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Table 4-3. Master's and doctoral students within science, engineering and health fields, by enrollment intensity: 2017

Detailed field All graduate students Master's students Doctoral students
Total Full time Part time Total Full time Part time Total Full time Part time
All full time First time, full time All full time First time, full time All full time First time, full time
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
All detailed fields 649,112 100.0 480,788 100.0 156,157 100.0 168,324 100.0 378,587 100.0 245,010 100.0 110,980 100.0 133,577 100.0 270,525 100.0 235,778 100.0 45,177 100.0 34,747 100.0
Science 415,568 64.0 310,809 64.6 98,473 63.1 104,759 62.2 229,169 60.5 145,689 59.5 66,544 60.0 83,480 62.5 186,399 68.9 165,120 70.0 31,929 70.7 21,279 61.2
Agricultural sciences 9,347 1.4 6,766 1.4 1,628 1.0 2,581 1.5 5,603 1.5 3,609 1.5 1,181 1.1 1,994 1.5 3,744 1.4 3,157 1.3 447 1.0 587 1.7
Biological and biomedical sciences 85,217 13.1 71,866 14.9 21,506 13.8 13,351 7.9 33,926 9.0 23,889 9.8 12,394 11.2 10,037 7.5 51,291 19.0 47,977 20.3 9,112 20.2 3,314 9.5
Biochemistry 5,341 0.8 4,942 1.0 1,097 0.7 399 0.2 791 0.2 596 0.2 302 0.3 195 0.1 4,550 1.7 4,346 1.8 795 1.8 204 0.6
Biology 15,811 2.4 11,049 2.3 3,212 2.1 4,762 2.8 8,791 2.3 4,754 1.9 1,994 1.8 4,037 3.0 7,020 2.6 6,295 2.7 1,218 2.7 725 2.1
Biomedical sciences 7,710 1.2 6,686 1.4 3,180 2.0 1,024 0.6 4,298 1.1 3,505 1.4 2,307 2.1 793 0.6 3,412 1.3 3,181 1.3 873 1.9 231 0.7
Biophysics 861 0.1 843 0.2 160 0.1 18 * 18 * 14 * 1 * 4 * 843 0.3 829 0.4 159 0.4 14 *
Biostatistics and bioinformatics 5,219 0.8 4,323 0.9 1,481 0.9 896 0.5 2,540 0.7 1,927 0.8 977 0.9 613 0.5 2,679 1.0 2,396 1.0 504 1.1 283 0.8
Biotechnology 1,984 0.3 1,181 0.2 537 0.3 803 0.5 1,893 0.5 1,094 0.4 521 0.5 799 0.6 91 * 87 * 16 * 4 *
Botany and plant biology 1,690 0.3 1,549 0.3 302 0.2 141 0.1 378 0.1 313 0.1 104 0.1 65 * 1,312 0.5 1,236 0.5 198 0.4 76 0.2
Cell, cellular biology, and anatomical sciences 5,712 0.9 5,358 1.1 1,222 0.8 354 0.2 926 0.2 742 0.3 407 0.4 184 0.1 4,786 1.8 4,616 2.0 815 1.8 170 0.5
Ecology and population biology 3,487 0.5 2,885 0.6 630 0.4 602 0.4 921 0.2 614 0.3 236 0.2 307 0.2 2,566 0.9 2,271 1.0 394 0.9 295 0.8
Epidemiology 4,217 0.6 3,442 0.7 1,214 0.8 775 0.5 2,577 0.7 2,081 0.8 950 0.9 496 0.4 1,640 0.6 1,361 0.6 264 0.6 279 0.8
Genetics 2,533 0.4 2,444 0.5 488 0.3 89 0.1 512 0.1 476 0.2 223 0.2 36 * 2,021 0.7 1,968 0.8 265 0.6 53 0.2
Microbiological sciences and immunology 5,011 0.8 4,543 0.9 1,065 0.7 468 0.3 1,037 0.3 732 0.3 363 0.3 305 0.2 3,974 1.5 3,811 1.6 702 1.6 163 0.5
Molecular biology 1,412 0.2 1,223 0.3 295 0.2 189 0.1 277 0.1 162 0.1 88 0.1 115 0.1 1,135 0.4 1,061 0.4 207 0.5 74 0.2
Neurobiology and neuroscience 5,189 0.8 5,012 1.0 976 0.6 177 0.1 318 0.1 247 0.1 128 0.1 71 0.1 4,871 1.8 4,765 2.0 848 1.9 106 0.3
Nutrition science 3,132 0.5 2,376 0.5 893 0.6 756 0.4 2,144 0.6 1,492 0.6 745 0.7 652 0.5 988 0.4 884 0.4 148 0.3 104 0.3
Pathology and experimental pathology 1,033 0.2 988 0.2 180 0.1 45 * 122 * 110 * 58 0.1 12 * 911 0.3 878 0.4 122 0.3 33 0.1
Pharmacology and toxicology 3,125 0.5 2,684 0.6 588 0.4 441 0.3 881 0.2 547 0.2 284 0.3 334 0.3 2,244 0.8 2,137 0.9 304 0.7 107 0.3
Physiology 4,856 0.7 4,368 0.9 1,487 1.0 488 0.3 2,229 0.6 1,876 0.8 1,051 0.9 353 0.3 2,627 1.0 2,492 1.1 436 1.0 135 0.4
Zoology and animal biology 1,954 0.3 1,666 0.3 351 0.2 288 0.2 759 0.2 575 0.2 204 0.2 184 0.1 1,195 0.4 1,091 0.5 147 0.3 104 0.3
Biological and biomedical sciences nec 4,940 0.8 4,304 0.9 2,148 1.4 636 0.4 2,514 0.7 2,032 0.8 1,451 1.3 482 0.4 2,426 0.9 2,272 1.0 697 1.5 154 0.4
Computer and information sciences 89,909 13.9 56,206 11.7 21,604 13.8 33,703 20.0 75,618 20.0 44,320 18.1 19,155 17.3 31,298 23.4 14,291 5.3 11,886 5.0 2,449 5.4 2,405 6.9
Computer science 30,251 4.7 23,346 4.9 8,550 5.5 6,905 4.1 22,786 6.0 16,888 6.9 7,252 6.5 5,898 4.4 7,465 2.8 6,458 2.7 1,298 2.9 1,007 2.9
Computer and information sciences, general 35,646 5.5 21,111 4.4 8,179 5.2 14,535 8.6 30,217 8.0 16,606 6.8 7,207 6.5 13,611 10.2 5,429 2.0 4,505 1.9 972 2.2 924 2.7
Computer and information sciences nec 24,012 3.7 11,749 2.4 4,875 3.1 12,263 7.3 22,615 6.0 10,826 4.4 4,696 4.2 11,789 8.8 1,397 0.5 923 0.4 179 0.4 474 1.4
Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences 12,545 1.9 9,904 2.1 2,678 1.7 2,641 1.6 6,006 1.6 4,107 1.7 1,630 1.5 1,899 1.4 6,539 2.4 5,797 2.5 1,048 2.3 742 2.1
Atmospheric sciences and meteorology 1,348 0.2 1,162 0.2 280 0.2 186 0.1 464 0.1 391 0.2 147 0.1 73 0.1 884 0.3 771 0.3 133 0.3 113 0.3
Geological and earth sciences 8,255 1.3 6,420 1.3 1,816 1.2 1,835 1.1 4,107 1.1 2,735 1.1 1,117 1.0 1,372 1.0 4,148 1.5 3,685 1.6 699 1.5 463 1.3
Ocean and marine sciences 2,695 0.4 2,148 0.4 523 0.3 547 0.3 1,275 0.3 871 0.4 319 0.3 404 0.3 1,420 0.5 1,277 0.5 204 0.5 143 0.4
Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences nec 247 * 174 * 59 * 73 * 160 * 110 * 47 * 50 * 87 * 64 * 12 * 23 0.1
Mathematics and statistics 29,669 4.6 23,454 4.9 8,212 5.3 6,215 3.7 16,568 4.4 11,551 4.7 5,699 5.1 5,017 3.8 13,101 4.8 11,903 5.0 2,513 5.6 1,198 3.4
Mathematics and applied mathematics 20,511 3.2 16,421 3.4 5,361 3.4 4,090 2.4 10,387 2.7 7,182 2.9 3,432 3.1 3,205 2.4 10,124 3.7 9,239 3.9 1,929 4.3 885 2.5
Statistics 9,158 1.4 7,033 1.5 2,851 1.8 2,125 1.3 6,181 1.6 4,369 1.8 2,267 2.0 1,812 1.4 2,977 1.1 2,664 1.1 584 1.3 313 0.9
Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary studies 9,854 1.5 6,358 1.3 2,607 1.7 3,496 2.1 6,923 1.8 4,038 1.6 2,079 1.9 2,885 2.2 2,931 1.1 2,320 1.0 528 1.2 611 1.8
Natural resources and conservation 10,879 1.7 7,697 1.6 2,422 1.6 3,182 1.9 7,311 1.9 4,866 2.0 2,009 1.8 2,445 1.8 3,568 1.3 2,831 1.2 413 0.9 737 2.1
Environmental science and studies 5,136 0.8 3,502 0.7 1,274 0.8 1,634 1.0 3,515 0.9 2,218 0.9 1,064 1.0 1,297 1.0 1,621 0.6 1,284 0.5 210 0.5 337 1.0
Forestry, natural resources, and conservation 5,743 0.9 4,195 0.9 1,148 0.7 1,548 0.9 3,796 1.0 2,648 1.1 945 0.9 1,148 0.9 1,947 0.7 1,547 0.7 203 0.4 400 1.2
Physical sciences 41,829 6.4 37,151 7.7 8,260 5.3 4,678 2.8 6,368 1.7 4,197 1.7 1,651 1.5 2,171 1.6 35,461 13.1 32,954 14.0 6,609 14.6 2,507 7.2
Astronomy and astrophysics 1,305 0.2 1,236 0.3 267 0.2 69 * 69 * 53 * 21 * 16 * 1,236 0.5 1,183 0.5 246 0.5 53 0.2
Chemistry 22,820 3.5 20,248 4.2 4,547 2.9 2,572 1.5 3,453 0.9 2,192 0.9 799 0.7 1,261 0.9 19,367 7.2 18,056 7.7 3,748 8.3 1,311 3.8
Materials sciences 1,375 0.2 1,186 0.2 364 0.2 189 0.1 448 0.1 331 0.1 178 0.2 117 0.1 927 0.3 855 0.4 186 0.4 72 0.2
Physics 15,687 2.4 13,976 2.9 2,933 1.9 1,711 1.0 2,182 0.6 1,481 0.6 580 0.5 701 0.5 13,505 5.0 12,495 5.3 2,353 5.2 1,010 2.9
Physical sciences nec 642 0.1 505 0.1 149 0.1 137 0.1 216 0.1 140 0.1 73 0.1 76 0.1 426 0.2 365 0.2 76 0.2 61 0.2
Psychology 50,033 7.7 35,935 7.5 11,450 7.3 14,098 8.4 29,638 7.8 19,318 7.9 8,072 7.3 10,320 7.7 20,395 7.5 16,617 7.0 3,378 7.5 3,778 10.9
Clinical psychology 6,849 1.1 5,304 1.1 1,505 1.0 1,545 0.9 3,098 0.8 2,208 0.9 824 0.7 890 0.7 3,751 1.4 3,096 1.3 681 1.5 655 1.9
Counseling and applied psychology 26,238 4.0 17,049 3.5 5,994 3.8 9,189 5.5 19,413 5.1 12,243 5.0 4,992 4.5 7,170 5.4 6,825 2.5 4,806 2.0 1,002 2.2 2,019 5.8
Psychology, general 13,258 2.0 10,619 2.2 3,180 2.0 2,639 1.6 5,905 1.6 4,136 1.7 1,906 1.7 1,769 1.3 7,353 2.7 6,483 2.7 1,274 2.8 870 2.5
Research and experimental psychology 3,688 0.6 2,963 0.6 771 0.5 725 0.4 1,222 0.3 731 0.3 350 0.3 491 0.4 2,466 0.9 2,232 0.9 421 0.9 234 0.7
Social sciences 76,286 11.8 55,472 11.5 18,106 11.6 20,814 12.4 41,208 10.9 25,794 10.5 12,674 11.4 15,414 11.5 35,078 13.0 29,678 12.6 5,432 12.0 5,400 15.5
Agricultural economics 1,678 0.3 1,483 0.3 513 0.3 195 0.1 806 0.2 673 0.3 347 0.3 133 0.1 872 0.3 810 0.3 166 0.4 62 0.2
Anthropology 6,925 1.1 5,346 1.1 1,244 0.8 1,579 0.9 2,363 0.6 1,463 0.6 656 0.6 900 0.7 4,562 1.7 3,883 1.6 588 1.3 679 2.0
