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Table 4-1. Distribution of graduate students, postdoctoral appointees, and doctorate-holding nonfaculty researchers across science, engineering, and health fields: 2017

Detailed field Graduate students Postdoctoral appointees Doctorate-holding nonfaculty researchers
All graduate students Master's Doctoral
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
All detailed fields 649,112 100.0 378,587 100.0 270,525 100.0 64,733 100.0 28,180 100.0
Science 415,568 64.0 229,169 60.5 186,399 68.9 38,241 59.1 17,268 61.3
Agricultural sciences 9,347 1.4 5,603 1.5 3,744 1.4 1,024 1.6 496 1.8
Biological and biomedical sciences 85,217 13.1 33,926 9.0 51,291 19.0 21,781 33.6 8,203 29.1
Biochemistry 5,341 0.8 791 0.2 4,550 1.7 1,933 3.0 757 2.7
Biology 15,811 2.4 8,791 2.3 7,020 2.6 2,167 3.3 847 3.0
Biomedical sciences 7,710 1.2 4,298 1.1 3,412 1.3 1,870 2.9 533 1.9
Biophysics 861 0.1 18 * 843 0.3 144 0.2 46 0.2
Biostatistics and bioinformatics 5,219 0.8 2,540 0.7 2,679 1.0 695 1.1 357 1.3
Biotechnology 1,984 0.3 1,893 0.5 91 * 103 0.2 91 0.3
Botany and plant biology 1,690 0.3 378 0.1 1,312 0.5 586 0.9 228 0.8
Cell, cellular biology, and anatomical sciences 5,712 0.9 926 0.2 4,786 1.8 1,859 2.9 600 2.1
Ecology and population biology 3,487 0.5 921 0.2 2,566 0.9 468 0.7 242 0.9
Epidemiology 4,217 0.6 2,577 0.7 1,640 0.6 244 0.4 107 0.4
Genetics 2,533 0.4 512 0.1 2,021 0.7 1,529 2.4 510 1.8
Microbiological sciences and immunology 5,011 0.8 1,037 0.3 3,974 1.5 2,065 3.2 863 3.1
Molecular biology 1,412 0.2 277 0.1 1,135 0.4 477 0.7 133 0.5
Neurobiology and neuroscience 5,189 0.8 318 0.1 4,871 1.8 2,137 3.3 852 3.0
Nutrition science 3,132 0.5 2,144 0.6 988 0.4 177 0.3 113 0.4
Pathology and experimental pathology 1,033 0.2 122 * 911 0.3 1,106 1.7 444 1.6
Pharmacology and toxicology 3,125 0.5 881 0.2 2,244 0.8 1,140 1.8 436 1.5
Physiology 4,856 0.7 2,229 0.6 2,627 1.0 1,851 2.9 616 2.2
Zoology and animal biology 1,954 0.3 759 0.2 1,195 0.4 394 0.6 127 0.5
Biological and biomedical sciences nec 4,940 0.8 2,514 0.7 2,426 0.9 836 1.3 301 1.1
Computer and information sciences 89,909 13.9 75,618 20.0 14,291 5.3 854 1.3 476 1.7
Computer science 30,251 4.7 22,786 6.0 7,465 2.8 468 0.7 279 1.0
Computer and information sciences, general 35,646 5.5 30,217 8.0 5,429 2.0 256 0.4 134 0.5
Computer and information sciences nec 24,012 3.7 22,615 6.0 1,397 0.5 130 0.2 63 0.2
Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences 12,545 1.9 6,006 1.6 6,539 2.4 2,089 3.2 1,794 6.4
Atmospheric sciences and meteorology 1,348 0.2 464 0.1 884 0.3 313 0.5 402 1.4
Geological and earth sciences 8,255 1.3 4,107 1.1 4,148 1.5 1,046 1.6 603 2.1
Ocean and marine sciences 2,695 0.4 1,275 0.3 1,420 0.5 433 0.7 399 1.4
Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences nec 247 * 160 * 87 * 297 0.5 390 1.4
Mathematics and statistics 29,669 4.6 16,568 4.4 13,101 4.8 991 1.5 240 0.9
