Back to Data Tables
Excel icon Download to excel

Table 4-4c. Citizenship, ethnicity, and race of doctoral students, by detailed field: 2018

Detailed field Total Hispanic or Latino Not Hispanic or Latino Unknown ethnicity and race Temporary visa holders
American Indian or Alaska Native Asian Black or African American Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander White More than one race
Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent
All detailed fields 277,096 100.0 16,161 100.0 713 100.0 16,750 100.0 10,065 100.0 233 100.0 109,725 100.0 5,744 100.0 7,900 100.0 109,805 100.0
Science 190,928 68.9 12,691 78.5 580 81.3 11,492 68.6 7,284 72.4 181 77.7 83,654 76.2 4,431 77.1 5,915 74.9 64,700 58.9
Agricultural sciences 3,880 1.4 144 0.9 12 1.7 101 0.6 106 1.1 3 1.3 1,559 1.4 51 0.9 59 0.7 1,845 1.7
Biological and biomedical sciences 52,627 19.0 4,123 25.5 157 22.0 4,497 26.8 2,096 20.8 69 29.6 25,467 23.2 1,357 23.6 1,672 21.2 13,189 12.0
Biochemistry 4,554 1.6 362 2.2 10 1.4 362 2.2 154 1.5 9 3.9 2,190 2.0 118 2.1 97 1.2 1,252 1.1
Biology 7,054 2.5 546 3.4 19 2.7 437 2.6 234 2.3 4 1.7 3,485 3.2 169 2.9 214 2.7 1,946 1.8
Biomedical sciences 4,030 1.5 313 1.9 7 1.0 366 2.2 245 2.4 7 3.0 1,825 1.7 115 2.0 102 1.3 1,050 1.0
Biophysics 830 0.3 59 0.4 1 0.1 75 0.4 20 0.2 1 0.4 372 0.3 15 0.3 36 0.5 251 0.2
Biostatistics and bioinformatics 2,946 1.1 95 0.6 2 0.3 345 2.1 69 0.7 4 1.7 992 0.9 64 1.1 108 1.4 1,267 1.2
Biotechnology 109 * 5 * 0 0.0 13 0.1 4 * 0 0.0 60 0.1 0 0.0 2 * 25 *
Botany and plant biology 1,317 0.5 87 0.5 3 0.4 60 0.4 38 0.4 2 0.9 614 0.6 26 0.5 35 0.4 452 0.4
Cell, cellular biology, and anatomical sciences 4,990 1.8 487 3.0 18 2.5 497 3.0 159 1.6 9 3.9 2,318 2.1 102 1.8 157 2.0 1,243 1.1
Ecology and population biology 2,620 0.9 194 1.2 7 1.0 115 0.7 77 0.8 2 0.9 1,583 1.4 82 1.4 132 1.7 428 0.4
Epidemiology 1,768 0.6 107 0.7 9 1.3 183 1.1 119 1.2 6 2.6 758 0.7 54 0.9 66 0.8 466 0.4
Genetics 2,105 0.8 162 1.0 10 1.4 173 1.0 69 0.7 4 1.7 1,128 1.0 54 0.9 52 0.7 453 0.4
Microbiological sciences and immunology 3,914 1.4 336 2.1 10 1.4 339 2.0 176 1.7 5 2.1 2,063 1.9 119 2.1 133 1.7 733 0.7
Molecular biology 1,128 0.4 99 0.6 1 0.1 130 0.8 36 0.4 0 0.0 494 0.5 33 0.6 36 0.5 299 0.3
Neurobiology and neuroscience 5,046 1.8 485 3.0 21 2.9 513 3.1 185 1.8 2 0.9 2,651 2.4 166 2.9 165 2.1 858 0.8
Nutrition science 967 0.3 48 0.3 1 0.1 97 0.6 30 0.3 0 0.0 439 0.4 22 0.4 17 0.2 313 0.3
Pathology and experimental pathology 880 0.3 114 0.7 2 0.3 63 0.4 33 0.3 0 0.0 373 0.3 18 0.3 45 0.6 232 0.2
Pharmacology and toxicology 2,237 0.8 194 1.2 7 1.0 234 1.4 162 1.6 4 1.7 1,004 0.9 64 1.1 74 0.9 494 0.4
