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Table 45-2. U.S. residing employed doctoral scientists and engineers, by occupation and primary 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 1,400 338,500 2,150 159,200 1,850 90,250 1,225 23,500 725 65,550 1,225 39,700 1,050 153,550 1,625 97,450 1,500 153,450 1,725 32,450 900
Science occupations 460,750 2,150 214,900 1,700 104,650 1,275 75,300 1,200 6,650 425 28,300 775 29,850 875 45,200 1,075 49,900 1,000 106,850 1,400 14,000 525
Biological/agricultural/other life scientists 144,550 1,425 94,100 1,100 42,650 825 39,050 800 1,250 200 11,150 475 1,150 150 17,750 625 3,650 275 22,800 800 5,150 300
Agricultural/food scientists 9,950 425 7,250 375 4,900 300 800 125 150 75 1,400 200 50 50 1,850 200 250 50 100 50 450 100
Biochemists/biophysicists 16,550 600 13,650 550 5,050 350 6,500 375 100 50 2,050 225 150 75 2,000 225 100 50 S S 600 125
Biological scientists 21,750 625 17,200 550 7,200 350 8,850 450 200 75 1,000 150 200 50 2,550 225 500 125 300 100 950 150
Forestry/conservation scientists 1,900 200 1,100 125 850 100 100 75 S S 100 50 S S 450 100 150 75 S S 150 75
Medical scientists 34,500 875 26,700 725 15,000 550 7,650 450 250 100 3,800 300 250 75 4,350 325 1,750 200 500 100 1,000 125
Postsecondary teachers, agricultural/other natural sciences 6,300 350 2,450 225 1,550 150 900 125 D D D D D D 550 100 200 75 3,000 225 100 50
Postsecondary teachers, biological sciences 32,850 1,025 11,250 500 2,050 225 9,050 475 D D 100 50 D D 2,550 250 100 50 18,600 725 300 75
Other biological/agricultural/life scientists 20,800 700 14,450 575 6,050 400 5,150 325 450 125 2,750 275 400 125 3,550 275 650 125 200 75 1,550 200
Computer/information scientists 54,750 1,125 18,850 650 8,500 475 2,650 250 2,200 250 5,450 350 23,450 800 5,900 400 550 125 4,850 350 1,200 175
Computer/information scientists 46,600 1,050 16,100 575 7,350 425 1,150 175 2,200 250 5,400 350 23,250 800 5,300 400 500 125 250 100 1,150 175
Postsecondary teachers, computer science 8,200 475 2,700 275 1,150 175 1,550 200 D D D D 200 100 600 125 S S 4,550 350 S S
Mathematical scientists 38,350 900 17,200 600 9,250 450 4,850 325 1,400 175 1,750 225 3,800 375 2,900 250 700 150 12,800 525 900 175
Mathematical scientists 19,250 650 12,000 475 7,950 425 1,000 150 1,400 175 1,700 225 3,650 350 2,100 225 700 150 150 75 600 125
Postsecondary teachers, mathematics/statistics 19,100 550 5,200 325 1,300 175 3,850 300 D D D D 100 75 800 150 D D 12,650 500 300 100
Physical scientists 83,300 1,075 47,800 900 22,300 625 16,000 525 1,450 175 8,050 450 1,250 150 7,850 350 1,050 150 22,300 650 3,100 250
Chemists, except biochemists 20,300 650 15,900 600 8,500 400 2,350 225 200 75 4,800 350 D D 2,600 250 250 100 100 50 1,350 200
Earth/atmospheric/ocean scientists 9,350 325 7,100 275 4,050 250 2,400 175 250 75 400 75 400 75 1,100 125 300 75 100 50 400 75
Physicists/astronomers 12,200 450 9,750 425 4,750 325 3,150 225 650 125 1,200 175 500 100 1,100 175 350 100 S S 400 100
Postsecondary teachers, chemistry 15,550 575 3,400 275 700 100 2,700 250 D D D D D D 800 125 D D 11,150 500 150 75
Postsecondary teachers, physics 10,700 475 3,650 300 700 125 2,850 275 D D D D D D 700 150 50 25 6,150 350 100 50
Postsecondary teachers, other physical sciences 7,850 300 2,600 200 800 125 1,800 150 D D D D D D 400 75 D D 4,700 225 150 75
Other physical scientists 7,300 400 5,350 350 2,850 275 700 125 250 75 1,550 225 150 75 1,100 175 50 25 S S 600 125
Psychologists 74,150 875 10,950 450 6,400 375 3,750 325 150 75 650 125 D D 5,300 375 42,050 900 14,300 525 1,600 225
Psychologists. 54,350 825 6,050 375 4,100 300 1,250 200 S S 600 100 D D 4,150 325 41,550 875 1,400 200 1,200 175
Postsecondary teachers, psychology 19,800 575 4,900 300 2,300 250 2,500 250 D D D D D D 1,150 175 500 125 12,900 500 400 125
Social scientists 65,600 950 26,000 775 15,550 575 9,000 475 200 75 1,300 200 200 75 5,550 375 1,950 225 29,850 700 2,050 200
Economists 8,700 425 6,050 375 4,850 350 650 125 150 75 450 100 100 75 1,350 200 900 150 D D 250 100
