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Table 45-1. U.S. residing employed doctoral scientists and engineers, by occupation and primary or secondary work activity: 2017

Occupation All employed Research and development Computer applications Management, sales, or administrationa Professional services Teaching Otherb
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 occupations 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 occupations 460,750 2,150 318,450 2,150 178,600 1,575 140,100 1,750 23,700 800 61,150 1,250 56,850 1,150 135,700 1,725 60,000 1,025 154,800 1,850 33,650 800
Biological/agricultural/other life scientists 144,550 1,425 117,700 1,275 68,900 1,025 62,050 1,050 5,400 350 21,150 725 6,050 325 52,150 950 6,600 375 34,650 1,025 11,200 425
Agricultural/food scientists 9,950 425 8,550 400 6,700 325 2,250 225 500 125 2,750 225 300 75 3,950 250 350 75 450 75 800 125
Biochemists/biophysicists 16,550 600 15,350 600 8,950 475 8,600 450 850 150 4,150 350 700 150 5,400 375 300 100 350 100 1,200 150
Biological scientists 21,750 625 19,200 600 11,450 450 11,550 500 1,000 175 2,150 225 1,500 150 8,450 400 900 150 650 125 1,900 200
Forestry/conservation scientists 1,900 200 1,500 150 1,300 150 300 75 150 50 200 50 50 25 900 125 200 75 50 25 300 75
Medical scientists 34,500 875 30,800 800 22,200 650 13,250 575 1,400 200 6,700 450 1,650 225 13,000 550 3,050 275 1,350 175 1,950 200
Postsecondary teachers, agricultural/other natural sciences 6,300 350 4,150 275 2,900 225 1,550 175 D D 150 50 * * 1,750 175 350 100 4,950 300 400 100
Postsecondary teachers, biological sciences 32,850 1,025 20,800 750 5,100 350 16,950 700 100 50 350 100 200 75 10,050 475 400 125 26,250 875 2,400 200
Other biological/agricultural/life scientists 20,800 700 17,400 650 10,300 450 7,600 400 1,350 175 4,750 375 1,650 200 8,650 450 1,000 175 600 125 2,250 225
Computer/information scientists 54,750 1,125 36,650 875 17,550 600 5,250 350 7,750 425 13,200 575 32,650 850 13,850 575 950 150 7,500 450 2,550 250
Computer/information scientists 46,600 1,050 31,400 775 14,600 550 2,650 250 7,700 425 13,050 575 31,500 850 12,300 550 900 150 650 125 2,200 225
Postsecondary teachers, computer science 8,200 475 5,250 400 2,950 300 2,600 275 50 50 150 50 1,150 150 1,500 200 50 50 6,850 425 350 100
Mathematical scientists 38,350 900 28,400 775 15,200 550 11,450 425 3,200 300 3,850 350 9,550 525 6,700 375 1,250 200 17,900 575 2,500 250
Mathematical scientists 19,250 650 16,300 600 11,600 450 2,450 200 3,100 300 3,650 325 8,900 500 4,300 275 1,050 175 400 100 750 150
Postsecondary teachers, mathematics/statistics 19,100 550 12,150 475 3,600 275 9,000 400 50 50 200 75 650 150 2,450 225 150 75 17,500 550 1,700 200
Physical scientists 83,300 1,075 63,550 975 35,950 775 29,000 725 5,550 325 16,150 600 6,350 375 22,400 600 1,750 200 30,450 775 7,300 400
Chemists, except biochemists 20,300 650 18,000 600 12,800 475 4,400 275 1,300 175 9,000 475 700 150 6,600 400 550 125 300 75 2,350 250
Earth/atmospheric/ocean scientists 9,350 325 8,250 300 5,800 275 3,750 200 850 125 1,200 125 2,000 150 2,650 200 400 100 350 75 650 100
Physicists/astronomers 12,200 450 11,150 450 7,100 375 4,850 275 1,950 225 2,700 250 2,350 250 2,650 225 450 125 250 100 700 125
Postsecondary teachers, chemistry 15,550 575 7,700 400 2,150 200 5,900 350 S S 250 75 200 75 4,150 300 100 50 13,700 575 1,350 175
Postsecondary teachers, physics 10,700 475 6,750 400 1,550 175 5,350 350 150 75 250 100 300 100 2,200 250 100 50 8,950 450 750 125
Postsecondary teachers, other physical sciences 7,850 300 5,350 275 2,100 200 3,450 225 50 25 * * 100 50 1,800 175 50 25 6,850 275 500 100
Other physical scientists 7,300 400 6,300 375 4,450 325 1,350 175 1,150 175 2,750 250 700 150 2,250 225 150 50 100 50 950 175
Psychologists 74,150 875 25,150 800 14,900 675 9,100 450 750 150 3,200 325 600 125 24,550 775 45,850 875 23,250 700 4,500 325
Psychologists. 54,350 825 13,600 625 9,250 475 3,050 300 700 150 2,650 300 550 125 20,050 700 44,700 875 6,100 425 2,600 275
Postsecondary teachers, psychology 19,800 575 11,550 475 5,650 400 6,000 300 S S 550 125 S S 4,500 350 1,150 175 17,150 575 1,850 200
Social scientists 65,600 950 47,050 850 26,150 650 23,250 750 1,050 150 3,550 300 1,700 200 16,050 500 3,600 325 41,100 800 5,650 300
Economists 8,700 425 7,350 375 6,550 375 1,700 200 400 100 1,050 175 950 150 3,200 275 1,550 200 150 75 500 125
Political scientists 1,550 225 1,200 200 950 175 500 150 D D 150 75 D D 700 150 200 100 150 75 200 75
