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Table 20. Full-time graduate students in science, engineering, and health in doctorate-granting institutions, by field and primary mechanism of support: 2009–14

Field and primary mechanism of support 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014olda 2014newa
All surveyed fields 428,856 433,252 430,623 433,177 439,950 451,884 452,801
Fellowships 38,769 39,719 41,146 41,859 43,251 42,645 42,851
Research assistantships 119,393 121,525 120,267 117,510 114,549 113,536 113,790
Teaching assistantships 80,028 81,154 82,114 84,309 86,807 88,693 88,977
Traineeships 12,693 12,263 12,423 11,529 10,434 11,122 11,157
Other types of support 177,973 178,591 174,673 177,970 184,909 195,888 196,026
Self-support 149,613 150,312 146,783 148,501 155,679 165,267 165,222
Other 28,360 28,279 27,890 29,469 29,230 30,621 30,804
Science and engineering 376,569 386,384 388,995 392,563 400,213 412,683 414,209
Fellowships 36,158 37,260 39,059 39,825 41,183 40,561 40,754
Research assistantships 112,936 115,028 114,109 111,969 109,167 108,137 108,383
Teaching assistantships 76,589 77,631 78,679 80,638 83,108 84,918 85,190
Traineeships 9,930 9,790 10,447 9,811 8,951 9,557 9,592
Other types of support 140,956 146,675 146,701 150,320 157,804 169,510 170,290
Self-support 118,059 123,298 123,016 124,867 132,863 143,391 143,946
Other 22,897 23,377 23,685 25,453 24,941 26,119 26,344
Science 275,074 279,950 283,914 285,611 288,494 294,413 294,446
Fellowships 28,013 28,508 30,174 30,830 31,923 30,914 31,095
Research assistantships 73,186 73,986 73,931 72,755 70,562 69,635 69,841
Teaching assistantships 63,655 64,407 65,440 67,389 69,104 70,409 70,624
Traineeships 9,041 8,927 9,515 8,925 8,064 8,448 8,483
Other types of support 101,179 104,122 104,854 105,712 108,841 115,007 114,403
Self-support 84,219 86,860 87,483 87,465 90,855 96,152 95,330
Other 16,960 17,262 17,371 18,247 17,986 18,855 19,073
Agricultural sciences 10,246 10,505 10,889 10,815 11,034 11,463 11,509
Fellowships 719 712 795 858 913 1,026 1,033
Research assistantships 5,492 5,633 5,763 5,569 5,633 5,765 5,784
Teaching assistantships 1,353 1,415 1,464 1,539 1,511 1,605 1,624
Traineeships 31 43 59 22 42 41 41
Other types of support 2,651 2,702 2,808 2,827 2,935 3,026 3,027
Self-support 2,147 2,218 2,279 2,235 2,369 2,472 2,473
Other 504 484 529 592 566 554 554
Biological sciences 59,235 60,028 59,764 61,061 60,848 60,212 60,861
Fellowships 6,497 6,735 6,856 7,387 7,609 7,937 8,071
Research assistantships 23,735 24,149 23,633 22,928 22,300 21,044 21,102
Teaching assistantships 9,231 9,248 9,502 10,190 10,168 9,781 9,831
Traineeships 5,890 5,562 5,699 5,150 4,855 4,745 4,777
Other types of support 13,882 14,334 14,074 15,406 15,916 16,705 17,080
Self-support 10,134 10,704 10,682 11,639 12,362 12,958 13,220
Other 3,748 3,630 3,392 3,767 3,554 3,747 3,860
Communication 5,429 5,588 6,053 6,175 6,383 6,552 6,661
Fellowships 292 280 315 275 369 308 308
Research assistantships 582 485 678 713 686 717 718
Teaching assistantships 2,111 2,247 2,294 2,328 2,541 2,532 2,532
Traineeships 19 27 25 26 18 17 17
Other types of support 2,425 2,549 2,741 2,833 2,769 2,978 3,086
Self-support 2,088 2,266 2,361 2,466 2,329 2,475 2,586
Other 337 283 380 367 440 503 500
Computer sciences 29,669 30,080 30,407 31,739 35,297 42,254 43,937
Fellowships 1,882 1,501 1,651 1,702 1,818 1,784 1,785
Research assistantships 7,454 7,760 7,787 7,563 7,535 7,625 7,696
Teaching assistantships 4,563 4,446 4,354 4,385 4,844 5,652 5,652
Traineeships 167 188 186 153 127 212 215
Other types of support 15,603 16,185 16,429 17,936 20,973 26,981 28,589
Self-support 13,429 14,007 14,211 15,508 18,643 24,243 25,837
Other 2,174 2,178 2,218 2,428 2,330 2,738 2,752
Earth, atmospheric, and ocean sciences 11,211 11,868 11,973 12,199 11,943 11,966 11,990