Criminal justice and safety studies 4,407 0.7 1,782 0.4 719 0.5 2,625 1.6 3,869 1.0 1,431 0.6 635 0.6 2,438 1.8 538 0.2 351 0.1 84 0.2 187 0.5
Economics (except agricultural) 13,069 2.0 11,072 2.3 3,751 2.4 1,997 1.2 5,238 1.4 4,044 1.7 2,275 2.0 1,194 0.9 7,831 2.9 7,028 3.0 1,476 3.3 803 2.3
Geography and cartography 4,552 0.7 3,082 0.6 913 0.6 1,470 0.9 2,696 0.7 1,528 0.6 656 0.6 1,168 0.9 1,856 0.7 1,554 0.7 257 0.6 302 0.9
History and philosophy of science 260 * 238 * 54 * 22 * 25 * 21 * 10 * 4 * 235 0.1 217 0.1 44 0.1 18 0.1
Human development 2,034 0.3 1,293 0.3 457 0.3 741 0.4 1,349 0.4 784 0.3 364 0.3 565 0.4 685 0.3 509 0.2 93 0.2 176 0.5
International relations and national security studies 7,153 1.1 4,781 1.0 2,142 1.4 2,372 1.4 6,755 1.8 4,442 1.8 2,083 1.9 2,313 1.7 398 0.1 339 0.1 59 0.1 59 0.2
Linguistics 2,883 0.4 2,213 0.5 556 0.4 670 0.4 1,237 0.3 745 0.3 309 0.3 492 0.4 1,646 0.6 1,468 0.6 247 0.5 178 0.5
Political science and government 8,588 1.3 6,498 1.4 1,746 1.1 2,090 1.2 2,979 0.8 1,655 0.7 836 0.8 1,324 1.0 5,609 2.1 4,843 2.1 910 2.0 766 2.2
Public policy analysis 6,952 1.1 5,025 1.0 2,139 1.4 1,927 1.1 4,718 1.2 3,534 1.4 1,851 1.7 1,184 0.9 2,234 0.8 1,491 0.6 288 0.6 743 2.1
Sociology 7,969 1.2 6,144 1.3 1,480 0.9 1,825 1.1 2,629 0.7 1,536 0.6 689 0.6 1,093 0.8 5,340 2.0 4,608 2.0 791 1.8 732 2.1
Social sciences nec 9,816 1.5 6,515 1.4 2,392 1.5 3,301 2.0 6,544 1.7 3,938 1.6 1,963 1.8 2,606 2.0 3,272 1.2 2,577 1.1 429 0.9 695 2.0
Engineering 165,581 25.5 123,107 25.6 39,406 25.2 42,474 25.2 96,756 25.6 63,532 25.9 28,520 25.7 33,224 24.9 68,825 25.4 59,575 25.3 10,886 24.1 9,250 26.6
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 5,708 0.9 4,261 0.9 1,349 0.9 1,447 0.9 3,322 0.9 2,183 0.9 988 0.9 1,139 0.9 2,386 0.9 2,078 0.9 361 0.8 308 0.9
Agricultural engineering 1,186 0.2 980 0.2 222 0.1 206 0.1 505 0.1 388 0.2 139 0.1 117 0.1 681 0.3 592 0.3 83 0.2 89 0.3
Bioengineering and biomedical engineering 10,882 1.7 9,337 1.9 2,933 1.9 1,545 0.9 4,037 1.1 3,234 1.3 1,719 1.5 803 0.6 6,845 2.5 6,103 2.6 1,214 2.7 742 2.1
Biological and biosystems engineering 234 * 168 * 42 * 66 * 71 * 53 * 19 * 18 * 163 0.1 115 * 23 0.1 48 0.1
Chemical engineering 10,166 1.6 8,847 1.8 2,448 1.6 1,319 0.8 3,292 0.9 2,396 1.0 1,122 1.0 896 0.7 6,874 2.5 6,451 2.7 1,326 2.9 423 1.2
Civil engineering 21,132 3.3 15,613 3.2 5,269 3.4 5,519 3.3 13,506 3.6 9,084 3.7 4,087 3.7 4,422 3.3 7,626 2.8 6,529 2.8 1,182 2.6 1,097 3.2
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering 47,752 7.4 36,204 7.5 11,731 7.5 11,548 6.9 29,816 7.9 20,941 8.5 9,136 8.2 8,875 6.6 17,936 6.6 15,263 6.5 2,595 5.7 2,673 7.7
Engineering mechanics, physics, and science 2,136 0.3 1,761 0.4 427 0.3 375 0.2 679 0.2 428 0.2 183 0.2 251 0.2 1,457 0.5 1,333 0.6 244 0.5 124 0.4
