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Table 29. U.S. residing doctoral scientists and engineers, by occupation and employment status: 2017

Occupation 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 occupations 967,150 1,200 815,100 1,400 721,950 1,925 93,150 1,575 17,050 625 113,450 1,250 21,550 750
Science occupations 546,550 2,425 460,750 2,150 406,400 2,425 54,350 1,050 9,100 500 63,800 1,100 12,900 575
Biological/agricultural/other life scientists 171,850 1,500 144,550 1,425 134,650 1,375 9,900 500 3,750 325 19,050 675 4,550 350
Agricultural/food scientists 12,550 475 9,950 425 9,400 400 550 125 200 50 2,050 175 350 100
Biochemists/biophysicists 19,700 650 16,550 600 15,650 575 900 175 800 175 1,700 225 700 125
Biological scientists 25,900 700 21,750 625 20,150 575 1,600 200 600 100 2,750 225 850 125
Forestry/conservation scientists 2,500 200 1,900 200 1,700 175 200 75 S S 450 100 S S
Medical scientists 40,250 925 34,500 875 32,550 825 2,000 200 1,050 175 3,450 300 1,250 175
Postsecondary teachers, agricultural/other natural sciences 7,850 375 6,300 350 5,900 325 350 100 50 25 1,400 200 100 50
Postsecondary teachers, biological sciences 38,650 1,025 32,850 1,025 30,050 975 2,800 275 350 100 4,900 325 550 125
Other biological/agricultural/life scientists 24,450 775 20,800 700 19,300 650 1,500 225 650 125 2,300 300 700 150
Computer/information scientists 62,900 1,200 54,750 1,125 51,300 1,025 3,450 300 1,050 150 5,950 375 1,150 150
Computer/information scientists 53,300 1,100 46,600 1,050 43,900 1,000 2,650 250 1,000 150 4,750 350 950 125
Postsecondary teachers, computer science 9,650 475 8,200 475 7,400 450 800 150 50 25 1,250 175 150 75
Mathematical scientists 44,750 900 38,350 900 34,950 825 3,350 300 650 150 4,600 325 1,150 175
Mathematical scientists 22,100 700 19,250 650 18,150 625 1,050 150 450 125 1,800 250 650 150
Postsecondary teachers, mathematics/statistics 22,650 550 19,100 550 16,800 525 2,300 250 250 100 2,800 225 500 100
Physical scientists 101,000 1,150 83,300 1,075 75,650 1,050 7,650 400 1,850 200 13,700 500 2,150 250
Chemists, except biochemists 25,500 725 20,300 650 18,700 625 1,600 200 600 125 4,100 300 500 100
Earth/atmospheric/ocean scientists 11,850 350 9,350 325 8,400 300 1,000 125 450 100 1,750 175 300 75
Physicists/astronomers 15,250 525 12,200 450 11,200 450 1,000 175 400 100 2,400 250 300 100
Postsecondary teachers, chemistry 17,950 625 15,550 575 13,550 525 2,050 225 D D 2,050 225 300 100
Postsecondary teachers, physics 12,350 500 10,700 475 9,800 475 850 150 150 50 1,250 175 250 100
Postsecondary teachers, other physical sciences 9,300 325 7,850 300 7,300 300 600 100 100 50 1,150 150 150 50
Other physical scientists 8,750 450 7,300 400 6,750 400 550 100 150 75 950 150 350 125
Psychologists 87,400 925 74,150 875 52,900 850 21,300 650 600 150 10,200 525 2,450 300
Psychologists. 64,050 900 54,350 825 35,550 775 18,800 625 350 100 7,400 475 1,950 250
Postsecondary teachers, psychology 23,350 675 19,800 575 17,300 550 2,500 250 250 100 2,800 250 450 125
Social scientists 78,600 1,025 65,600 950 56,950 950 8,700 400 1,150 175 10,350 475 1,500 200
Economists 10,650 450 8,700 425 7,800 375 850 150 100 50 1,700 200 150 75
Political scientists 2,200 275 1,550 225 1,300 200 250 100 D D 400 125 S S
Postsecondary teachers, economics 11,650 400 10,050 400 8,850 350 1,200 175 D D 1,450 175 50 50
Postsecondary teachers, political science 11,950 475 10,250 450 9,150 475 1,100 200 200 100 1,450 250 50 50