Fellowships 1,259 1,293 1,384 1,379 1,438 1,459 1,459
Research assistantships 4,628 4,878 4,787 4,686 4,439 4,476 4,483
Teaching assistantships 2,674 2,696 2,706 2,850 2,883 2,962 2,964
Traineeships 67 77 68 90 100 90 90
Other types of support 2,583 2,924 3,028 3,194 3,083 2,979 2,994
Self-support 2,168 2,430 2,476 2,682 2,483 2,421 2,436
Other 415 494 552 512 600 558 558
Family and consumer sciences and human sciences 1,903 2,118 2,348 2,169 2,347 2,347 2,347
Fellowships 133 143 132 111 112 121 121
Research assistantships 434 407 429 509 576 552 552
Teaching assistantships 464 585 655 539 663 601 601
Traineeships 1 15 28 26 29 43 43
Other types of support 871 968 1,104 984 967 1,030 1,030
Self-support 759 808 915 786 754 709 709
Other 112 160 189 198 213 321 321
Mathematics and statistics 16,328 16,917 17,587 18,192 18,696 19,475 19,537
Fellowships 1,708 1,720 1,754 1,734 1,836 1,783 1,783
Research assistantships 1,931 1,981 2,053 2,094 1,939 1,799 1,805
Teaching assistantships 8,494 8,643 8,747 9,149 9,366 9,549 9,576
Traineeships 139 176 205 183 169 185 185
Other types of support 4,056 4,397 4,828 5,032 5,386 6,159 6,188
Self-support 3,478 3,825 4,180 4,326 4,667 5,453 5,482
Other 578 572 648 706 719 706 706
Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary studies 3,420 4,482 3,790 3,807 3,690 4,009 4,291
Fellowships 626 850 377 314 351 372 402
Research assistantships 615 830 1,024 1,006 991 1,047 1,051
Teaching assistantships 483 674 650 671 639 676 706
Traineeships 45 56 82 182 132 131 131
Other types of support 1,651 2,072 1,657 1,634 1,577 1,783 2,001
Self-support 1,380 1,757 1,427 1,265 1,236 1,473 1,475
Other 271 315 230 369 341 310 526
Neurobiology and neuroscience 2,261 2,682 3,909 4,333 4,575 4,665 4,665
Fellowships 462 655 898 1,027 1,174 1,165 1,165
Research assistantships 955 997 1,473 1,684 1,785 1,824 1,824
Teaching assistantships 198 214 330 424 425 392 392
Traineeships 426 506 767 787 703 711 711
Other types of support 220 310 441 411 488 573 573
Self-support 84 150 220 233 304 325 325
Other 136 160 221 178 184 248 248
Physical sciences 33,671 34,280 35,056 35,282 35,424 35,688 35,762
Fellowships 2,895 3,314 3,585 3,788 3,907 3,821 3,822
Research assistantships 14,354 14,217 14,185 13,959 13,236 13,292 13,316
Teaching assistantships 12,788 12,951 13,181 13,579 14,193 14,430 14,478
Traineeships 432 395 414 335 374 392 392
Other types of support 3,202 3,403 3,691 3,621 3,714 3,753 3,754
Self-support 2,357 2,601 2,682 2,555 2,629 2,715 2,715
Other 845 802 1,009 1,066 1,085 1,038 1,039
Psychologyb 34,585 33,566 33,496 32,830 32,194 30,884 28,322
Fellowships 2,027 2,062 2,093 2,125 2,221 2,134 2,141
Research assistantships 5,251 5,144 4,942 4,923 4,562 4,354 4,356
Teaching assistantships 6,348 6,236 6,162 6,226 6,171 6,524 6,555
Traineeships 1,042 1,004 885 933 790 798 798
Other types of support 19,917 19,120 19,414 18,623 18,450 17,074 14,472
Self-support 17,234 16,456 16,986 16,218 16,144 14,781 12,262
Other 2,683 2,664 2,428 2,405 2,306 2,293 2,210
Social sciences 67,116 67,836 68,642 67,009 66,063 64,898 64,564
Fellowships 9,513 9,243 10,334 10,130 10,175 9,004 9,005
Research assistantships 7,755 7,505 7,177 7,121 6,880 7,140 7,154
Teaching assistantships 14,948 15,052 15,395 15,509 15,700 15,705 15,713
Traineeships 782 878 1,097 1,038 725 1,083 1,083
Other types of support 34,118 35,158 34,639 33,211 32,583 31,966 31,609
Self-support 28,961 29,638 29,064 27,552 26,935 26,127 25,810
Other 5,157 5,520 5,575 5,659 5,648 5,839 5,799
Engineering 101,495 106,434 105,081 106,952 111,719 118,270 119,763
Fellowships 8,145 8,752 8,885 8,995 9,260 9,647 9,659
Research assistantships 39,750 41,042 40,178 39,214 38,605 38,502 38,542
Teaching assistantships 12,934 13,224 13,239 13,249 14,004 14,509 14,566