Physiology 2,631 0.9 192 1.2 11 1.5 253 1.5 105 1.0 2 0.9 1,290 1.2 51 0.9 79 1.0 648 0.6
Zoology and animal biology 1,193 0.4 65 0.4 5 0.7 33 0.2 27 0.3 1 0.4 717 0.7 41 0.7 38 0.5 266 0.2
Biological and biomedical sciences nec 2,308 0.8 173 1.1 13 1.8 209 1.2 154 1.5 7 3.0 1,111 1.0 44 0.8 84 1.1 513 0.5
Computer and information sciences 16,127 5.8 374 2.3 12 1.7 902 5.4 388 3.9 12 5.2 3,629 3.3 218 3.8 415 5.3 10,177 9.3
Computer science 8,343 3.0 169 1.0 4 0.6 496 3.0 115 1.1 5 2.1 1,768 1.6 111 1.9 239 3.0 5,436 5.0
Computer and information sciences, general 6,401 2.3 147 0.9 5 0.7 309 1.8 167 1.7 5 2.1 1,425 1.3 83 1.4 133 1.7 4,127 3.8
Computer and information sciences nec 1,383 0.5 58 0.4 3 0.4 97 0.6 106 1.1 2 0.9 436 0.4 24 0.4 43 0.5 614 0.6
Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences 6,704 2.4 377 2.3 21 2.9 218 1.3 100 1.0 0 0.0 3,426 3.1 183 3.2 230 2.9 2,149 2.0
Atmospheric sciences and meteorology 883 0.3 41 0.3 2 0.3 22 0.1 14 0.1 0 0.0 440 0.4 16 0.3 28 0.4 320 0.3
Geological and earth sciences 4,370 1.6 247 1.5 16 2.2 142 0.8 69 0.7 0 0.0 2,154 2.0 112 1.9 148 1.9 1,482 1.3
Ocean and marine sciences 1,451 0.5 89 0.6 3 0.4 54 0.3 17 0.2 0 0.0 832 0.8 55 1.0 54 0.7 347 0.3
Mathematics and statistics 13,388 4.8 520 3.2 14 2.0 763 4.6 215 2.1 3 1.3 4,557 4.2 232 4.0 363 4.6 6,721 6.1
Mathematics and applied mathematics 10,230 3.7 449 2.8 11 1.5 575 3.4 163 1.6 2 0.9 3,899 3.6 198 3.4 296 3.7 4,637 4.2
Statistics 3,158 1.1 71 0.4 3 0.4 188 1.1 52 0.5 1 0.4 658 0.6 34 0.6 67 0.8 2,084 1.9
Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary studies 2,924 1.1 184 1.1 9 1.3 192 1.1 155 1.5 5 2.1 1,433 1.3 66 1.1 98 1.2 782 0.7
Natural resources and conservation 3,716 1.3 231 1.4 24 3.4 120 0.7 145 1.4 1 0.4 1,947 1.8 94 1.6 196 2.5 958 0.9
Environmental science and studies 1,744 0.6 120 0.7 9 1.3 68 0.4 91 0.9 1 0.4 838 0.8 42 0.7 130 1.6 445 0.4
Forestry, natural resources, and conservation 1,972 0.7 111 0.7 15 2.1 52 0.3 54 0.5 0 0.0 1,109 1.0 52 0.9 66 0.8 513 0.5
Physical sciences 36,000 13.0 1,928 11.9 54 7.6 1,899 11.3 680 6.8 13 5.6 15,134 13.8 692 12.0 888 11.2 14,712 13.4
Astronomy and astrophysics 1,281 0.5 91 0.6 2 0.3 91 0.5 23 0.2 0 0.0 690 0.6 41 0.7 33 0.4 310 0.3
Chemistry 19,547 7.1 1,168 7.2 31 4.3 1,098 6.6 441 4.4 11 4.7 8,318 7.6 395 6.9 458 5.8 7,627 6.9
Materials sciences 875 0.3 48 0.3 2 0.3 57 0.3 22 0.2 0 0.0 315 0.3 10 0.2 36 0.5 385 0.4
Physics 13,913 5.0 611 3.8 19 2.7 642 3.8 176 1.7 2 0.9 5,658 5.2 241 4.2 356 4.5 6,208 5.7
Physical sciences nec 384 0.1 10 0.1 0 0.0 11 0.1 18 0.2 0 0.0 153 0.1 5 0.1 5 0.1 182 0.2
