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Table 4-1. Distribution of graduate students, postdoctoral appointees, and doctorate-holding nonfaculty researchers across science, engineering, and health fields: 2018

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 668,307 100.0 391,211 100.0 277,096 100.0 64,783 100.0 29,284 100.0
Science 432,255 64.7 241,327 61.7 190,928 68.9 37,564 58.0 18,278 62.4
Agricultural sciences 9,538 1.4 5,658 1.4 3,880 1.4 1,072 1.7 565 1.9
Biological and biomedical sciences 87,933 13.2 35,306 9.0 52,627 19.0 21,533 33.2 8,250 28.2
Biochemistry 5,297 0.8 743 0.2 4,554 1.6 1,943 3.0 723 2.5
Biology 15,750 2.4 8,696 2.2 7,054 2.5 2,108 3.3 897 3.1
Biomedical sciences 8,409 1.3 4,379 1.1 4,030 1.5 1,941 3.0 588 2.0
Biophysics 836 0.1 6 * 830 0.3 151 0.2 25 0.1
Biostatistics and bioinformatics 5,836 0.9 2,890 0.7 2,946 1.1 699 1.1 393 1.3
Biotechnology 2,062 0.3 1,953 0.5 109 * 86 0.1 102 0.3
Botany and plant biology 1,690 0.3 373 0.1 1,317 0.5 620 1.0 343 1.2
Cell, cellular biology, and anatomical sciences 5,909 0.9 919 0.2 4,990 1.8 1,814 2.8 610 2.1
Ecology and population biology 3,508 0.5 888 0.2 2,620 0.9 446 0.7 248 0.8
Epidemiology 4,437 0.7 2,669 0.7 1,768 0.6 230 0.4 99 0.3
Genetics 2,662 0.4 557 0.1 2,105 0.8 1,428 2.2 405 1.4
Microbiological sciences and immunology 5,168 0.8 1,254 0.3 3,914 1.4 2,078 3.2 773 2.6
Molecular biology 1,492 0.2 364 0.1 1,128 0.4 521 0.8 186 0.6
Neurobiology and neuroscience 5,350 0.8 304 0.1 5,046 1.8 2,103 3.2 732 2.5
Nutrition science 3,513 0.5 2,546 0.7 967 0.3 180 0.3 165 0.6
Pathology and experimental pathology 973 0.1 93 * 880 0.3 1,145 1.8 398 1.4
Pharmacology and toxicology 3,110 0.5 873 0.2 2,237 0.8 1,012 1.6 372 1.3
Physiology 4,919 0.7 2,288 0.6 2,631 0.9 1,766 2.7 681 2.3
Zoology and animal biology 2,022 0.3 829 0.2 1,193 0.4 428 0.7 160 0.5
Biological and biomedical sciences nec 4,990 0.7 2,682 0.7 2,308 0.8 834 1.3 350 1.2
Computer and information sciences 93,478 14.0 77,351 19.8 16,127 5.8 879 1.4 515 1.8
Computer science 31,309 4.7 22,966 5.9 8,343 3.0 502 0.8 261 0.9
Computer and information sciences, general 36,969 5.5 30,568 7.8 6,401 2.3 225 0.3 143 0.5
Computer and information sciences nec 25,200 3.8 23,817 6.1 1,383 0.5 152 0.2 111 0.4
Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences 12,333 1.8 5,629 1.4 6,704 2.4 1,726 2.7 2,106 7.2
Atmospheric sciences and meteorology 1,342 0.2 459 0.1 883 0.3 243 0.4 426 1.5
Geological and earth sciences 8,294 1.2 3,924 1.0 4,370 1.6 803 1.2 991 3.4
Ocean and marine sciences 2,697 0.4 1,246 0.3 1,451 0.5 401 0.6 365 1.2
Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences nec ne ne ne ne ne ne 279 0.4 324 1.1
Mathematics and statistics 31,461 4.7 18,073 4.6 13,388 4.8 982 1.5 266 0.9
Mathematics and applied mathematics 21,442 3.2 11,212 2.9 10,230 3.7 833 1.3 207 0.7
Statistics 10,019 1.5 6,861 1.8 3,158 1.1 149 0.2 59 0.2
Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary studies 10,338 1.5 7,414 1.9 2,924 1.1 980 1.5 832 2.8
Natural resources and conservation 11,407 1.7 7,691 2.0 3,716 1.3 764 1.2 580 2.0
Environmental science and studies 5,427 0.8 3,683 0.9 1,744 0.6 258 0.4 217 0.7
Forestry, natural resources, and conservation 5,980 0.9 4,008 1.0 1,972 0.7 506 0.8 363 1.2
Physical sciences 42,075 6.3 6,075 1.6 36,000 13.0 6,976 10.8 3,056 10.4
Astronomy and astrophysics 1,353 0.2 72 * 1,281 0.5 536 0.8 472 1.6
Chemistry 22,691 3.4 3,144 0.8 19,547 7.1 3,320 5.1 974 3.3
Materials sciences 1,324 0.2 449 0.1 875 0.3 264 0.4 73 0.2
Physics 16,086 2.4 2,173 0.6 13,913 5.0 2,619 4.0 1,354 4.6
Physical sciences nec 621 0.1 237 0.1 384 0.1 237 0.4 183 0.6
Psychology 55,707 8.3 35,404 9.0 20,303 7.3 1,145 1.8 507 1.7
Clinical psychology 7,027 1.1 3,213 0.8 3,814 1.4 73 0.1 9 *
Counseling and applied psychology 31,660 4.7 24,714 6.3 6,946 2.5 165 0.3 38 0.1
Psychology, general 12,861 1.9 6,178 1.6 6,683 2.4 674 1.0 302 1.0
Research and experimental psychology 4,159 0.6 1,299 0.3 2,860 1.0 233 0.4 158 0.5
Social sciences 77,985 11.7 42,726 10.9 35,259 12.7 1,507 2.3 1,601 5.5
Agricultural economics 1,698 0.3 779 0.2 919 0.3 53 0.1 62 0.2
Anthropology 6,773 1.0 2,302 0.6 4,471 1.6 137 0.2 76 0.3
Criminal justice and safety studies 5,169 0.8 4,506 1.2 663 0.2 12 * 10 *
Economics (except agricultural) 13,344 2.0 5,427 1.4 7,917 2.9 108 0.2 156 0.5
Geography and cartography 4,566 0.7 2,717 0.7 1,849 0.7 120 0.2 105 0.4
History and philosophy of science 301 * 31 * 270 0.1 12 * 1 *
Human development 2,122 0.3 1,329 0.3 793 0.3 135 0.2 130 0.4
International relations and national security studies 7,265 1.1 6,826 1.7 439 0.2 51 0.1 59 0.2
Linguistics 2,723 0.4 1,175 0.3 1,548 0.6 39 0.1 37 0.1
Political science and government 8,317 1.2 2,706 0.7 5,611 2.0 137 0.2 72 0.2
Public policy analysis 8,202 1.2 5,882 1.5 2,320 0.8 191 0.3 311 1.1
Sociology 7,523 1.1 2,395 0.6 5,128 1.9 149 0.2 154 0.5
Social sciences nec 9,982 1.5 6,651 1.7 3,331 1.2 363 0.6 428 1.5
Engineering 163,301 24.4 93,064 23.8 70,237 25.3 7,914 12.2 3,570 12.2
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 5,848 0.9 3,342 0.9 2,506 0.9 207 0.3 115 0.4
Agricultural engineering 1,032 0.2 371 0.1 661 0.2 113 0.2 60 0.2