Traineeships 889 863 932 886 887 1,109 1,109
Other types of support 39,777 42,553 41,847 44,608 48,963 54,503 55,887
Self-support 33,840 36,438 35,533 37,402 42,008 47,239 48,616
Other 5,937 6,115 6,314 7,206 6,955 7,264 7,271
Aerospace engineering 3,845 4,187 4,200 3,767 3,857 3,856 3,856
Fellowships 319 363 428 348 374 357 357
Research assistantships 1,706 1,735 1,708 1,621 1,573 1,535 1,535
Teaching assistantships 488 472 488 483 440 500 500
Traineeships 36 31 42 45 52 70 70
Other types of support 1,296 1,586 1,534 1,270 1,418 1,394 1,394
Self-support 1,013 1,251 1,286 1,046 1,163 1,116 1,116
Other 283 335 248 224 255 278 278
Agricultural engineering 1,084 1,198 1,372 1,250 1,256 1,389 1,412
Fellowships 73 59 100 89 88 150 153
Research assistantships 751 775 798 702 621 726 729
Teaching assistantships 32 63 100 94 86 90 107
Traineeships 2 5 24 5 2 0 0
Other types of support 226 296 350 360 459 423 423
Self-support 172 257 296 295 384 364 364
Other 54 39 54 65 75 59 59
Architecture 5,988 5,959 2,754 2,037 1,919 1,565 1,568
Fellowships 387 486 261 180 165 157 157
Research assistantships 330 372 246 210 147 128 128
Teaching assistantships 848 879 436 405 430 357 357
Traineeships 4 4 1 0 1 3 3
Other types of support 4,419 4,218 1,810 1,242 1,176 920 923
Self-support 3,626 3,480 1,409 842 766 714 717
Other 793 738 401 400 410 206 206
Biomedical engineering 6,840 7,375 7,847 7,931 8,015 8,246 8,246
Fellowships 1,014 1,102 1,218 1,360 1,304 1,331 1,331
Research assistantships 3,259 3,444 3,456 3,300 3,278 3,282 3,282
Teaching assistantships 527 554 586 620 692 770 770
Traineeships 382 427 493 389 374 413 413
Other types of support 1,658 1,848 2,094 2,262 2,367 2,450 2,450
Self-support 1,435 1,619 1,858 1,850 2,000 2,010 2,010
Other 223 229 236 412 367 440 440
Chemical engineering 7,058 7,472 7,594 8,014 8,490 8,580 8,587
Fellowships 834 860 987 1,005 1,058 1,135 1,135
Research assistantships 4,063 4,158 3,973 4,070 4,084 4,002 4,002
Teaching assistantships 841 816 853 876 918 896 896
Traineeships 90 90 73 82 77 74 74
Other types of support 1,230 1,548 1,708 1,981 2,353 2,473 2,480
Self-support 992 1,256 1,407 1,596 1,922 2,123 2,128
Other 238 292 301 385 431 350 352
Civil engineering 13,120 13,719 13,898 14,117 14,300 14,651 14,660
Fellowships 950 1,056 1,049 1,125 1,220 1,246 1,246
Research assistantships 4,893 4,949 4,820 4,638 4,584 4,590 4,590
Teaching assistantships 1,774 1,922 2,009 1,942 1,970 2,023 2,023
Traineeships 103 32 43 58 84 56 56
Other types of support 5,400 5,760 5,977 6,354 6,442 6,736 6,745
Self-support 4,660 4,947 5,119 5,375 5,452 5,635 5,643
Other 740 813 858 979 990 1,101 1,102
Electrical engineering 27,792 28,605 29,600 30,528 33,246 36,044 37,406
Fellowships 1,604 1,620 1,767 1,765 1,848 1,903 1,905
Research assistantships 10,475 10,553 10,303 10,089 9,874 9,895 9,911
Teaching assistantships 3,793 3,634 3,855 3,685 4,127 4,231 4,253
Traineeships 43 73 50 59 58 137 137
Other types of support 11,877 12,725 13,625 14,930 17,339 19,878 21,200
Self-support 10,470 11,469 12,015 12,878 15,545 17,629 18,950
Other 1,407 1,256 1,610 2,052 1,794 2,249 2,250
Engineering science, mechanics, and physics 1,450 1,478 1,545 1,673 1,540 1,541 1,541
Fellowships 164 175 169 194 169 184 184
Research assistantships 721 687 700 667 699 612 612
Teaching assistantships 133 155 249 239 260 278 278
Traineeships 7 14 7 12 2 4 4
Other types of support 425 447 420 561 410 463 463
Self-support 306 321 342 420 283 347 347
Other 119 126 78 141 127 116 116
Industrial and manufacturing engineering 7,878 7,829 7,737 7,744 7,971 8,573 8,573
Fellowships 430 395 403 397 424 394 394
Research assistantships 1,747 1,762 1,680 1,604 1,572 1,426 1,426
Teaching assistantships 1,000 960 989 1,018 985 1,071 1,071
Traineeships 45 64 49 66 44 79 79
Other types of support 4,656 4,648 4,616 4,659 4,946 5,603 5,603