Postsecondary teachers, sociology 9,650 425 8,050 375 7,000 350 1,050 175 150 50 1,250 200 200 100
Postsecondary teachers, other social sciences 18,700 575 16,050 475 13,900 450 2,100 200 300 100 1,850 225 500 125
Sociologists/anthropologists 4,400 275 3,150 225 2,550 225 600 100 S S 1,100 150 100 50
Other social scientists 9,450 375 7,800 300 6,350 275 1,450 150 200 75 1,150 175 300 100
Engineering occupations 122,700 1,400 107,900 1,250 102,750 1,175 5,150 375 2,500 275 10,550 500 1,700 200
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical Engineering 8,150 475 6,650 400 6,400 425 250 100 150 75 1,250 200 50 50
Chemical engineers 8,700 450 7,450 400 7,100 400 350 100 200 75 900 150 150 75
Civil/architectural/sanitary engineers 6,150 375 5,350 325 4,900 300 450 100 S S 600 125 S S
Electrical engineers 24,850 750 22,050 675 21,250 625 800 175 700 150 1,700 250 400 100
Industrial engineersc 1,300 200 1,200 175 1,150 175 S S D D S S D D
Mechanical engineers 12,700 500 10,900 475 10,500 450 350 125 250 100 1,300 200 250 75
Postsecondary teachers, engineering 26,600 925 24,450 875 23,200 825 1,200 200 300 100 1,600 200 300 100
Other engineers 34,200 925 29,900 850 28,200 825 1,700 175 800 125 3,100 275 450 100
S&E-related occupations 116,750 1,500 97,650 1,375 88,850 1,350 8,800 475 2,250 250 14,450 600 2,350 275
Health occupations, except postsecondary teachers and managers 39,550 900 33,850 850 28,800 775 5,050 325 500 100 4,400 350 850 175
Postsecondary teachers, health and related sciences 24,900 800 21,400 725 19,650 700 1,750 225 300 100 2,900 250 300 100
S&E managers, including health 35,250 825 30,350 750 29,450 775 950 200 700 150 4,000 325 200 75
S&E precollege teachers 7,150 400 5,250 350 4,650 350 600 125 250 100 1,300 200 350 125
S&E technicians and technologists 8,700 450 5,750 400 5,300 375 450 100 600 125 1,750 200 600 150
Other S&E-related occupations 1,250 175 1,100 150 1,000 150 S S D D 150 75 D D
Non-S&E occupations 181,150 1,975 148,800 1,775 123,950 1,550 24,850 800 3,200 275 24,650 750 4,550 325
Arts/humanities-related occupations 10,000 450 7,750 425 4,900 350 2,850 225 250 75 1,450 200 550 100
Management-related occupations 30,850 875 26,100 850 21,900 775 4,250 300 500 125 3,500 300 750 150
Non-S&E managers 71,050 1,125 61,150 975 56,350 950 4,800 350 800 150 8,450 475 650 125
Non-S&E postsecondary teachers 22,400 625 18,350 575 15,700 550 2,650 250 200 50 3,350 275 550 125
Non-S&E precollege/other teachers 7,300 350 5,050 300 2,950 250 2,100 225 250 75 1,450 175 500 125
Sales/marketing occupations 12,400 625 9,750 575 7,800 525 1,950 225 300 75 1,900 225 450 150
Social service–related occupations 8,400 475 6,400 425 4,000 325 2,400 250 150 75 1,650 225 200 75
Other non-S&E occupations 18,650 775 14,150 650 10,300 525 3,850 325 750 175 2,900 275 900 175
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.
S&E = science and engineering; 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.
c From 1999 to 2008, data for Industrial engineers were mislabeled as “Materials/metallurgical engineers.” For all years, data in this category have included only industrial engineers. For all years, data on Materials/metallurgical engineers have been included only in Other engineers.
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. If respondent was not employed during survey reference period, occupation when last employed was reported. Excludes 350 individuals who reported never having worked so could not be classified by occupation. 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.