Psychology 20,303 7.3 2,514 15.6 99 13.9 1,206 7.2 1,442 14.3 33 14.2 11,666 10.6 730 12.7 766 9.7 1,847 1.7
Clinical psychology 3,814 1.4 686 4.2 14 2.0 249 1.5 226 2.2 4 1.7 2,097 1.9 171 3.0 232 2.9 135 0.1
Counseling and applied psychology 6,946 2.5 913 5.6 48 6.7 357 2.1 730 7.3 19 8.2 3,792 3.5 245 4.3 235 3.0 607 0.6
Psychology, general 6,683 2.4 684 4.2 27 3.8 379 2.3 355 3.5 8 3.4 4,181 3.8 229 4.0 235 3.0 585 0.5
Research and experimental psychology 2,860 1.0 231 1.4 10 1.4 221 1.3 131 1.3 2 0.9 1,596 1.5 85 1.5 64 0.8 520 0.5
Social sciences 35,259 12.7 2,296 14.2 178 25.0 1,594 9.5 1,957 19.4 42 18.0 14,836 13.5 808 14.1 1,228 15.5 12,320 11.2
Agricultural economics 919 0.3 18 0.1 0 0.0 41 0.2 14 0.1 0 0.0 211 0.2 8 0.1 22 0.3 605 0.6
Anthropology 4,471 1.6 390 2.4 50 7.0 176 1.1 141 1.4 6 2.6 2,463 2.2 146 2.5 251 3.2 848 0.8
Criminal justice and safety studies 663 0.2 61 0.4 0 0.0 17 0.1 60 0.6 2 0.9 406 0.4 21 0.4 27 0.3 69 0.1
Economics (except agricultural) 7,917 2.9 190 1.2 6 0.8 347 2.1 105 1.0 1 0.4 1,835 1.7 74 1.3 163 2.1 5,196 4.7
Geography and cartography 1,849 0.7 95 0.6 7 1.0 62 0.4 53 0.5 1 0.4 891 0.8 41 0.7 64 0.8 635 0.6
History and philosophy of science 270 0.1 16 0.1 0 0.0 6 * 29 0.3 0 0.0 141 0.1 6 0.1 5 0.1 67 0.1
Human development 793 0.3 60 0.4 4 0.6 30 0.2 81 0.8 1 0.4 425 0.4 30 0.5 21 0.3 141 0.1
International relations and national security studies 439 0.2 31 0.2 0 0.0 23 0.1 20 0.2 0 0.0 204 0.2 6 0.1 5 0.1 150 0.1
Linguistics 1,548 0.6 62 0.4 13 1.8 78 0.5 25 0.2 0 0.0 639 0.6 39 0.7 49 0.6 643 0.6
Political science and government 5,611 2.0 308 1.9 14 2.0 226 1.3 255 2.5 7 3.0 2,809 2.6 123 2.1 233 2.9 1,636 1.5
Public policy analysis 2,320 0.8 151 0.9 10 1.4 154 0.9 269 2.7 5 2.1 954 0.9 46 0.8 85 1.1 646 0.6
Sociology 5,128 1.9 509 3.1 22 3.1 270 1.6 509 5.1 6 2.6 2,472 2.3 145 2.5 176 2.2 1,019 0.9
Social sciences nec 3,331 1.2 405 2.5 52 7.3 164 1.0 396 3.9 13 5.6 1,386 1.3 123 2.1 127 1.6 665 0.6
Engineering 70,237 25.3 2,503 15.5 71 10.0 4,105 24.5 1,417 14.1 30 12.9 18,454 16.8 941 16.4 1,436 18.2 41,280 37.6
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 2,506 0.9 109 0.7 7 1.0 140 0.8 35 0.3 0 0.0 975 0.9 53 0.9 54 0.7 1,133 1.0
Agricultural engineering 661 0.2 19 0.1 1 0.1 28 0.2 18 0.2 1 0.4 155 0.1 14 0.2 9 0.1 416 0.4
Bioengineering and biomedical engineering 7,278 2.6 480 3.0 8 1.1 961 5.7 226 2.2 11 4.7 2,876 2.6 195 3.4 226 2.9 2,295 2.1
Biological and biosystems engineering 203 0.1 6 * 0 0.0 3 * 3 * 1 0.4 66 0.1 4 0.1 4 0.1 116 0.1