Mathematics and applied mathematics 20,511 3.2 10,387 2.7 10,124 3.7 860 1.3 195 0.7
Statistics 9,158 1.4 6,181 1.6 2,977 1.1 131 0.2 45 0.2
Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary studies 9,854 1.5 6,923 1.8 2,931 1.1 1,131 1.7 806 2.9
Natural resources and conservation 10,879 1.7 7,311 1.9 3,568 1.3 731 1.1 364 1.3
Environmental science and studies 5,136 0.8 3,515 0.9 1,621 0.6 270 0.4 147 0.5
Forestry, natural resources, and conservation 5,743 0.9 3,796 1.0 1,947 0.7 461 0.7 217 0.8
Physical sciences 41,829 6.4 6,368 1.7 35,461 13.1 7,211 11.1 2,871 10.2
Astronomy and astrophysics 1,305 0.2 69 * 1,236 0.5 484 0.7 494 1.8
Chemistry 22,820 3.5 3,453 0.9 19,367 7.2 3,435 5.3 931 3.3
Materials sciences 1,375 0.2 448 0.1 927 0.3 300 0.5 82 0.3
Physics 15,687 2.4 2,182 0.6 13,505 5.0 2,645 4.1 1,306 4.6
Physical sciences nec 642 0.1 216 0.1 426 0.2 347 0.5 58 0.2
Psychology 50,033 7.7 29,638 7.8 20,395 7.5 1,082 1.7 494 1.8
Clinical psychology 6,849 1.1 3,098 0.8 3,751 1.4 74 0.1 40 0.1
Counseling and applied psychology 26,238 4.0 19,413 5.1 6,825 2.5 135 0.2 47 0.2
Psychology, general 13,258 2.0 5,905 1.6 7,353 2.7 696 1.1 247 0.9
Research and experimental psychology 3,688 0.6 1,222 0.3 2,466 0.9 177 0.3 160 0.6
Social sciences 76,286 11.8 41,208 10.9 35,078 13.0 1,347 2.1 1,524 5.4
Agricultural economics 1,678 0.3 806 0.2 872 0.3 57 0.1 44 0.2
Anthropology 6,925 1.1 2,363 0.6 4,562 1.7 136 0.2 85 0.3
Criminal justice and safety studies 4,407 0.7 3,869 1.0 538 0.2 4 * 5 *
Economics (except agricultural) 13,069 2.0 5,238 1.4 7,831 2.9 94 0.1 166 0.6
Geography and cartography 4,552 0.7 2,696 0.7 1,856 0.7 81 0.1 98 0.3
History and philosophy of science 260 * 25 * 235 0.1 9 * 9 *
Human development 2,034 0.3 1,349 0.4 685 0.3 123 0.2 160 0.6
International relations and national security studies 7,153 1.1 6,755 1.8 398 0.1 38 0.1 45 0.2
Linguistics 2,883 0.4 1,237 0.3 1,646 0.6 33 0.1 46 0.2
Political science and government 8,588 1.3 2,979 0.8 5,609 2.1 142 0.2 72 0.3
Public policy analysis 6,952 1.1 4,718 1.2 2,234 0.8 162 0.3 292 1.0
Sociology 7,969 1.2 2,629 0.7 5,340 2.0 141 0.2 143 0.5
Social sciences nec 9,816 1.5 6,544 1.7 3,272 1.2 327 0.5 359 1.3
Engineering 165,581 25.5 96,756 25.6 68,825 25.4 7,839 12.1 3,274 11.6
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 5,708 0.9 3,322 0.9 2,386 0.9 196 0.3 102 0.4
Agricultural engineering 1,186 0.2 505 0.1 681 0.3 111 0.2 52 0.2
Bioengineering and biomedical engineering 10,882 1.7 4,037 1.1 6,845 2.5 1,398 2.2 415 1.5
Biological and biosystems engineering 234 * 71 * 163 0.1 78 0.1 36 0.1
Chemical engineering 10,166 1.6 3,292 0.9 6,874 2.5 1,197 1.8 281 1.0
Civil engineering 21,132 3.3 13,506 3.6 7,626 2.8 804 1.2 422 1.5
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering 47,752 7.4 29,816 7.9 17,936 6.6 1,170 1.8 557 2.0
Engineering mechanics, physics, and science 2,136 0.3 679 0.2 1,457 0.5 316 0.5 200 0.7
