
Biophysics 4,850 150 3,650 175 1,850 150 1,950 150 350 100 650 125 600 125 1,750 150 700 125 850 125 350 100
Cell, cellular biology, and molecular biology 29,850 375 19,100 475 8,800 425 10,650 500 1,000 150 3,600 350 1,000 200 13,200 500 5,700 375 6,800 400 2,350 250
Microbiological sciences and immunology 22,200 350 14,300 425 8,200 375 7,350 350 500 125 2,700 250 450 125 10,300 400 4,450 325 4,350 325 1,900 225
Immunology 8,150 200 5,600 275 3,400 250 2,650 225 250 100 1,150 175 150 75 3,650 250 1,900 200 1,250 175 500 125
Microbiological sciences 14,100 300 8,700 350 4,800 300 4,700 275 250 75 1,550 225 300 100 6,700 300 2,550 250 3,150 275 1,400 200
Natural resources and conservation 8,550 225 5,500 250 4,050 225 1,200 125 400 75 1,000 125 650 125 4,200 225 550 100 2,250 125 1,050 125
Fish, fisheries, wildlife and wildlands science and management 2,250 125 1,550 125 1,250 100 350 75 50 25 200 75 100 25 1,200 125 150 75 450 75 250 75
Forestry 2,600 150 1,700 125 1,300 125 350 75 150 75 350 75 300 75 1,100 100 200 50 700 75 250 50
Natural resource conservation, research, management, and policy 3,700 150 2,250 175 1,500 150 500 100 200 50 450 100 250 100 1,900 150 200 50 1,050 100 550 100
Zoology 7,450 250 4,500 275 2,950 250 1,800 175 150 50 700 150 250 75 3,300 200 700 125 2,700 175 800 125
Other biological sciences 94,200 625 62,500 825 36,700 700 29,400 650 2,700 275 9,350 450 6,000 325 38,800 750 14,700 550 24,200 725 7,800 350
Biomathematics, bioinformatics, and computational biology 4,400 75 3,850 100 2,900 125 1,150 125 300 50 650 100 1,400 100 1,000 100 250 75 550 75 200 50
Botany and plant biology 6,450 200 4,150 225 2,250 200 1,900 175 200 75 750 100 350 75 2,800 200 450 100 2,100 150 800 100
Epidemiology, ecology, and population biology 14,800 275 10,850 275 7,300 300 4,600 250 250 100 800 150 1,200 175 6,150 325 850 175 5,100 250 1,200 150
Genetics 8,200 225 5,500 275 3,050 250 2,950 225 200 75 800 125 900 125 3,150 225 1,350 200 1,700 150 700 100
Neurobiology and neuroscience 14,600 225 9,700 325 4,350 275 5,650 325 650 125 1,350 200 900 125 5,850 275 3,200 250 3,400 250 1,150 150
Nutrition sciences 3,800 150 2,300 175 1,650 175 650 125 D D 400 100 150 75 1,800 150 450 125 1,050 125 450 100
Pharmacology and toxicology 12,200 250 7,800 325 4,750 275 3,200 275 350 75 1,500 200 200 75 6,300 300 2,550 250 1,900 200 800 125
Physiology, pathology, and related sciences 14,200 300 8,400 325 4,850 250 4,250 275 350 100 1,550 175 250 75 5,600 275 3,450 275 3,950 275 1,150 150
Biological and biomedical sciences, general 10,950 250 7,050 300 4,250 250 3,550 250 200 75 1,050 150 300 100 4,150 300 1,600 200 3,150 225 950 150
Biological and biomedical sciences, other 4,600 175 2,950 200 1,450 150 1,550 150 100 50 500 100 400 100 2,050 175 600 100 1,300 150 350 100
Computer and information sciences 27,550 300 19,100 425 10,150 425 3,950 300 3,050 250 5,850 375 11,950 475 8,200 350 700 150 6,100 350 1,050 150
Computer science 24,050 300 16,900 425 8,900 425 3,500 300 2,700 250 5,250 350 10,900 475 6,900 350 500 150 5,050 350 850 150
Information science, studies 2,150 125 1,300 125 850 125 250 75 150 50 300 75 500 75 850 125 150 75 750 75 150 50
Computer and information sciences, other 1,350 50 900 50 400 50 200 50 150 50 250 50 550 50 450 50 50 25 350 50 100 25
Mathematics and statistics 35,200 500 22,750 475 10,100 400 10,500 375 2,600 300 2,850 250 7,700 425 8,500 450 1,400 150 18,000 500 2,700 275
Applied mathematics 7,700 250 5,150 275 2,850 250 2,150 250 500 150 750 175 2,100 225 1,700 225 400 125 3,350 300 500 125
Mathematics 16,450 275 9,850 325 2,650 225 5,850 275 1,200 175 900 125 3,050 250 3,850 250 650 100 10,200 350 1,450 175
Statistics 7,000 225 5,250 250 3,450 250 1,500 200 550 150 750 150 1,800 225 1,750 225 150 75 2,300 225 400 125
Mathematics and statistics, other 4,100 150 2,550 125 1,150 100 950 100 350 75 400 100 800 125 1,150 125 150 50 2,150 125 300 50
