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Table 4-3. Master's and doctoral students within science, engineering and health fields, by enrollment intensity: 2018

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 668,307 100.0 491,449 100.0 159,724 100.0 176,858 100.0 391,211 100.0 248,552 100.0 114,214 100.0 142,659 100.0 277,096 100.0 242,897 100.0 45,510 100.0 34,199 100.0
Science 432,255 64.7 321,063 65.3 101,862 63.8 111,192 62.9 241,327 61.7 151,059 60.8 69,561 60.9 90,268 63.3 190,928 68.9 170,004 70.0 32,301 71.0 20,924 61.2
Agricultural sciences 9,538 1.4 6,899 1.4 1,770 1.1 2,639 1.5 5,658 1.4 3,626 1.5 1,280 1.1 2,032 1.4 3,880 1.4 3,273 1.3 490 1.1 607 1.8
Biological and biomedical sciences 87,933 13.2 74,013 15.1 22,171 13.9 13,920 7.9 35,306 9.0 24,759 10.0 12,965 11.4 10,547 7.4 52,627 19.0 49,254 20.3 9,206 20.2 3,373 9.9
Biochemistry 5,297 0.8 4,848 1.0 1,007 0.6 449 0.3 743 0.2 556 0.2 333 0.3 187 0.1 4,554 1.6 4,292 1.8 674 1.5 262 0.8
Biology 15,750 2.4 11,157 2.3 3,221 2.0 4,593 2.6 8,696 2.2 4,711 1.9 1,983 1.7 3,985 2.8 7,054 2.5 6,446 2.7 1,238 2.7 608 1.8
Biomedical sciences 8,409 1.3 7,434 1.5 3,494 2.2 975 0.6 4,379 1.1 3,633 1.5 2,449 2.1 746 0.5 4,030 1.5 3,801 1.6 1,045 2.3 229 0.7
Biophysics 836 0.1 820 0.2 150 0.1 16 * 6 * 4 * 2 * 2 * 830 0.3 816 0.3 148 0.3 14 *
Biostatistics and bioinformatics 5,836 0.9 4,845 1.0 1,766 1.1 991 0.6 2,890 0.7 2,232 0.9 1,205 1.1 658 0.5 2,946 1.1 2,613 1.1 561 1.2 333 1.0
Biotechnology 2,062 0.3 1,221 0.2 579 0.4 841 0.5 1,953 0.5 1,123 0.5 554 0.5 830 0.6 109 * 98 * 25 0.1 11 *
Botany and plant biology 1,690 0.3 1,550 0.3 300 0.2 140 0.1 373 0.1 310 0.1 102 0.1 63 * 1,317 0.5 1,240 0.5 198 0.4 77 0.2
Cell, cellular biology, and anatomical sciences 5,909 0.9 5,544 1.1 1,306 0.8 365 0.2 919 0.2 721 0.3 403 0.4 198 0.1 4,990 1.8 4,823 2.0 903 2.0 167 0.5
Ecology and population biology 3,508 0.5 2,959 0.6 658 0.4 549 0.3 888 0.2 626 0.3 247 0.2 262 0.2 2,620 0.9 2,333 1.0 411 0.9 287 0.8
Epidemiology 4,437 0.7 3,647 0.7 1,337 0.8 790 0.4 2,669 0.7 2,150 0.9 995 0.9 519 0.4 1,768 0.6 1,497 0.6 342 0.8 271 0.8
Genetics 2,662 0.4 2,548 0.5 557 0.3 114 0.1 557 0.1 512 0.2 256 0.2 45 * 2,105 0.8 2,036 0.8 301 0.7 69 0.2
Microbiological sciences and immunology 5,168 0.8 4,469 0.9 943 0.6 699 0.4 1,254 0.3 709 0.3 366 0.3 545 0.4 3,914 1.4 3,760 1.5 577 1.3 154 0.5
Molecular biology 1,492 0.2 1,265 0.3 291 0.2 227 0.1 364 0.1 224 0.1 101 0.1 140 0.1 1,128 0.4 1,041 0.4 190 0.4 87 0.3
Neurobiology and neuroscience 5,350 0.8 5,158 1.0 960 0.6 192 0.1 304 0.1 228 0.1 146 0.1 76 0.1 5,046 1.8 4,930 2.0 814 1.8 116 0.3