Postsecondary teachers, economics 10,050 400 7,650 325 4,300 275 3,900 300 D D 150 50 150 75 1,450 150 D D 8,300 400 500 100
Postsecondary teachers, political science 10,250 450 7,050 400 1,700 225 5,300 375 D D 250 100 D D 1,450 200 D D 9,600 450 800 150
Postsecondary teachers, sociology 8,050 375 5,000 300 1,300 150 3,600 250 D D 200 75 D D 1,300 175 150 75 7,450 375 800 125
Postsecondary teachers, other social sciences 16,050 475 9,950 400 4,150 250 5,700 325 D D 350 100 150 75 2,950 225 400 100 14,650 450 1,600 150
Sociologists/anthropologists 3,150 225 2,650 200 2,050 175 950 125 100 50 450 125 100 50 1,250 150 350 100 200 75 250 75
Other social scientists 7,800 300 6,200 275 5,100 275 1,550 175 350 75 1,000 125 300 75 3,700 225 900 150 550 125 1,000 150
Engineering occupations 107,900 1,250 89,750 1,250 47,600 1,050 13,200 575 24,450 700 41,200 1,000 12,500 500 30,750 850 3,650 300 20,100 775 9,650 525
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical Engineering 6,650 400 5,700 375 2,750 300 500 100 1,800 225 3,350 300 1,200 175 2,250 225 50 50 S S 350 100
Chemical engineers 7,450 400 6,750 400 3,050 250 450 100 2,150 200 4,450 375 500 150 2,150 225 200 75 100 75 1,000 175
Civil/architectural/sanitary engineers 5,350 325 4,000 275 1,600 175 400 100 2,200 225 900 150 650 125 1,900 225 950 175 * * 450 100
Electrical engineers 22,050 675 20,150 625 9,200 475 1,050 175 7,050 450 13,200 625 4,700 325 4,550 325 300 100 250 100 1,450 225
Industrial engineersc 1,200 175 900 150 350 100 100 75 300 100 450 100 100 50 650 150 D D D D 200 75
Mechanical engineers 10,900 475 9,950 500 4,750 375 950 175 4,150 325 5,250 375 1,350 200 2,650 250 350 125 S S 850 150
Postsecondary teachers, engineering 24,450 875 17,900 725 12,050 575 7,200 425 450 125 750 150 350 100 5,850 400 200 75 18,950 775 1,100 175
Other engineers 29,900 850 24,400 800 13,750 550 2,550 250 6,400 450 12,800 550 3,600 300 10,700 550 1,600 200 500 125 4,250 375
S&E-related occupations 97,650 1,375 46,800 975 27,950 725 9,250 500 3,400 300 10,750 525 5,150 375 51,750 950 30,000 850 28,200 750 6,400 375
Health occupations, except postsecondary teachers and managers 33,850 850 12,200 500 8,250 400 2,800 325 750 150 2,250 225 750 150 12,300 550 23,000 750 5,750 350 2,050 225
Postsecondary teachers, health and related sciences 21,400 725 12,400 525 8,900 425 3,700 300 150 75 600 125 100 50 5,750 350 3,350 300 17,050 650 1,200 175
S&E managers, including health 30,350 750 17,000 600 8,250 400 1,800 200 1,500 200 5,600 350 1,400 200 30,100 750 3,050 300 300 100 1,850 200
S&E precollege teachers 5,250 350 650 125 200 50 200 75 S S 200 75 100 50 1,500 175 100 75 5,000 350 650 125
S&E technicians and technologists 5,750 400 4,000 350 2,150 225 700 150 650 150 1,900 275 2,500 250 1,550 175 150 75 100 75 600 125
Other S&E-related occupations 1,100 150 550 100 250 75 S S 300 75 200 75 250 100 550 125 300 100 D D 50 25
Non-S&E occupations 148,800 1,775 57,500 1,025 29,300 750 10,600 425 6,650 500 18,450 725 5,700 375 102,300 1,475 29,000 850 27,300 800 16,700 525
Arts/humanities-related occupations 7,750 425 3,250 275 1,450 175 850 175 150 50 1,550 200 100 50 3,450 275 2,750 250 650 150 1,400 200
Management-related occupations 26,100 850 9,550 475 4,300 300 700 125 2,150 250 3,750 325 1,550 225 20,400 700 5,650 400 1,250 175 3,450 275
Non-S&E managers 61,150 975 25,950 725 13,300 550 3,050 275 3,300 300 9,300 550 2,800 300 53,600 950 7,300 425 2,400 250 5,300 325
Non-S&E postsecondary teachers 18,350 575 10,350 425 5,750 350 4,400 250 50 25 700 125 200 75 4,150 300 800 150 16,150 525 1,550 175
Non-S&E precollege/other teachers 5,050 300 1,300 150 650 125 400 100 S S 500 100 150 50 1,800 225 550 100 3,650 275 550 100
Sales/marketing occupations 9,750 575 2,650 275 1,200 175 300 100 350 100 1,050 175 500 125 8,300 500 1,250 225 550 125 1,000 150
Social service–related occupations 6,400 425 1,200 175 700 150 250 75 S S 400 100 S S 3,000 275 3,800 300 2,150 275 600 125
Other non-S&E occupations 14,150 650 3,300 300 1,950 200 650 150 500 125 1,100 175 300 100 7,550 475 6,850 450 600 125 2,850 275
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 Administration includes accounting, finance, contracts, and human resources.
b Includes production, operations, maintenance, and other activities not broken out separately.
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 exceed total due to multiple responses. Primary and secondary work activities were self-defined by the 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.