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Table 40. U.S. residing employed doctoral scientists and engineers, by occupation and age: 2017

Occupation 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 occupations 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 occupations 460,750 2,150 59,300 950 72,600 1,150 64,150 1,000 58,850 1,100 53,350 900 49,050 1,000 46,500 950 56,950 1,050
Biological/agricultural/other life scientists 144,550 1,425 22,200 525 25,800 650 22,350 625 18,350 625 15,300 550 14,900 550 13,550 475 12,050 525
Agricultural/food scientists 9,950 425 1,000 100 1,400 200 1,550 175 1,100 150 1,300 200 1,450 175 1,400 175 750 150
Biochemists/biophysicists 16,550 600 4,600 275 3,000 250 2,200 225 2,100 225 1,500 250 1,250 200 1,000 175 950 200
Biological scientists 21,750 625 3,750 250 4,350 275 3,500 275 2,600 200 1,750 200 1,850 225 2,200 250 1,700 225
Forestry/conservation scientists 1,900 200 150 50 250 50 250 50 250 75 350 100 200 50 250 75 200 75
Medical scientists 34,500 875 6,050 400 6,550 325 5,450 375 4,100 325 3,800 300 3,100 275 2,850 250 2,550 250
Postsecondary teachers, agricultural/other natural sciences 6,300 350 350 75 750 125 750 125 850 125 850 125 900 150 1,050 125 800 150
Postsecondary teachers, biological sciences 32,850 1,025 2,200 200 5,200 325 5,200 350 4,650 325 4,000 325 4,100 325 3,650 300 3,850 275
Other biological/agricultural/life scientists 20,800 700 4,100 275 4,300 300 3,450 300 2,700 250 1,750 200 2,050 250 1,200 150 1,250 175
Computer/information scientists 54,750 1,125 8,500 450 9,950 450 7,650 400 7,650 450 7,300 475 5,750 375 4,150 300 3,800 325
Computer/information scientists 46,600 1,050 7,900 425 8,650 450 6,500 375 6,450 425 6,400 450 4,800 350 3,150 300 2,700 250
Postsecondary teachers, computer science 8,200 475 600 125 1,300 175 1,150 175 1,200 175 900 150 950 150 950 150 1,100 175
Mathematical scientists 38,350 900 6,650 400 6,150 400 5,950 400 4,500 300 4,850 350 3,300 225 3,300 250 3,600 275
Mathematical scientists 19,250 650 4,250 350 3,400 300 3,100 300 2,250 250 2,200 225 1,150 175 1,550 200 1,300 175
Postsecondary teachers, mathematics/statistics 19,100 550 2,400 200 2,750 275 2,850 275 2,250 225 2,650 275 2,150 225 1,750 200 2,300 225
Physical scientists 83,300 1,075 10,650 375 12,700 450 10,800 450 9,750 425 10,500 450 9,550 450 9,100 400 10,200 450
Chemists, except biochemists 20,300 650 3,450 275 3,300 300 2,600 250 2,300 225 2,550 250 1,900 250 2,200 225 1,950 250
Earth/atmospheric/ocean scientists 9,350 325 1,350 125 1,300 125 1,400 175 950 125 950 125 1,050 125 950 100 1,350 150
Physicists/astronomers 12,200 450 1,850 150 1,750 175 1,850 200 1,000 150 1,350 175 1,300 200 1,100 175 1,950 225
Postsecondary teachers, chemistry 15,550 575 1,500 150 2,950 275 2,050 225 2,200 200 2,000 225 1,750 175 1,600 200 1,500 200
Postsecondary teachers, physics 10,700 475 950 175 1,400 175 1,350 200 1,250 175 1,500 175 1,400 200 1,350 200 1,450 175
Postsecondary teachers, other physical sciences 7,850 300 450 75 1,050 125 1,050 125 1,100 150 1,000 150 1,250 150 1,050 150 900 100
Other physical scientists 7,300 400 1,150 150 950 175 550 100 900 175 1,150 200 800 150 800 150 1,000 150
Psychologists 74,150 875 5,850 300 7,950 450 8,100 375 8,750 475 8,450 425 8,700 475 9,250 475 17,150 600
Psychologists. 54,350 825 3,950 275 4,950 350 5,200 300 5,950 425 6,100 375 6,600 425 7,300 450 14,300 550
Postsecondary teachers, psychology 19,800 575 1,900 200 3,000 275 2,900 225 2,800 275 2,350 225 2,100 225 1,950 225 2,800 275
Social scientists 65,600 950 5,450 325 10,000 400 9,300 375 9,900 450 6,900 350 6,800 350 7,200 400 10,150 450
Economists 8,700 425 1,000 150 1,550 175 1,050 150 1,100 175 1,000 175 950 150 900 175 1,150 200
Political scientists 1,550 225 S S 200 75 150 50 450 150 S S 250 100 150 75 200 100