Physical sciences, geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences 130,000 800 87,100 950 45,700 875 32,300 675 11,750 475 25,400 800 15,800 525 50,650 850 7,500 425 32,850 800 12,250 500
Astronomy and astrophysics 5,600 125 3,900 150 1,050 125 2,450 150 500 100 400 100 1,550 150 2,000 150 200 75 1,850 150 450 75
Chemistry, except biochemistry 63,550 525 40,950 650 22,850 675 13,000 475 3,850 275 15,850 550 3,150 250 28,100 600 4,100 325 14,800 550 6,950 425
Inorganic chemistry 8,450 200 4,800 275 2,550 225 1,400 150 300 75 2,150 200 250 100 3,650 250 400 100 2,750 225 1,100 150
Organic chemistry 17,150 375 11,650 400 7,000 375 3,800 300 900 125 4,200 300 250 75 7,850 400 1,100 200 4,100 325 1,600 225
Chemistry, other, except biochemistry 37,950 400 24,500 525 13,250 500 7,800 375 2,650 225 9,500 400 2,650 275 16,600 450 2,600 250 7,950 400 4,250 300
Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences 21,000 250 14,650 300 8,750 275 7,000 250 1,150 100 1,700 150 2,650 175 7,750 275 1,150 125 6,500 225 2,050 150
Atmospheric sciences and meteorology 3,750 75 2,950 100 1,850 100 1,250 75 300 50 400 50 900 75 1,200 100 100 25 750 50 200 50
Geological and earth sciences, geosciences 12,900 225 8,700 250 5,050 225 4,250 225 600 100 1,100 125 1,300 150 4,700 225 650 100 4,600 200 1,350 125
Ocean sciences and marine sciences 1,900 75 1,250 75 800 50 600 50 100 25 150 25 150 50 850 75 100 25 550 50 250 50
Oceanography, chemical and physical 2,450 125 1,700 125 1,050 125 900 125 100 50 100 50 250 75 1,000 125 250 75 600 75 200 50
Physics 39,850 500 27,600 575 13,100 425 9,800 425 6,250 350 7,500 450 8,400 450 12,800 500 2,100 225 9,700 525 2,800 250
Psychology 113,950 750 42,000 925 26,150 750 12,250 450 2,450 225 7,150 475 1,900 225 48,300 1,000 56,700 925 32,950 725 7,600 400
Clinical psychology 40,800 500 10,600 600 7,500 500 2,150 275 400 125 1,500 250 300 125 17,150 700 29,250 625 8,200 475 2,000 250
Counseling and applied psychology 15,200 250 2,700 250 1,500 200 600 125 150 75 550 125 S S 7,100 350 10,450 375 3,900 300 950 150
Educational and school psychology 13,650 300 5,350 300 3,700 250 950 175 150 75 1,250 175 150 75 5,500 300 5,500 300 4,500 325 1,250 175
Industrial and organizational psychology 4,950 150 2,300 200 1,500 175 300 100 200 75 700 150 D D 3,150 200 1,200 175 1,350 175 300 100
Research and experimental psychology 27,500 325 16,400 375 9,050 325 7,300 300 1,200 175 2,150 200 1,150 125 10,550 325 4,850 250 11,650 300 2,100 175
Psychology, general 7,400 250 2,650 250 1,600 200 650 125 200 100 550 125 150 75 2,900 250 3,700 275 1,950 200 600 125
Psychology, other 4,450 175 2,000 175 1,300 150 300 75 150 75 450 100 100 75 2,050 175 1,700 175 1,450 150 350 100
Social sciences 98,850 775 60,300 925 32,450 750 27,350 775 2,500 225 5,950 425 4,450 350 35,600 700 9,250 500 51,350 850 9,100 425
Economics 26,600 425 18,550 450 12,750 475 6,250 375 950 150 2,050 275 2,450 275 9,500 400 3,350 325 10,200 450 1,400 175
Political science and government 19,950 425 12,050 425 5,300 350 6,500 375 250 100 1,200 200 500 150 7,300 400 1,600 225 11,300 425 1,850 225
Political science and government 16,150 400 9,850 400 3,600 325 6,100 375 D D 900 175 400 150 5,450 375 1,150 225 9,950 425 1,500 225
Public policy analysis 3,750 125 2,250 125 1,700 150 400 75 150 75 300 75 100 50 1,850 150 450 100 1,400 150 350 75
Sociology, demography, and population studies 15,150 325 9,450 350 4,500 250 5,000 300 350 100 650 125 500 125 5,300 275 950 175 8,750 350 1,450 175
Other social sciences 37,200 450 20,250 475 9,950 350 9,600 400 1,000 150 2,050 200 1,000 175 13,550 425 3,350 250 21,050 500 4,400 250
Anthropology 11,550 250 6,450 325 2,700 225 3,550 275 250 100 700 150 150 75 4,300 300 1,000 175 6,250 300 1,350 150
Area, ethnic, cultural, gender, and group studies 3,450 125 1,350 125 400 75 750 100 50 25 250 50 50 25 1,250 100 300 75 2,350 125 550 75
Geography and cartography 4,600 150 2,900 175 1,800 150 1,150 125 250 100 200 50 250 75 1,350 150 150 50 2,750 175 500 100