Nutrition science 3,513 0.5 2,642 0.5 953 0.6 871 0.5 2,546 0.7 1,757 0.7 808 0.7 789 0.6 967 0.3 885 0.4 145 0.3 82 0.2
Pathology and experimental pathology 973 0.1 926 0.2 152 0.1 47 * 93 * 76 * 43 * 17 * 880 0.3 850 0.3 109 0.2 30 0.1
Pharmacology and toxicology 3,110 0.5 2,617 0.5 591 0.4 493 0.3 873 0.2 497 0.2 289 0.3 376 0.3 2,237 0.8 2,120 0.9 302 0.7 117 0.3
Physiology 4,919 0.7 4,383 0.9 1,476 0.9 536 0.3 2,288 0.6 1,895 0.8 1,094 1.0 393 0.3 2,631 0.9 2,488 1.0 382 0.8 143 0.4
Zoology and animal biology 2,022 0.3 1,671 0.3 380 0.2 351 0.2 829 0.2 610 0.2 209 0.2 219 0.2 1,193 0.4 1,061 0.4 171 0.4 132 0.4
Biological and biomedical sciences nec 4,990 0.7 4,309 0.9 2,050 1.3 681 0.4 2,682 0.7 2,185 0.9 1,380 1.2 497 0.3 2,308 0.8 2,124 0.9 670 1.5 184 0.5
Computer and information sciences 93,478 14.0 57,789 11.8 22,739 14.2 35,689 20.2 77,351 19.8 44,193 17.8 19,908 17.4 33,158 23.2 16,127 5.8 13,596 5.6 2,831 6.2 2,531 7.4
Computer science 31,309 4.7 24,553 5.0 9,433 5.9 6,756 3.8 22,966 5.9 17,271 6.9 7,915 6.9 5,695 4.0 8,343 3.0 7,282 3.0 1,518 3.3 1,061 3.1
Computer and information sciences, general 36,969 5.5 21,079 4.3 8,310 5.2 15,890 9.0 30,568 7.8 15,668 6.3 7,170 6.3 14,900 10.4 6,401 2.3 5,411 2.2 1,140 2.5 990 2.9
Computer and information sciences nec 25,200 3.8 12,157 2.5 4,996 3.1 13,043 7.4 23,817 6.1 11,254 4.5 4,823 4.2 12,563 8.8 1,383 0.5 903 0.4 173 0.4 480 1.4
Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences 12,333 1.8 9,770 2.0 2,608 1.6 2,563 1.4 5,629 1.4 3,820 1.5 1,534 1.3 1,809 1.3 6,704 2.4 5,950 2.4 1,074 2.4 754 2.2
Atmospheric sciences and meteorology 1,342 0.2 1,153 0.2 294 0.2 189 0.1 459 0.1 387 0.2 161 0.1 72 0.1 883 0.3 766 0.3 133 0.3 117 0.3
Geological and earth sciences 8,294 1.2 6,423 1.3 1,731 1.1 1,871 1.1 3,924 1.0 2,549 1.0 1,025 0.9 1,375 1.0 4,370 1.6 3,874 1.6 706 1.6 496 1.5
Ocean and marine sciences 2,697 0.4 2,194 0.4 583 0.4 503 0.3 1,246 0.3 884 0.4 348 0.3 362 0.3 1,451 0.5 1,310 0.5 235 0.5 141 0.4
Mathematics and statistics 31,461 4.7 24,955 5.1 8,730 5.5 6,506 3.7 18,073 4.6 12,707 5.1 6,166 5.4 5,366 3.8 13,388 4.8 12,248 5.0 2,564 5.6 1,140 3.3
Mathematics and applied mathematics 21,442 3.2 17,335 3.5 5,716 3.6 4,107 2.3 11,212 2.9 7,965 3.2 3,788 3.3 3,247 2.3 10,230 3.7 9,370 3.9 1,928 4.2 860 2.5
Statistics 10,019 1.5 7,620 1.6 3,014 1.9 2,399 1.4 6,861 1.8 4,742 1.9 2,378 2.1 2,119 1.5 3,158 1.1 2,878 1.2 636 1.4 280 0.8
Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary studies 10,338 1.5 6,656 1.4 2,791 1.7 3,682 2.1 7,414 1.9 4,268 1.7 2,274 2.0 3,146 2.2 2,924 1.1 2,388 1.0 517 1.1 536 1.6
