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Table 41. U.S. residing employed doctoral scientists and engineers, by occupation and years since doctorate: 2017

Occupation 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 occupations 815,100 1,400 134,300 625 143,200 800 116,050 775 112,850 875 99,600 750 209,100 1,300
Science occupations 460,750 2,150 85,750 825 85,450 1,025 66,100 950 60,300 850 51,000 825 112,100 1,350
Biological/agricultural/other life scientists 144,550 1,425 30,450 525 29,150 675 22,550 700 18,600 525 13,850 525 30,000 775
Agricultural/food scientists 9,950 425 1,600 150 1,650 175 1,600 200 1,300 150 1,250 175 2,550 250
Biochemists/biophysicists 16,550 600 5,150 300 3,450 275 2,150 225 1,900 225 1,200 175 2,700 275
Biological scientists 21,750 625 5,900 300 4,950 325 2,750 225 2,750 250 1,600 200 3,800 325
Forestry/conservation scientists 1,900 200 350 75 400 75 300 75 350 100 200 75 300 100
Medical scientists 34,500 875 8,200 400 6,900 375 5,850 400 3,900 350 3,450 300 6,250 375
Postsecondary teachers, agricultural/other natural sciences 6,300 350 700 125 900 125 950 150 850 125 900 125 1,950 200
Postsecondary teachers, biological sciences 32,850 1,025 3,100 250 6,100 350 6,250 400 4,600 300 3,650 325 9,150 450
Other biological/agricultural/life scientists 20,800 700 5,500 325 4,750 350 2,750 300 2,950 300 1,600 200 3,250 250
Computer/information scientists 54,750 1,125 12,450 450 11,200 425 6,850 350 8,250 475 6,650 475 9,300 400
Computer/information scientists 46,600 1,050 11,050 475 9,750 450 5,550 350 7,400 475 5,750 450 7,150 400
Postsecondary teachers, computer science 8,200 475 1,400 175 1,500 175 1,300 175 900 150 950 175 2,150 225
Mathematical scientists 38,350 900 8,200 350 8,050 450 5,550 350 4,600 300 4,300 275 7,600 325
Mathematical scientists 19,250 650 5,100 325 4,750 350 2,700 250 2,300 225 1,850 225 2,550 225
Postsecondary teachers, mathematics/statistics 19,100 550 3,100 225 3,300 250 2,900 225 2,300 200 2,450 225 5,050 300
Physical scientists 83,300 1,075 13,400 400 14,300 450 11,300 525 10,450 450 9,700 350 24,150 600
Chemists, except biochemists 20,300 650 4,400 300 3,000 250 2,450 225 2,700 275 2,350 225 5,400 375
Earth/atmospheric/ocean scientists 9,350 325 1,900 150 1,900 150 1,250 150 1,000 100 800 100 2,500 200
Physicists/astronomers 12,200 450 2,200 200 2,000 175 1,550 225 1,150 150 1,500 200 3,750 300
Postsecondary teachers, chemistry 15,550 575 1,650 175 2,950 225 2,600 275 2,100 200 1,900 175 4,350 300
Postsecondary teachers, physics 10,700 475 900 175 2,000 200 1,400 175 1,450 175 1,200 175 3,700 250
Postsecondary teachers, other physical sciences 7,850 300 950 100 1,350 150 1,250 150 950 100 1,150 150 2,200 175
Other physical scientists 7,300 400 1,400 150 1,050 200 800 125 1,050 175 700 125 2,300 250
Psychologists 74,150 875 9,050 400 10,250 350 9,500 375 10,300 450 9,650 425 25,400 675
Psychologists. 54,350 825 6,100 350 6,850 350 6,300 375 7,500 400 7,150 375 20,450 625
Postsecondary teachers, psychology 19,800 575 3,000 250 3,400 250 3,200 250 2,800 225 2,500 250 4,950 350
Social scientists 65,600 950 12,150 400 12,550 400 10,300 375 8,100 375 6,850 325 15,650 525
Economists 8,700 425 1,800 175 1,450 175 1,250 175 950 150 1,100 175 2,100 250