Political scientists 1,550 225 900 175 700 150 S S D D D D D D 300 125 100 50 D D 150 75
Postsecondary teachers, economics 10,050 400 3,950 275 1,950 225 2,000 225 D D D D D D 450 100 D D 5,500 350 100 50
Postsecondary teachers, political science 10,250 450 2,700 275 750 150 1,950 250 D D D D D D 500 150 D D 6,850 400 200 75
Postsecondary teachers, sociology 8,050 375 1,750 175 300 75 1,400 175 D D D D D D 300 75 D D 5,850 350 150 50
Postsecondary teachers, other social sciences 16,050 475 3,350 250 1,450 175 1,750 175 D D 150 75 D D 900 150 S S 11,250 425 450 100
Sociologists/anthropologists 3,150 225 2,250 200 1,700 175 400 100 D D S S D D 450 100 200 75 S S 150 50
Other social scientists 7,800 300 5,000 250 3,800 225 750 125 50 25 450 100 D D 1,300 150 600 125 200 75 650 125
Engineering occupations 107,900 1,250 70,450 1,050 26,300 800 6,400 400 13,100 525 24,650 775 4,300 325 13,850 550 2,550 250 11,500 525 5,200 350
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical Engineering 6,650 400 4,750 375 1,550 225 200 75 1,100 175 1,900 250 400 100 1,250 175 D D D D 150 75
Chemical engineers 7,450 400 5,600 350 1,650 225 150 75 1,100 175 2,700 325 300 125 750 150 150 75 D D 550 125
Civil/architectural/sanitary engineers 5,350 325 3,300 275 950 150 150 75 1,700 200 500 125 150 75 800 150 750 150 D D 300 100
Electrical engineers 22,050 675 17,300 625 4,900 325 300 100 3,400 300 8,700 525 1,550 200 2,050 200 200 75 S S 750 150
Industrial engineersc 1,200 175 700 150 250 75 D D 150 75 250 100 50 50 400 125 D D D D 50 50
Mechanical engineers 10,900 475 8,600 450 2,900 275 300 100 2,500 275 2,900 275 450 125 1,150 175 250 100 D D 400 125
Postsecondary teachers, engineering 24,450 875 10,750 575 6,000 425 4,200 350 150 75 400 150 150 75 2,250 225 D D 10,900 500 350 100
Other engineers 29,900 850 19,500 700 8,100 425 1,050 175 3,000 275 7,300 450 1,250 175 5,150 325 1,150 150 250 100 2,600 250
S&E-related occupations 97,650 1,375 24,350 775 14,100 500 4,800 375 1,100 175 4,350 325 3,150 325 25,850 775 25,000 775 16,500 575 2,800 250
Health occupations, except postsecondary teachers and managers 33,850 850 6,550 400 3,950 300 1,300 200 200 75 1,050 150 350 100 4,000 300 20,750 725 1,000 200 1,250 175
Postsecondary teachers, health and related sciences 21,400 725 6,300 400 4,200 300 2,000 250 D D 100 75 D D 2,300 200 1,950 250 10,550 500 250 75
S&E managers, including health 30,350 750 8,600 450 4,700 325 1,050 150 600 150 2,200 250 550 150 18,350 650 2,000 225 S S 800 150
S&E precollege teachers 5,250 350 D D D D D D D D D D D D 200 75 D D 4,850 350 S S
S&E technicians and technologists 5,750 400 2,500 300 1,000 175 400 100 200 75 900 175 2,000 225 700 125 100 50 D D 400 125
Other S&E-related occupations 1,100 150 350 75 150 50 D D 100 50 100 50 250 75 300 100 200 75 D D 50 25
Non-S&E occupations 148,800 1,775 28,750 825 14,150 575 3,800 275 2,600 325 8,250 500 2,400 250 68,600 1,125 19,950 775 18,600 675 10,400 475
Arts/humanities-related occupations 7,750 425 2,300 225 800 125 450 125 S S 1,000 150 50 50 1,800 200 1,950 200 300 100 1,350 175
Management-related occupations 26,100 850 4,950 350 2,100 225 200 75 900 150 1,750 250 550 150 14,000 525 3,700 375 450 125 2,400 250
Non-S&E managers 61,150 975 13,350 525 6,850 400 1,100 175 1,400 225 4,050 350 1,500 200 38,950 850 3,900 350 950 175 2,550 200
Non-S&E postsecondary teachers 18,350 575 3,850 300 2,150 250 1,550 175 D D 150 75 D D 1,600 175 350 100 12,150 475 400 75
Non-S&E precollege/other teachers 5,050 300 650 125 300 100 150 50 D D 150 50 D D 700 125 200 75 3,200 275 250 75
Sales/marketing occupations 9,750 575 1,250 175 650 125 S S 100 50 400 125 200 100 6,850 425 600 175 250 100 600 125
Social service–related occupations 6,400 425 500 125 300 100 50 50 D D S S D D 1,450 200 3,050 275 950 175 400 100
Other non-S&E occupations 14,150 650 1,900 225 1,050 175 200 50 150 75 550 125 S S 3,250 275 6,150 425 350 100 2,450 250
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.