Natural resources and conservation 11,407 1.7 8,034 1.6 2,535 1.6 3,373 1.9 7,691 2.0 5,072 2.0 2,115 1.9 2,619 1.8 3,716 1.3 2,962 1.2 420 0.9 754 2.2
Environmental science and studies 5,427 0.8 3,827 0.8 1,294 0.8 1,600 0.9 3,683 0.9 2,412 1.0 1,084 0.9 1,271 0.9 1,744 0.6 1,415 0.6 210 0.5 329 1.0
Forestry, natural resources, and conservation 5,980 0.9 4,207 0.9 1,241 0.8 1,773 1.0 4,008 1.0 2,660 1.1 1,031 0.9 1,348 0.9 1,972 0.7 1,547 0.6 210 0.5 425 1.2
Physical sciences 42,075 6.3 37,671 7.7 8,277 5.2 4,404 2.5 6,075 1.6 3,915 1.6 1,657 1.5 2,160 1.5 36,000 13.0 33,756 13.9 6,620 14.5 2,244 6.6
Astronomy and astrophysics 1,353 0.2 1,273 0.3 257 0.2 80 * 72 * 56 * 16 * 16 * 1,281 0.5 1,217 0.5 241 0.5 64 0.2
Chemistry 22,691 3.4 20,283 4.1 4,447 2.8 2,408 1.4 3,144 0.8 1,906 0.8 775 0.7 1,238 0.9 19,547 7.1 18,377 7.6 3,672 8.1 1,170 3.4
Materials sciences 1,324 0.2 1,168 0.2 353 0.2 156 0.1 449 0.1 337 0.1 177 0.2 112 0.1 875 0.3 831 0.3 176 0.4 44 0.1
Physics 16,086 2.4 14,463 2.9 3,062 1.9 1,623 0.9 2,173 0.6 1,459 0.6 603 0.5 714 0.5 13,913 5.0 13,004 5.4 2,459 5.4 909 2.7
Physical sciences nec 621 0.1 484 0.1 158 0.1 137 0.1 237 0.1 157 0.1 86 0.1 80 0.1 384 0.1 327 0.1 72 0.2 57 0.2
Psychology 55,707 8.3 38,525 7.8 12,002 7.5 17,182 9.7 35,404 9.0 21,987 8.8 8,788 7.7 13,417 9.4 20,303 7.3 16,538 6.8 3,214 7.1 3,765 11.0
Clinical psychology 7,027 1.1 5,333 1.1 1,373 0.9 1,694 1.0 3,213 0.8 2,151 0.9 794 0.7 1,062 0.7 3,814 1.4 3,182 1.3 579 1.3 632 1.8
Counseling and applied psychology 31,660 4.7 19,555 4.0 6,498 4.1 12,105 6.8 24,714 6.3 14,638 5.9 5,529 4.8 10,076 7.1 6,946 2.5 4,917 2.0 969 2.1 2,029 5.9
Psychology, general 12,861 1.9 10,090 2.1 3,172 2.0 2,771 1.6 6,178 1.6 4,271 1.7 1,976 1.7 1,907 1.3 6,683 2.4 5,819 2.4 1,196 2.6 864 2.5
Research and experimental psychology 4,159 0.6 3,547 0.7 959 0.6 612 0.3 1,299 0.3 927 0.4 489 0.4 372 0.3 2,860 1.0 2,620 1.1 470 1.0 240 0.7
Social sciences 77,985 11.7 56,751 11.5 18,239 11.4 21,234 12.0 42,726 10.9 26,712 10.7 12,874 11.3 16,014 11.2 35,259 12.7 30,039 12.4 5,365 11.8 5,220 15.3
Agricultural economics 1,698 0.3 1,504 0.3 439 0.3 194 0.1 779 0.2 655 0.3 291 0.3 124 0.1 919 0.3 849 0.3 148 0.3 70 0.2
Anthropology 6,773 1.0 5,327 1.1 1,310 0.8 1,446 0.8 2,302 0.6 1,470 0.6 696 0.6 832 0.6 4,471 1.6 3,857 1.6 614 1.3 614 1.8
Criminal justice and safety studies 5,169 0.8 2,242 0.5 887 0.6 2,927 1.7 4,506 1.2 1,813 0.7 770 0.7 2,693 1.9 663 0.2 429 0.2 117 0.3 234 0.7
Economics (except agricultural) 13,344 2.0 11,391 2.3 3,724 2.3 1,953 1.1 5,427 1.4 4,240 1.7 2,316 2.0 1,187 0.8 7,917 2.9 7,151 2.9 1,408 3.1 766 2.2