Postsecondary teachers, economics 10,050 400 750 150 1,450 175 1,600 200 1,150 150 950 150 950 150 1,300 150 1,850 175
Postsecondary teachers, political science 10,250 450 1,050 175 1,250 225 1,450 175 1,550 225 1,350 200 1,150 200 1,000 175 1,450 225
Postsecondary teachers, sociology 8,050 375 500 125 1,300 175 1,100 150 1,300 150 800 150 800 150 800 125 1,500 200
Postsecondary teachers, other social sciences 16,050 475 1,050 125 2,250 175 2,500 200 2,950 200 1,450 175 1,700 175 1,900 225 2,250 225
Sociologists/anthropologists 3,150 225 250 75 650 125 350 75 450 100 250 75 250 75 500 125 550 125
Other social scientists 7,800 300 850 125 1,300 150 1,150 150 950 150 900 150 750 125 600 125 1,250 175
Engineering occupations 107,900 1,250 16,100 575 17,750 650 14,700 525 13,750 525 13,800 600 13,650 500 9,450 500 8,700 475
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical Engineering 6,650 400 600 100 850 150 450 100 1,100 175 1,150 200 900 150 850 175 800 150
Chemical engineers 7,450 400 1,400 175 1,850 250 1,050 175 650 150 650 150 950 150 650 150 300 100
Civil/architectural/sanitary engineers 5,350 325 700 100 850 150 1,050 175 700 150 600 125 500 100 300 75 700 150
Electrical engineers 22,050 675 3,850 325 3,350 300 3,700 325 3,300 300 2,800 250 2,450 225 1,600 250 900 175
Industrial engineersa 1,200 175 150 75 100 50 250 100 100 50 250 100 100 50 150 75 50 50
Mechanical engineers 10,900 475 1,850 225 1,850 250 1,350 200 1,250 175 1,450 200 1,750 225 700 150 700 150
Postsecondary teachers, engineering 24,450 875 2,400 225 3,750 250 3,300 300 2,850 250 3,100 300 3,700 275 2,750 275 2,650 275
Other engineers 29,900 850 5,150 350 5,150 375 3,550 300 3,850 325 3,800 350 3,300 275 2,500 225 2,600 300
S&E-related occupations 97,650 1,375 7,500 425 11,250 500 12,450 525 14,500 575 14,200 525 13,000 600 13,000 525 11,800 550
Health occupations, except postsecondary teachers and managers 33,850 850 3,050 275 4,400 375 4,050 350 4,050 325 4,400 325 4,500 375 4,300 325 5,000 350
Postsecondary teachers, health and related sciences 21,400 725 1,100 150 2,150 200 2,650 225 2,700 250 2,650 225 2,800 225 3,750 325 3,550 325
S&E managers, including health 30,350 750 1,650 200 3,200 275 4,250 300 5,800 375 5,250 375 4,100 300 4,000 300 2,150 225
S&E precollege teachers 5,250 350 450 100 400 100 550 125 950 150 850 150 850 150 550 125 650 125
S&E technicians and technologists 5,750 400 1,150 175 900 175 850 150 750 150 1,000 175 600 125 250 75 250 75
Other S&E-related occupations 1,100 150 50 25 200 100 100 50 250 100 S S 150 50 150 75 100 50
Non-S&E occupations 148,800 1,775 8,000 425 14,000 600 16,350 625 19,650 650 21,300 625 21,450 625 20,150 675 27,850 825
Arts/humanities-related occupations 7,750 425 750 125 1,000 125 950 150 800 150 700 125 800 150 800 125 1,950 250
Management-related occupations 26,100 850 2,250 200 3,200 300 3,350 275 3,700 350 3,600 275 3,200 300 2,850 250 4,000 325
Non-S&E managers 61,150 975 1,550 175 4,150 350 5,450 350 8,100 400 10,450 475 10,650 450 9,950 450 10,850 575
Non-S&E postsecondary teachers 18,350 575 800 150 2,100 225 2,250 225 2,250 200 2,550 200 2,300 225 2,650 225 3,400 300
Non-S&E precollege/other teachers 5,050 300 350 100 400 100 350 100 750 150 750 125 700 150 550 125 1,200 150
Sales/marketing occupations 9,750 575 900 150 1,100 175 1,400 225 1,300 200 1,250 200 1,200 175 1,000 175 1,600 250
Social service–related occupations 6,400 425 250 75 400 100 500 125 950 150 650 125 1,000 150 1,000 175 1,700 225
Other non-S&E occupations 14,150 650 1,200 175 1,700 225 2,050 250 1,750 200 1,350 175 1,550 225 1,350 200 3,200 275
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 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. 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.