Chemical engineering 6,950 2.5 241 1.5 8 1.1 512 3.1 127 1.3 2 0.9 2,247 2.0 109 1.9 132 1.7 3,572 3.3
Civil engineering 7,732 2.8 267 1.7 7 1.0 233 1.4 138 1.4 4 1.7 1,612 1.5 81 1.4 140 1.8 5,250 4.8
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering 18,119 6.5 387 2.4 6 0.8 942 5.6 295 2.9 0 0.0 3,041 2.8 132 2.3 309 3.9 13,007 11.8
Engineering mechanics, physics, and science 1,428 0.5 44 0.3 3 0.4 100 0.6 27 0.3 1 0.4 408 0.4 20 0.3 24 0.3 801 0.7
Industrial and manufacturing engineering 3,598 1.3 83 0.5 4 0.6 148 0.9 120 1.2 3 1.3 722 0.7 25 0.4 90 1.1 2,403 2.2
Mechanical engineering 11,159 4.0 416 2.6 14 2.0 526 3.1 186 1.8 1 0.4 2,979 2.7 145 2.5 233 2.9 6,659 6.1
Metallurgical and materials engineering 4,610 1.7 226 1.4 7 1.0 282 1.7 87 0.9 2 0.9 1,481 1.3 83 1.4 57 0.7 2,385 2.2
Mining engineering 211 0.1 7 * 0 0.0 3 * 3 * 0 0.0 87 0.1 3 0.1 2 * 106 0.1
Nanotechnology 71 * 2 * 0 0.0 5 * 0 0.0 0 0.0 26 * 1 * 3 * 34 *
Nuclear engineering 1,046 0.4 59 0.4 2 0.3 37 0.2 15 0.1 0 0.0 525 0.5 19 0.3 29 0.4 360 0.3
Petroleum engineering 649 0.2 6 * 0 0.0 13 0.1 13 0.1 0 0.0 56 0.1 3 0.1 16 0.2 542 0.5
Engineering nec 4,016 1.4 151 0.9 4 0.6 172 1.0 124 1.2 4 1.7 1,198 1.1 54 0.9 108 1.4 2,201 2.0
Health 15,931 5.7 967 6.0 62 8.7 1,153 6.9 1,364 13.6 22 9.4 7,617 6.9 372 6.5 549 6.9 3,825 3.5
Clinical medicinea 4,508 1.6 402 2.5 24 3.4 367 2.2 511 5.1 10 4.3 1,952 1.8 141 2.5 163 2.1 938 0.9
Public health 4,104 1.5 361 2.2 21 2.9 334 2.0 499 5.0 9 3.9 1,729 1.6 123 2.1 157 2.0 871 0.8
Clinical medicine nec 404 0.1 41 0.3 3 0.4 33 0.2 12 0.1 1 0.4 223 0.2 18 0.3 6 0.1 67 0.1
Other health 11,423 4.1 565 3.5 38 5.3 786 4.7 853 8.5 12 5.2 5,665 5.2 231 4.0 386 4.9 2,887 2.6
Communication disorders sciences 1,099 0.4 50 0.3 4 0.6 54 0.3 62 0.6 1 0.4 703 0.6 25 0.4 45 0.6 155 0.1
Dental sciences 247 0.1 4 * 0 0.0 21 0.1 8 0.1 0 0.0 48 * 2 * 6 0.1 158 0.1
Nursing science 3,551 1.3 202 1.2 21 2.9 185 1.1 476 4.7 6 2.6 2,096 1.9 55 1.0 138 1.7 372 0.3
Pharmaceutical sciences 2,954 1.1 133 0.8 5 0.7 336 2.0 115 1.1 2 0.9 817 0.7 58 1.0 59 0.7 1,429 1.3
Veterinary biomedical and clinical sciences 575 0.2 29 0.2 1 0.1 18 0.1 14 0.1 0 0.0 282 0.3 20 0.3 35 0.4 176 0.2
Other health nec 2,997 1.1 147 0.9 7 1.0 172 1.0 178 1.8 3 1.3 1,719 1.6 71 1.2 103 1.3 597 0.5
* = value < 0.05%.
nec = not elsewhere classified.
a Clinical medicine includes graduate students in public health and clinical medicine nec.
NOTES: Percentages may not add to total because of rounding. Ethnicity and race data are available only for U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
SOURCE: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering, 2018.