Geography and cartography 4,566 0.7 3,060 0.6 944 0.6 1,506 0.9 2,717 0.7 1,505 0.6 682 0.6 1,212 0.8 1,849 0.7 1,555 0.6 262 0.6 294 0.9
History and philosophy of science 301 * 265 0.1 51 * 36 * 31 * 20 * 6 * 11 * 270 0.1 245 0.1 45 0.1 25 0.1
Human development 2,122 0.3 1,421 0.3 505 0.3 701 0.4 1,329 0.3 800 0.3 371 0.3 529 0.4 793 0.3 621 0.3 134 0.3 172 0.5
International relations and national security studies 7,265 1.1 4,723 1.0 2,025 1.3 2,542 1.4 6,826 1.7 4,358 1.8 1,958 1.7 2,468 1.7 439 0.2 365 0.2 67 0.1 74 0.2
Linguistics 2,723 0.4 2,079 0.4 536 0.3 644 0.4 1,175 0.3 668 0.3 291 0.3 507 0.4 1,548 0.6 1,411 0.6 245 0.5 137 0.4
Political science and government 8,317 1.2 6,426 1.3 1,582 1.0 1,891 1.1 2,706 0.7 1,524 0.6 720 0.6 1,182 0.8 5,611 2.0 4,902 2.0 862 1.9 709 2.1
Public policy analysis 8,202 1.2 5,704 1.2 2,352 1.5 2,498 1.4 5,882 1.5 4,200 1.7 2,050 1.8 1,682 1.2 2,320 0.8 1,504 0.6 302 0.7 816 2.4
Sociology 7,523 1.1 5,853 1.2 1,335 0.8 1,670 0.9 2,395 0.6 1,390 0.6 647 0.6 1,005 0.7 5,128 1.9 4,463 1.8 688 1.5 665 1.9
Social sciences nec 9,982 1.5 6,756 1.4 2,549 1.6 3,226 1.8 6,651 1.7 4,069 1.6 2,076 1.8 2,582 1.8 3,331 1.2 2,687 1.1 473 1.0 644 1.9
Engineering 163,301 24.4 120,521 24.5 38,565 24.1 42,780 24.2 93,064 23.8 59,228 23.8 27,764 24.3 33,836 23.7 70,237 25.3 61,293 25.2 10,801 23.7 8,944 26.2
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 5,848 0.9 4,301 0.9 1,238 0.8 1,547 0.9 3,342 0.9 2,128 0.9 915 0.8 1,214 0.9 2,506 0.9 2,173 0.9 323 0.7 333 1.0
Agricultural engineering 1,032 0.2 858 0.2 193 0.1 174 0.1 371 0.1 286 0.1 111 0.1 85 0.1 661 0.2 572 0.2 82 0.2 89 0.3
Bioengineering and biomedical engineering 11,480 1.7 9,933 2.0 3,196 2.0 1,547 0.9 4,202 1.1 3,369 1.4 1,879 1.6 833 0.6 7,278 2.6 6,564 2.7 1,317 2.9 714 2.1
Biological and biosystems engineering 283 * 199 * 74 * 84 * 80 * 50 * 26 * 30 * 203 0.1 149 0.1 48 0.1 54 0.2
Chemical engineering 10,011 1.5 8,803 1.8 2,369 1.5 1,208 0.7 3,061 0.8 2,220 0.9 1,061 0.9 841 0.6 6,950 2.5 6,583 2.7 1,308 2.9 367 1.1
Civil engineering 20,461 3.1 14,862 3.0 4,848 3.0 5,599 3.2 12,729 3.3 8,289 3.3 3,782 3.3 4,440 3.1 7,732 2.8 6,573 2.7 1,066 2.3 1,159 3.4
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering 46,227 6.9 34,814 7.1 11,531 7.2 11,413 6.5 28,108 7.2 19,341 7.8 8,818 7.7 8,767 6.1 18,119 6.5 15,473 6.4 2,713 6.0 2,646 7.7
Engineering mechanics, physics, and science 2,157 0.3 1,768 0.4 494 0.3 389 0.2 729 0.2 472 0.2 254 0.2 257 0.2 1,428 0.5 1,296 0.5 240 0.5 132 0.4
Industrial and manufacturing engineering 15,987 2.4 9,393 1.9 3,908 2.4 6,594 3.7 12,389 3.2 6,492 2.6 3,376 3.0 5,897 4.1 3,598 1.3 2,901 1.2 532 1.2 697 2.0