Bioengineering and biomedical engineering 11,480 1.7 4,202 1.1 7,278 2.6 1,433 2.2 440 1.5
Biological and biosystems engineering 283 * 80 * 203 0.1 96 0.1 51 0.2
Chemical engineering 10,011 1.5 3,061 0.8 6,950 2.5 1,142 1.8 257 0.9
Civil engineering 20,461 3.1 12,729 3.3 7,732 2.8 739 1.1 414 1.4
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering 46,227 6.9 28,108 7.2 18,119 6.5 1,197 1.8 588 2.0
Engineering mechanics, physics, and science 2,157 0.3 729 0.2 1,428 0.5 354 0.5 220 0.8
Industrial and manufacturing engineering 15,987 2.4 12,389 3.2 3,598 1.3 156 0.2 105 0.4
Mechanical engineering 26,593 4.0 15,434 3.9 11,159 4.0 1,069 1.7 489 1.7
Metallurgical and materials engineering 6,689 1.0 2,079 0.5 4,610 1.7 549 0.8 215 0.7
Mining engineering 527 0.1 316 0.1 211 0.1 26 * 52 0.2
Nanotechnology 118 * 47 * 71 * 134 0.2 43 0.1
Nuclear engineering 1,453 0.2 407 0.1 1,046 0.4 106 0.2 41 0.1
Petroleum engineering 1,403 0.2 754 0.2 649 0.2 63 0.1 80 0.3
Engineering nec 13,032 2.0 9,016 2.3 4,016 1.4 530 0.8 400 1.4
Health 72,751 10.9 56,820 14.5 15,931 5.7 19,305 29.8 7,436 25.4
Clinical medicinea 32,002 4.8 27,494 7.0 4,508 1.6 16,563 25.6 6,159 21.0
Anesthesiology ne ne ne ne ne ne 436 0.7 139 0.5
Cardiology ne ne ne ne ne ne 841 1.3 238 0.8
Endocrinology ne ne ne ne ne ne 351 0.5 102 0.3
Gastroenterology ne ne ne ne ne ne 279 0.4 92 0.3
Hematology ne ne ne ne ne ne 316 0.5 114 0.4
Neurology ne ne ne ne ne ne 1,437 2.2 425 1.5
Obstetrics and gynecology ne ne ne ne ne ne 313 0.5 94 0.3
Oncology and cancer research ne ne ne ne ne ne 2,012 3.1 637 2.2
Ophthalmology ne ne ne ne ne ne 517 0.8 297 1.0
Otorhinolaryngology ne ne ne ne ne ne 306 0.5 142 0.5
Pediatrics ne ne ne ne ne ne 1,264 2.0 624 2.1
Psychiatry ne ne ne ne ne ne 991 1.5 235 0.8
Public health 30,777 4.6 26,673 6.8 4,104 1.5 791 1.2 646 2.2
Pulmonary disease ne ne ne ne ne ne 286 0.4 136 0.5
Radiological sciences ne ne ne ne ne ne 1,090 1.7 436 1.5
Surgery ne ne ne ne ne ne 1,352 2.1 523 1.8
Clinical medicine nec 1,225 0.2 821 0.2 404 0.1 3,981 6.1 1,279 4.4
Other health 40,749 6.1 29,326 7.5 11,423 4.1 2,742 4.2 1,277 4.4
Communication disorders sciences 16,902 2.5 15,803 4.0 1,099 0.4 83 0.1 68 0.2
Dental sciences 1,725 0.3 1,478 0.4 247 0.1 311 0.5 92 0.3
Nursing science 5,453 0.8 1,902 0.5 3,551 1.3 121 0.2 96 0.3
Pharmaceutical sciences 4,029 0.6 1,075 0.3 2,954 1.1 1,063 1.6 344 1.2
Veterinary biomedical and clinical sciences 1,212 0.2 637 0.2 575 0.2 636 1.0 330 1.1
Other health nec 11,428 1.7 8,431 2.2 2,997 1.1 528 0.8 347 1.2
* = 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 Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering, 2018.