This indicator represents the extent to which a state’s higher education degree awards are concentrated in S&E fields. S&E fields include agricultural sciences and natural resources; biological and biomedical sciences; computer and information sciences; engineering; geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences; mathematics and statistics; multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary sciences; physical sciences; psychology; and social sciences. At the doctoral level only, health sciences are also included in S&E fields of study. Counts of both S&E degrees and higher education degrees conferred include bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees; associate’s degrees and professional degrees are not included.

The number of degrees awarded is an actual count provided by the National Center for Education Statistics and includes degrees from both public and private institutions. These values are reported by the state in which the school is located and include degrees awarded to both in-person and online students. Degree data reflect the location of the degree-granting institution, not the state where degree-earning students reside. Student mobility after graduation is not accounted for, which may make this indicator less meaningful in predicting the qualifications of a state’s future technical workforce.

Data source: Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System.