Self-support 3,900 3,807 3,676 3,904 4,234 5,000 5,000
Other 756 841 940 755 712 603 603
Mechanical engineering 15,215 16,257 15,758 16,701 17,599 18,440 18,488
Fellowships 1,318 1,412 1,331 1,339 1,311 1,411 1,411
Research assistantships 6,220 6,685 6,346 6,323 6,141 5,975 5,983
Teaching assistantships 2,441 2,570 2,522 2,631 2,747 2,879 2,897
Traineeships 132 80 96 109 119 157 157
Other types of support 5,104 5,510 5,463 6,299 7,281 8,018 8,040
Self-support 4,351 4,648 4,487 5,260 6,265 6,992 7,014
Other 753 862 976 1,039 1,016 1,026 1,026
Metallurgical and materials engineering 5,166 5,519 5,839 6,088 6,220 6,562 6,603
Fellowships 498 546 606 662 660 735 742
Research assistantships 3,119 3,298 3,396 3,229 3,293 3,481 3,494
Teaching assistantships 438 443 450 528 584 591 591
Traineeships 31 23 33 33 48 57 57
Other types of support 1,080 1,209 1,354 1,636 1,635 1,698 1,719
Self-support 878 1,041 1,174 1,376 1,419 1,481 1,499
Other 202 168 180 260 216 217 220
Mining engineering 205 353 412 240 265 307 307
Fellowships 8 20 13 10 27 18 18
Research assistantships 108 178 221 160 105 128 128
Teaching assistantships 32 44 39 21 56 48 48
Traineeships 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other types of support 57 111 139 49 77 113 113
Self-support 42 105 123 40 43 95 95
Other 15 6 16 9 34 18 18
Nuclear engineering 968 1,123 1,165 1,162 1,169 1,201 1,201
Fellowships 158 187 194 186 200 189 189
Research assistantships 499 593 591 612 555 593 593
Teaching assistantships 89 92 99 108 132 126 126
Traineeships 9 13 14 12 16 32 32
Other types of support 213 238 267 244 266 261 261
Self-support 133 149 151 142 174 171 171
Other 80 89 116 102 92 90 90
Petroleum engineering 988 1,058 1,057 1,287 1,315 1,662 1,662
Fellowships 55 53 62 53 78 83 83
Research assistantships 524 550 534 590 616 668 668
Teaching assistantships 118 118 144 200 178 202 202
Traineeships 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other types of support 291 337 317 444 443 709 709
Self-support 216 266 238 340 328 570 570
Other 75 71 79 104 115 139 139
Engineering nec 3,898 4,302 4,303 4,413 4,557 5,653 5,653
Fellowships 333 418 297 282 334 354 354
Research assistantships 1,335 1,303 1,406 1,399 1,463 1,461 1,461
Teaching assistantships 380 502 420 399 399 447 447
Traineeships 5 7 7 16 10 27 27
Other types of support 1,845 2,072 2,173 2,317 2,351 3,364 3,364
Self-support 1,646 1,822 1,952 2,038 2,030 2,992 2,992
Other 199 250 221 279 321 372 372
Healthb 52,287 46,868 41,628 40,614 39,737 39,201 38,592
Fellowships 2,611 2,459 2,087 2,034 2,068 2,084 2,097
Research assistantships 6,457 6,497 6,158 5,541 5,382 5,399 5,407
Teaching assistantships 3,439 3,523 3,435 3,671 3,699 3,775 3,787
Traineeships 2,763 2,473 1,976 1,718 1,483 1,565 1,565
Other types of support 37,017 31,916 27,972 27,650 27,105 26,378 25,736
Self-support 31,554 27,014 23,767 23,634 22,816 21,876 21,276
Other 5,463 4,902 4,205 4,016 4,289 4,502 4,460
nec = not elsewhere classified.
a In 2014, the survey frame was updated following a comprehensive frame evaluation study. The study identified potentially eligible but not previously surveyed academic institutions in the United States with master's- or doctorate-granting programs in science, engineering, or health. A total of 151 newly eligible institutions were added, and two private for-profit institutions offering mostly practitioner-based graduate degrees were determined to be ineligible.
b Beginning in 2008, more rigorous follow-up was done with institutions regarding the exclusion of practitioner-oriented graduate degree programs in Psychology and in Other health (a subfield of health). This change may affect interpretation of trends in these fields.
SOURCE: National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering, 2014.