Back to Data Tables
Excel icon Download to excel

Table 77. U.S. residing doctoral scientists and engineers on postdoctoral appointments, by selected demographic characteristics and broad field of doctorate: 2017

Characteristic All employed Science Engineering Health
Total Biological, agricultural and environmental life sciences Computer and information sciences Mathematics and statistics Physical sciences Psychology Social sciences
Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE Number SE
On postdoc in February 2015 25,000 700 20,650 650 13,650 500 150 75 600 125 4,550 275 1,000 125 700 100 3,500 275 850 150
Years since doctorate
≤ 5 years 20,350 600 16,550 550 10,600 400 150 75 550 125 3,800 250 850 100 650 100 3,000 250 750 125
6–10 years 3,750 300 3,400 275 2,550 225 D D D D 600 125 S S S S 300 100 100 50
11–15 years 500 150 400 100 250 100 D D D D S S D D D D S S D D
> 15 years 400 125 300 100 250 100 D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
Sex
Male 14,550 600 11,550 500 7,100 375 100 75 500 125 3,300 225 300 75 250 75 2,600 275 400 125
Female 10,450 400 9,100 375 6,500 325 50 25 100 50 1,250 125 750 100 500 75 900 125 450 75
Ethnicity D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
Hispanic or Latinoa 1,500 125 1,300 125 850 100 D D S S 150 50 50 50 150 50 150 50 S S
Not Hispanic or Latinob
American Indian or Alaska Native D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
Asian 9,800 425 7,700 375 5,100 300 S S 200 75 1,950 200 200 75 150 50 1,800 225 300 100
Black or African American 650 100 500 75 350 75 D D D D 100 25 50 25 * * 50 25 100 50
White 12,400 475 10,600 450 6,900 375 100 50 350 100 2,250 200 700 100 350 75 1,400 175 400 100
Other racec 650 100 600 100 400 100 D D D D 100 50 D D S S 50 25 50 25
Age
Under 35 14,700 500 11,950 475 7,650 350 100 50 350 100 3,050 225 500 75 250 75 2,300 225 500 125
35–44 9,000 450 7,700 400 5,300 325 D D 200 100 1,350 150 350 100 400 75 1,000 175 300 100
45–75 1,250 200 1,050 150 650 150 D D D D 100 75 150 50 100 50 200 100 50 25
Citizenship
U.S. citizen 14,450 525 12,400 475 8,550 400 D D 200 75 2,200 175 750 100 600 100 1,500 200 550 125
Non-U.S. citizen 10,500 475 8,250 400 5,050 300 S S 400 125 2,300 200 250 75 150 50 2,000 225 250 75
Sector of employment
Educational institutiond 18,500 625 15,200 550 9,900 425 150 75 500 125 3,400 225 700 100 550 100 2,600 250 700 125
Business or industrye 3,800 300 3,250 250 2,350 225 D D D D 550 100 200 75 100 50 400 125 100 50
Governmentf 2,700 225 2,200 225 1,350 200 D D D D 550 100 100 50 50 50 500 125 50 25
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.
SE = standard error.
a Hispanic or Latino may be of any race.
b American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, black or African American, and white are single race.
c Other race includes Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander and persons reporting more than one race who are not of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity.
d Educational institution includes 4-year educational institution includes 4-year colleges or universities, medical schools (including university-affiliated hospitals or medical centers), university-affiliated research institutes, 2-year colleges, community colleges, technical institutes, precollege institutions, and other educational institutions.
e Business or industry includes private for profit, private not for profit, self-employed or business owners in incorporated or nonincorporated business, non-U.S. governments, and employers not broken out separately.
f Government includes U.S. federal, state, and local government.
NOTES: Numbers are rounded to nearest 25. A postdoc is a temporary position awarded in academe, industry, nonprofit organizations, or government primarily for gaining additional education and training in research. Postdoc status is reported for the principal job as of the survey reference date (1 February 2017). Years since doctorate were calculated as academic years since doctorate attainment. 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.