This indicator represents the extent to which a state’s higher education programs in S&E are focused on producing individuals with the highest level of technical expertise. The academic and technical leaders of the future are often drawn from individuals receiving S&E doctoral degrees. 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. Total S&E degrees conferred include bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees but exclude associate’s degrees. The indicator value is computed by dividing the number of doctoral degrees awarded in S&E fields by the total number of S&E degrees awarded by the higher education institutions within the state.

The numbers 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. In states with a small number of S&E graduate programs, the number of S&E doctoral degrees awarded may vary considerably from year to year. Readers should use caution when making annual comparisons for those states with small numbers of S&E doctorates.

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