Mechanical engineering 26,593 4.0 20,076 4.1 6,221 3.9 6,517 3.7 15,434 3.9 10,178 4.1 4,618 4.0 5,256 3.7 11,159 4.0 9,898 4.1 1,603 3.5 1,261 3.7
Metallurgical and materials engineering 6,689 1.0 5,823 1.2 1,518 1.0 866 0.5 2,079 0.5 1,539 0.6 738 0.6 540 0.4 4,610 1.7 4,284 1.8 780 1.7 326 1.0
Mining engineering 527 0.1 381 0.1 116 0.1 146 0.1 316 0.1 211 0.1 91 0.1 105 0.1 211 0.1 170 0.1 25 0.1 41 0.1
Nanotechnology 118 * 103 * 39 * 15 * 47 * 32 * 19 * 15 * 71 * 71 * 20 * 0 0.0
Nuclear engineering 1,453 0.2 1,208 0.2 229 0.1 245 0.1 407 0.1 273 0.1 101 0.1 134 0.1 1,046 0.4 935 0.4 128 0.3 111 0.3
Petroleum engineering 1,403 0.2 1,056 0.2 240 0.2 347 0.2 754 0.2 477 0.2 167 0.1 277 0.2 649 0.2 579 0.2 73 0.2 70 0.2
Engineering nec 13,032 2.0 6,943 1.4 2,351 1.5 6,089 3.4 9,016 2.3 3,871 1.6 1,808 1.6 5,145 3.6 4,016 1.4 3,072 1.3 543 1.2 944 2.8
Health 72,751 10.9 49,865 10.1 19,297 12.1 22,886 12.9 56,820 14.5 38,265 15.4 16,889 14.8 18,555 13.0 15,931 5.7 11,600 4.8 2,408 5.3 4,331 12.7
Clinical medicinea 32,002 4.8 19,656 4.0 8,266 5.2 12,346 7.0 27,494 7.0 16,233 6.5 7,550 6.6 11,261 7.9 4,508 1.6 3,423 1.4 716 1.6 1,085 3.2
Public health 30,777 4.6 18,785 3.8 7,967 5.0 11,992 6.8 26,673 6.8 15,729 6.3 7,348 6.4 10,944 7.7 4,104 1.5 3,056 1.3 619 1.4 1,048 3.1
Clinical medicine nec 1,225 0.2 871 0.2 299 0.2 354 0.2 821 0.2 504 0.2 202 0.2 317 0.2 404 0.1 367 0.2 97 0.2 37 0.1
Other health 40,749 6.1 30,209 6.1 11,031 6.9 10,540 6.0 29,326 7.5 22,032 8.9 9,339 8.2 7,294 5.1 11,423 4.1 8,177 3.4 1,692 3.7 3,246 9.5
Communication disorders sciences 16,902 2.5 14,677 3.0 6,157 3.9 2,225 1.3 15,803 4.0 13,737 5.5 5,940 5.2 2,066 1.4 1,099 0.4 940 0.4 217 0.5 159 0.5
Dental sciences 1,725 0.3 1,551 0.3 403 0.3 174 0.1 1,478 0.4 1,321 0.5 376 0.3 157 0.1 247 0.1 230 0.1 27 0.1 17 *
Nursing science 5,453 0.8 2,707 0.6 634 0.4 2,746 1.6 1,902 0.5 912 0.4 225 0.2 990 0.7 3,551 1.3 1,795 0.7 409 0.9 1,756 5.1
Pharmaceutical sciences 4,029 0.6 3,380 0.7 840 0.5 649 0.4 1,075 0.3 713 0.3 315 0.3 362 0.3 2,954 1.1 2,667 1.1 525 1.2 287 0.8
Veterinary biomedical and clinical sciences 1,212 0.2 853 0.2 228 0.1 359 0.2 637 0.2 348 0.1 121 0.1 289 0.2 575 0.2 505 0.2 107 0.2 70 0.2
Other health nec 11,428 1.7 7,041 1.4 2,769 1.7 4,387 2.5 8,431 2.2 5,001 2.0 2,362 2.1 3,430 2.4 2,997 1.1 2,040 0.8 407 0.9 957 2.8
* = value < 0.05%.
nec = not elsewhere classified.
a Clinical medicine includes graduate students in public health and clinical medicine nec.
NOTE: 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.