International relations and national security studies 2,000 150 900 150 400 100 450 100 D D D D D D 900 125 250 100 1,100 150 300 75
Linguistics 5,050 225 2,650 225 1,150 175 1,400 175 D D 300 100 150 75 1,650 175 350 100 3,200 225 550 125
Urban studies, affairs 1,500 100 850 100 650 100 200 75 S S 50 50 100 50 700 100 200 50 700 100 150 50
Social sciences, other 9,100 200 5,050 200 2,750 175 2,050 150 250 75 550 100 300 75 3,450 200 1,100 125 4,750 175 1,000 150
Engineering 164,650 850 123,350 1,100 64,800 1,025 19,250 625 28,350 725 54,550 1,100 26,600 775 62,100 1,025 9,100 475 25,250 800 12,900 575
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 6,500 175 5,400 200 3,100 225 900 175 1,200 150 2,400 200 1,050 150 2,150 200 150 75 850 150 300 100
Chemical engineering 20,250 350 14,800 400 6,950 375 2,400 250 3,050 275 8,150 425 1,800 250 9,300 425 1,100 200 2,400 250 2,100 225
Civil engineering 17,900 350 12,500 375 6,700 325 2,000 250 4,200 300 2,200 225 2,250 225 7,700 375 1,850 225 3,850 275 1,500 175
Electrical and computer engineering 45,850 475 36,050 475 17,850 575 4,900 325 8,300 425 18,500 600 11,350 450 13,900 525 1,500 200 6,250 350 2,400 250
Computer engineering 6,000 175 4,500 200 2,200 175 700 150 800 125 1,950 175 2,400 200 1,950 175 100 50 900 125 250 75
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering 39,800 450 31,550 450 15,650 525 4,200 325 7,500 400 16,550 575 8,950 425 11,950 500 1,400 200 5,350 350 2,200 225
Mechanical engineering 23,700 375 18,650 475 8,900 450 2,700 300 5,200 375 8,950 425 3,950 350 7,900 400 850 175 3,850 350 2,000 225
Metallurgical and materials engineering 15,400 275 11,550 350 6,500 325 1,650 200 2,050 225 6,450 325 800 150 6,700 350 600 125 1,650 200 1,750 225
Other engineering 35,050 400 24,400 525 14,800 475 4,700 275 4,400 250 7,950 450 5,450 300 14,400 450 3,000 250 6,400 325 2,850 275
Agricultural engineering 1,550 125 1,100 100 800 100 150 50 350 75 250 50 150 75 600 100 50 25 350 75 200 75
Bioengineering and biomedical engineering 11,600 175 8,400 275 5,200 275 1,900 200 1,150 175 3,000 275 1,250 150 5,100 275 1,650 225 1,600 200 650 150
Engineering mechanics, physics, and science 4,150 175 3,150 150 1,700 150 600 75 800 125 1,100 125 550 100 1,350 150 200 50 800 125 300 75
Industrial and manufacturing engineering 8,700 225 5,450 250 3,250 225 850 150 1,050 150 1,500 175 1,900 175 3,850 250 550 100 2,100 175 650 125
Nuclear engineering 2,750 125 2,000 125 1,300 150 500 100 350 100 550 100 550 100 1,000 125 150 50 300 75 300 75
Engineering, other 6,300 200 4,300 225 2,600 200 700 125 700 100 1,500 150 1,050 150 2,500 175 450 100 1,250 125 750 150
Health 37,950 425 21,650 525 15,750 500 4,600 300 1,150 175 4,550 275 900 150 16,550 525 7,600 425 14,450 475 3,100 250
Communication disorders sciences and services 3,400 125 1,350 125 1,000 125 300 100 D D 150 75 D D 1,500 150 1,150 150 1,550 150 350 100
Hospital and medical administration services 1,700 125 1,200 125 1,000 125 200 75 S S 150 50 100 25 750 100 250 75 600 100 50 25
Pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences, and administration 7,400 175 5,350 225 3,100 225 1,200 150 400 125 2,400 200 300 100 3,200 200 950 150 1,050 150 900 150
Public health 7,100 175 4,700 225 3,950 225 900 150 250 75 550 100 250 75 3,350 225 1,300 175 1,900 175 450 100
Registered nursing, nursing administration, nursing research 8,900 275 3,650 350 2,550 300 700 150 200 100 500 150 D D 3,950 350 2,050 275 5,200 325 500 150
Health sciences, other 9,450 200 5,450 225 4,200 225 1,250 150 150 75 800 125 250 75 3,850 225 1,950 175 4,150 200 850 125
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 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. Detail may exceed total due to multiple responses. Primary and secondary work activities were self-defined by respondent in response to the question: "On which two activities...did you work the most hours during a typical week on this job?" 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.