Industrial and manufacturing engineering 15,905 2.5 10,053 2.1 3,985 2.6 5,852 3.5 12,272 3.2 7,212 2.9 3,456 3.1 5,060 3.8 3,633 1.3 2,841 1.2 529 1.2 792 2.3
Mechanical engineering 27,428 4.2 20,522 4.3 6,467 4.1 6,906 4.1 16,279 4.3 10,778 4.4 4,768 4.3 5,501 4.1 11,149 4.1 9,744 4.1 1,699 3.8 1,405 4.0
Metallurgical and materials engineering 6,541 1.0 5,658 1.2 1,583 1.0 883 0.5 2,115 0.6 1,587 0.6 759 0.7 528 0.4 4,426 1.6 4,071 1.7 824 1.8 355 1.0
Mining engineering 541 0.1 421 0.1 131 0.1 120 0.1 312 0.1 227 0.1 99 0.1 85 0.1 229 0.1 194 0.1 32 0.1 35 0.1
Nanotechnology 139 * 124 * 45 * 15 * 44 * 31 * 18 * 13 * 95 * 93 * 27 0.1 2 *
Nuclear engineering 1,442 0.2 1,232 0.3 304 0.2 210 0.1 444 0.1 325 0.1 136 0.1 119 0.1 998 0.4 907 0.4 168 0.4 91 0.3
Petroleum engineering 1,578 0.2 1,197 0.2 289 0.2 381 0.2 916 0.2 606 0.2 192 0.2 310 0.2 662 0.2 591 0.3 97 0.2 71 0.2
Engineering nec 12,811 2.0 6,729 1.4 2,181 1.4 6,082 3.6 9,146 2.4 4,059 1.7 1,699 1.5 5,087 3.8 3,665 1.4 2,670 1.1 482 1.1 995 2.9
Health 67,963 10.5 46,872 9.7 18,278 11.7 21,091 12.5 52,662 13.9 35,789 14.6 15,916 14.3 16,873 12.6 15,301 5.7 11,083 4.7 2,362 5.2 4,218 12.1
Clinical medicine 29,693 4.6 18,303 3.8 7,729 4.9 11,390 6.8 25,283 6.7 15,043 6.1 6,978 6.3 10,240 7.7 4,410 1.6 3,260 1.4 751 1.7 1,150 3.3
Public health 28,657 4.4 17,676 3.7 7,485 4.8 10,981 6.5 24,570 6.5 14,651 6.0 6,808 6.1 9,919 7.4 4,087 1.5 3,025 1.3 677 1.5 1,062 3.1
Clinical medicine nec 1,036 0.2 627 0.1 244 0.2 409 0.2 713 0.2 392 0.2 170 0.2 321 0.2 323 0.1 235 0.1 74 0.2 88 0.3
Other health 38,270 5.9 28,569 5.9 10,549 6.8 9,701 5.8 27,379 7.2 20,746 8.5 8,938 8.1 6,633 5.0 10,891 4.0 7,823 3.3 1,611 3.6 3,068 8.8
Communication disorders sciences 16,053 2.5 14,159 2.9 5,854 3.7 1,894 1.1 14,748 3.9 13,054 5.3 5,567 5.0 1,694 1.3 1,305 0.5 1,105 0.5 287 0.6 200 0.6
Dental sciences 1,698 0.3 1,504 0.3 415 0.3 194 0.1 1,450 0.4 1,272 0.5 380 0.3 178 0.1 248 0.1 232 0.1 35 0.1 16 *
Nursing science 5,148 0.8 2,425 0.5 546 0.3 2,723 1.6 1,550 0.4 519 0.2 164 0.1 1,031 0.8 3,598 1.3 1,906 0.8 382 0.8 1,692 4.9
Pharmaceutical sciences 3,644 0.6 3,081 0.6 743 0.5 563 0.3 1,078 0.3 765 0.3 297 0.3 313 0.2 2,566 0.9 2,316 1.0 446 1.0 250 0.7
Veterinary biomedical and clinical sciences 1,035 0.2 816 0.2 176 0.1 219 0.1 458 0.1 304 0.1 87 0.1 154 0.1 577 0.2 512 0.2 89 0.2 65 0.2
Other health nec 10,692 1.6 6,584 1.4 2,815 1.8 4,108 2.4 8,095 2.1 4,832 2.0 2,443 2.2 3,263 2.4 2,597 1.0 1,752 0.7 372 0.8 845 2.4
* = value < 0.05%.
nec = not elsewhere classified.
NOTE: 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.