Political scientists 1,550 225 100 75 300 100 200 75 300 100 300 125 300 125
Postsecondary teachers, economics 10,050 400 1,200 175 1,950 175 1,400 175 1,150 125 800 100 3,600 250
Postsecondary teachers, political science 10,250 450 2,050 200 1,800 200 1,700 200 1,250 150 1,250 175 2,200 250
Postsecondary teachers, sociology 8,050 375 1,350 175 1,500 175 1,250 150 1,350 150 800 125 1,800 200
Postsecondary teachers, other social sciences 16,050 475 3,000 200 3,400 200 2,900 200 1,750 175 1,750 175 3,200 275
Sociologists/anthropologists 3,150 225 750 100 650 125 450 75 350 100 250 75 750 125
Other social scientists 7,800 300 1,900 175 1,500 150 1,100 175 950 175 650 125 1,600 200
Engineering occupations 107,900 1,250 21,550 650 21,250 600 15,050 525 14,000 475 13,600 500 22,450 650
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical Engineering 6,650 400 850 125 800 150 1,000 150 1,100 175 1,050 200 1,800 225
Chemical engineers 7,450 400 1,850 200 1,800 225 750 150 700 125 600 150 1,750 225
Civil/architectural/sanitary engineers 5,350 325 1,350 150 1,350 150 650 125 500 100 450 100 1,050 175
Electrical engineers 22,050 675 5,050 325 5,050 300 2,900 225 3,000 225 2,950 275 3,100 300
Industrial engineersa 1,200 175 200 50 250 100 250 75 350 100 D D 150 75
Mechanical engineers 10,900 475 2,350 250 1,850 225 2,050 225 1,500 200 1,350 225 1,800 250
Postsecondary teachers, engineering 24,450 875 3,250 250 4,600 325 3,650 300 2,700 250 3,400 300 6,900 450
Other engineers 29,900 850 6,650 375 5,550 350 3,900 325 4,150 275 3,750 325 5,900 400
S&E-related occupations 97,650 1,375 13,000 500 16,800 575 14,700 525 16,050 550 14,100 525 22,950 650
Health occupations, except postsecondary teachers and managers 33,850 850 4,850 350 6,200 425 5,200 350 4,550 350 4,450 375 8,600 450
Postsecondary teachers, health and related sciences 21,400 725 3,600 275 4,000 300 3,600 300 2,900 275 2,850 225 4,400 275
S&E managers, including health 30,350 750 2,350 225 4,550 350 4,450 325 6,300 375 5,100 325 7,600 425
S&E precollege teachers 5,250 350 650 125 550 125 600 125 950 150 950 175 1,500 175
S&E technicians and technologists 5,750 400 1,500 175 1,250 200 750 175 1,000 200 600 150 600 125
Other S&E-related occupations 1,100 150 50 25 250 100 100 50 300 100 150 75 250 75
Non-S&E occupations 148,800 1,775 14,000 550 19,650 675 20,200 600 22,500 675 20,900 600 51,550 925
Arts/humanities-related occupations 7,750 425 900 150 1,350 150 900 150 1,050 175 800 150 2,750 275
Management-related occupations 26,100 850 3,150 275 4,000 300 4,400 375 3,750 325 3,350 300 7,500 400
Non-S&E managers 61,150 975 3,100 225 6,200 375 6,750 375 9,300 450 10,500 475 25,300 700
Non-S&E postsecondary teachers 18,350 575 2,550 200 3,050 225 3,050 225 2,800 225 2,150 200 4,750 325
Non-S&E precollege/other teachers 5,050 300 600 125 750 150 750 125 700 150 550 125 1,700 200
Sales/marketing occupations 9,750 575 1,200 175 1,350 200 1,250 200 1,500 200 1,250 200 3,200 350
Social service–related occupations 6,400 425 900 150 850 150 1,000 125 1,250 175 700 125 1,750 225
Other non-S&E occupations 14,150 650 1,600 175 2,150 275 2,150 225 2,150 200 1,550 175 4,550 325
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.