Industrial and manufacturing engineering 15,905 2.5 12,272 3.2 3,633 1.3 127 0.2 119 0.4
Mechanical engineering 27,428 4.2 16,279 4.3 11,149 4.1 1,089 1.7 458 1.6
Metallurgical and materials engineering 6,541 1.0 2,115 0.6 4,426 1.6 550 0.8 181 0.6
Mining engineering 541 0.1 312 0.1 229 0.1 15 * 52 0.2
Nanotechnology 139 * 44 * 95 * 85 0.1 33 0.1
Nuclear engineering 1,442 0.2 444 0.1 998 0.4 94 0.1 22 0.1
Petroleum engineering 1,578 0.2 916 0.2 662 0.2 65 0.1 59 0.2
Engineering nec 12,811 2.0 9,146 2.4 3,665 1.4 544 0.8 285 1.0
Health 67,963 10.5 52,662 13.9 15,301 5.7 18,653 28.8 7,638 27.1
Clinical medicinea 29,693 4.6 25,283 6.7 4,410 1.6 16,100 24.9 6,448 22.9
Anesthesiology ne ne ne ne ne ne 422 0.7 147 0.5
Cardiology ne ne ne ne ne ne 824 1.3 248 0.9
Endocrinology ne ne ne ne ne ne 331 0.5 98 0.3
Gastroenterology ne ne ne ne ne ne 273 0.4 96 0.3
Hematology ne ne ne ne ne ne 338 0.5 111 0.4
Neurology ne ne ne ne ne ne 1,202 1.9 493 1.7
Obstetrics and gynecology ne ne ne ne ne ne 294 0.5 117 0.4
Oncology and cancer research ne ne ne ne ne ne 1,974 3.0 620 2.2
Ophthalmology ne ne ne ne ne ne 513 0.8 377 1.3
Otorhinolaryngology ne ne ne ne ne ne 265 0.4 116 0.4
Pediatrics ne ne ne ne ne ne 1,270 2.0 657 2.3
Psychiatry ne ne ne ne ne ne 949 1.5 236 0.8
Public health 28,657 4.4 24,570 6.5 4,087 1.5 767 1.2 611 2.2
Pulmonary disease ne ne ne ne ne ne 290 0.4 144 0.5
Radiological sciences ne ne ne ne ne ne 996 1.5 395 1.4
Surgery ne ne ne ne ne ne 1,247 1.9 505 1.8
Clinical medicine nec 1,036 0.2 713 0.2 323 0.1 4,145 6.4 1,477 5.2
Other health 38,270 5.9 27,379 7.2 10,891 4.0 2,553 3.9 1,190 4.2
Communication disorders sciences 16,053 2.5 14,748 3.9 1,305 0.5 79 0.1 66 0.2
Dental sciences 1,698 0.3 1,450 0.4 248 0.1 282 0.4 78 0.3
Nursing science 5,148 0.8 1,550 0.4 3,598 1.3 98 0.2 101 0.4
Pharmaceutical sciences 3,644 0.6 1,078 0.3 2,566 0.9 978 1.5 368 1.3
Veterinary biomedical and clinical sciences 1,035 0.2 458 0.1 577 0.2 602 0.9 260 0.9
Other health nec 10,692 1.6 8,095 2.1 2,597 1.0 514 0.8 317 1.1
* = value < 0.05%; ne = not eligible.
nec = not elsewhere classified.
a Clinical medicine includes graduate students in public health and clinical medicine nec. Clinical medicine includes postdoctoral appointees and nonfaculty researchers in anesthesiology, cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, hematology, neurology, obstetrics and gynecology, oncology and cancer research, ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, pediatrics, psychiatry, public health, pulmonary disease, radiology, surgery, and clinical medicine nec.
NOTES: "Field" refers to the field of the unit that reports postdoctoral appointees and doctorate-holding nonfaculty researchers to the Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering. Percentages may not add to total because of rounding.
SOURCE: National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering, 2017.