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Table A-5b. Science, engineering, and health organizational units with postdocs, by detailed field: 2014–18

Field 2014newa 2015 2016b 2017c 2018
All surveyed fieldsd 6,147 6,258 6,493 7,080 7,211
Science and engineering 4,456 4,562 4,696 5,057 5,156
Science 3,587 3,679 3,789 4,068 4,145
Agricultural sciences 245 248 254 179 187
Biological and biomedical sciencese 1,514 1,521 1,568 1,725 1,733
Anatomy 33 30 28 na na
Biochemistry 125 126 121 126 125
Biology 178 182 173 191 200
Biomedical sciences na na na 59 60
Biometry and epidemiology 84 91 102 na na
Biophysics 10 10 9 13 15
Biostatistics and bioinformatics na na na 82 84
Biotechnology na na na 16 17
Botany and plant biology 45 44 46 46 48
Cell and molecular biology 117 118 121 na na
Cell, cellular biology, and anatomical sciences na na na 123 119
Ecology 18 16 16 na na
Ecology and population biology na na na 62 58
Entomology and parasitology 31 31 32 na na
Epidemiology na na na 32 36
Genetics 76 74 82 94 91
Microbiological sciences and immunology 153 159 159 158 153
Molecular biology na na na 34 39
Neurobiology and neuroscience 110 118 126 150 141
Nutrition science 46 41 46 32 41
Pathology and experimental pathology 91 88 78 81 81
Pharmacology and toxicology 107 106 109 108 101
Physiology 113 115 143 165 167
Zoology and animal biology 11 12 10 50 48
Biological and biomedical sciences nec 166 160 167 103 109
Communication 20 24 20 ne ne
Computer and information sciences 146 157 177 174 163
Computer science na na na 81 66
Computer and information sciences, general na na na 63 57
Computer and information sciences nec na na na 30 40
Family and consumer sciences and human sciences 35 33 32 na na
Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences 251 260 247 251 250
Atmospheric sciences and meteorology 38 34 36 44 46
Geological and earth sciences 121 119 109 117 123
Ocean and marine sciences 45 49 50 59 53
Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences nec 47 58 52 31 28
Mathematics and statistics 153 166 165 167 171
Mathematics and applied mathematics 121 132 133 132 130
Statistics 32 34 32 35 41
Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary studies 142 147 176 187 181
Natural resources and conservation na na na 120 137
Environmental science and studies na na na 49 60
Forestry, natural resources, and conservation na na na 71 77
Physical sciences 493 508 517 559 551
Astronomy and astrophysics 40 45 47 56 61
Chemistry 219 224 221 222 220
Materials sciences na na na 31 27
Physics 212 220 222 228 225
Physical sciences nec 22 19 27 22 18
Psychology 195 187 201 202 215
Clinical psychology 30 26 27 21 19
Counseling and applied psychology na na na 47 61
Psychology, general 91 90 94 105 103
Psychology nec 74 71 80 na na
Research and experimental psychology na na na 29 32
Social sciences 393 428 432 504 557
Agricultural economics 25 23 23 19 21
Anthropology 56 58 60 57 54
Criminal justice and safety studies na na na 1 7
Economics (except agricultural) 33 33 30 40 43
Geography and cartography 36 37 43 34 43
History and philosophy of science 4 6 7 7 7
Human development na na na 36 34
International relations and national security studies na na na 10 11
Linguistics 20 24 19 20 22
Political science and government 86 98 95 44 46
Public policy analysis na na na 42 59
Sociology 40 42 45 61 65
Sociology and anthropology 1 1 1 na na
Social sciences nec 92 106 109 133 145
Engineering 869 883 907 989 1,011
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 30 31 30 31 29
Agricultural engineering 32 34 32 20 21
Architecture 6 8 8 ne ne
Bioengineering and biomedical engineering 98 100 99 123 121
Biological and biosystems engineering na na na 10 15
Chemical engineering 108 111 113 115 122
Civil engineering 116 123 128 145 146
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering 135 133 144 154 150
Engineering mechanics, physics, and science 18 17 16 19 19
Industrial and manufacturing engineering 40 44 42 41 46
Mechanical engineering 127 124 132 140 136
Metallurgical and materials engineering 84 79 80 57 63
Mining engineering 6 6 5 10 13
Nanotechnology na na na 16 19
Nuclear engineering 15 14 13 13 14
Petroleum engineering 10 11 12 10 10
Engineering nec 44 48 53 85 87
Health 1,691 1,696 1,797 2,023 2,055
Clinical medicinef 1,328 1,332 1,400 1,597 1,605
Anesthesiology 50 49 47 50 48
Cardiology 50 50 50 59 59
Endocrinology 36 35 38 32 37
Gastroenterology 33 31 32 31 35
Hematology 31 27 25 27 27
Neurology 67 67 62 110 114
Obstetrics and gynecology 45 43 46 52 52
Oncology and cancer research 91 87 124 123 129
Ophthalmology 58 59 62 69 69
Otorhinolaryngology 31 34 33 32 34
Pediatrics 83 85 86 88 107
Psychiatry 79 84 82 86 76
Public health 115 126 142 143 149
Pulmonary disease 39 35 34 33 30
Radiological sciences 76 79 74 90 84
Surgery 141 137 132 158 164
Clinical medicine nec 303 304 331 414 391
Other health 363 364 397 426 450
Communication disorders sciences 21 22 24 28 32
Dental sciences 46 42 46 52 57
Nursing science 26 28 37 38 38
Pharmaceutical sciences 87 90 96 97 101
Veterinary biomedical and clinical sciences 65 62 73 77 80
Other health nec 118 120 121 134 142
na= not applicable, data collected under different GSS codes; ne = not eligible.
GSS = Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering; nec = not elsewhere classified.
a In 2014, the survey frame was updated following a comprehensive frame evaluation study. The study identified potentially eligible but not previously surveyed academic institutions in the United States with master's- or doctorate-granting programs in science, engineering, or health. A total of 151 newly eligible institutions were added, and two private for-profit institutions offering mostly practitioner-based graduate degrees were determined to be ineligible.
b The 2016 survey included a pilot data collection to assess the feasibility of several data collection changes, including the use of Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes for reporting data and file uploads for transmitting data. The number of units added and deleted by pilot coordinators was much greater than is typical. These increases are largely due to how data are organized in institutional information systems and the increased granularity of CIP codes relative to GSS codes, rather than a reflection of increased organizational complexity.
c The number of units is not strictly comparable between 2017 and prior years as the change in data collection led to existing units to be split by CIP code. Additionally, many schools reorganized units voluntarily, leading to a large increase in overall units.
d Several field names changed in 2017; the field names listed in this table are the field names used in GSS collection and reporting for 2017. For a complete list of field names used prior to 2017, see https://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/gradpostdoc/2016/html/GSS2016_TTA_17.html
e In 2017, the biological and biomedical sciences fields were reogranized. Part of nutritional sciences became ineligble in 2017; aside from this, all other deleted fields in the biological and biomedical sciences remained eligble under a different field name. Thus, while fields such as zoology and animal biology existed in prior to 2017 and in 2017, the composition of subfields in this field changed.
f Clinical medicine includes postdoctoral appointees 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.
SOURCE: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering.