Vanderbilt U.

Rankings

Data year Earned doctorates Full-time graduate students Total R&D expenditures Research space
Rank Percentile Institutions ranked Rank Percentile Institutions ranked Rank Percentile Institutions ranked Rank Percentile Institutions ranked
2024 58 87.7 459 83 87.1 631
2023 55 88.3 459 88 87.3 679
2022 59 87.4 457 85 87.8 680
2021 66 85.6 447 82 88.4 691
2020 68 85.2 450 78 89.1 698
2019 67 85.4 447 86 87.9 697
2018 68 84.5 428 88 87.7 700
2017 59 86.5 425 90 87.1 684
2016 60 86.4 430 89 87.5 697
2015 56 87.2 426 89 87.4 693
NOTES:
  • 1. See TableBuilder for the prior year data.
  • 2. Blank white cells indicate data not available, not applicable, or institution not eligible for survey.
  • 3. Data from the Survey of Science and Engineering Research Facilities is collected every two years.

Data

Number of earned doctorates, by trend major field of study of recipients: 2024–15
Fields 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015
All fields 328 339 329 264 281 291 280 313 300 324
  Science and engineering 276 288 288 212 216 237 234 254 244 258
    Agricultural sciences and natural resources 1 1 . 1 . 2 . 2 . .
      Natural resources and conservation 1 1 . 1 . 2 . 2 . .
    Biological and biomedical sciences 91 112 101 75 79 103 85 102 101 116
      Biochemistry and biophysics 7 15 7 9 4 11 8 11 10 10
      Biology and biomedical sciences, general 8 6 7 7 11 7 10 10 12 4
      Bioinformatics, biostatistics, and computational biology 7 9 9 11 4 8 8 4 3 2
      Cellular and developmental biology, and anatomy 6 2 2 4 5 15 8 11 10 22
      Ecology, evolutionary biology, and epidemiology 5 13 5 4 5 1 3 5 4 6
      Genetics and genomics 7 5 9 1 2 1 3 3 3 7
      Microbiology and immunology 11 22 16 5 14 13 14 16 6 9
      Molecular biology 12 7 10 9 4 5 1 8 3 3
      Neurobiology and neurosciences 11 19 19 10 19 23 16 18 17 19
      Pharmacology and toxicology 5 6 7 8 3 6 3 2 11 8
      Physiology, pathology, and cancer biology 12 8 7 7 6 11 11 14 18 26
      Biology and biomedical sciences, other . . 3 . 2 2 . . 4 .
    Computer and information sciences 24 11 6 6 12 8 12 8 6 6
      Computer science 21 11 6 6 11 8 12 7 4 6
      Computer and information sciences, other 3 . . . 1 . . 1 2 .
    Engineering 59 74 59 49 46 52 50 49 45 53
      Bioengineering and biomedical engineering 19 19 16 15 7 14 11 12 11 10
      Chemical and petroleum engineering 10 7 9 3 5 7 7 6 7 8
      Civil, environmental, and transportation engineering 9 7 4 5 10 3 11 6 6 10
      Electrical and computer engineering 6 19 15 10 9 9 14 10 7 10
      Industrial engineering and operations research . . . 1 2 . . . . .
      Materials and mining engineering 1 4 5 5 2 7 2 8 3 7
      Mechanical engineering 11 16 8 9 11 10 5 7 9 7
      Engineering, other 3 2 2 1 . 2 . . 2 1
    Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences 1 3 1 2 3 2 3 1 2 4
      Geological sciences 1 3 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 4
      Ocean, marine, and atmospheric sciences . . . 1 1 . 2 . . .
    Health sciences 11 10 13 7 14 10 6 13 11 9
      Nursing science 7 5 8 2 3 5 5 4 6 2
      Pharmaceutical sciences . . . . 1 . . 2 . .
      Public health . . 1 . . . . . . 1
      Health sciences, other 4 5 4 5 10 5 1 7 5 6
    Mathematics and statistics 8 5 10 5 6 7 8 2 7 5
      Applied mathematics 1 . . . . 2 2 . 2 1
      Mathematics 1 . 2 . 2 3 3 2 2 3
      Mathematics and statistics, other 6 5 8 5 4 2 3 . 3 1
    Physical sciences 25 32 44 27 25 24 29 36 40 24
      Astronomy and astrophysics 2 6 9 2 3 . 1 3 5 4
      Chemistry 17 20 30 19 14 14 19 19 21 13
      Physics 6 6 5 6 8 10 9 14 14 7
    Psychology 19 17 18 10 13 8 19 19 8 18
      Clinical psychology 4 6 2 6 3 3 6 7 3 5
      Counseling and applied psychology 6 1 6 . 1 1 2 3 1 .
      Research and experimental psychology 9 7 9 3 6 4 11 7 3 6
      Psychology, other . 3 1 1 3 . . 2 1 7
    Social sciences 37 23 36 30 18 21 22 22 24 23
      Anthropology 2 1 3 2 6 2 1 4 2 2
      Economics 14 8 11 12 3 10 4 7 8 5
      Political science and government 10 6 6 4 4 3 6 7 7 3
      Public policy analysis 1 . . . . 1 . . 1 .
      Sociology, demography, and population studies 2 2 7 6 2 3 8 2 6 7
      Social sciences, other 8 6 9 6 3 2 3 2 . 6
  Non-science and engineering 52 51 41 52 65 54 46 59 56 66
    Business . 2 . . . 1 . . 1 .
      Business . 2 . . . 1 . . 1 .
    Education 26 18 13 24 25 22 18 21 21 17
      Education leadership and administration 1 1 . . 3 1 . . . 1
      Education research 18 9 11 18 19 19 15 12 13 12
      Teacher education and teaching fields 6 7 1 5 3 2 3 6 6 4
      Education, other 1 1 1 1 . . . 3 2 .
    Humanities and arts 25 30 26 27 40 30 28 38 33 48
      Letters 4 2 2 5 5 6 6 7 3 4
      Foreign languages and literature 4 6 4 5 8 5 7 7 6 8
      History 5 7 7 6 9 11 5 7 4 8
      Philosophy and religious studies 7 8 11 8 14 7 5 14 15 19
      Humanities and arts, other 5 7 2 3 4 1 5 3 5 9
    Other non-science and engineering 1 1 2 1 . 1 . . 1 1
      Communication . . 2 . . . . . 1 .
      Public administration and social services 1 . . . . . . . . .
      Non-science and engineering, other . 1 . 1 . 1 . . . 1

NOTE:
  • . = data were not collected at this level or institution was not eligible to participate for this survey year.

SOURCE: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Earned Doctorates

Full-time graduate students in science, engineering, and health, by selected characteristics: 2024–15
All races 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015
  U.S. citizens and permanent residents   1,450   1,375   1,369   1,350   1,346   1,289   1,230   1,192   1,269   1,283
    Hispanic or Latino   144   133   135   136   130   110   101   89   71   66
    Not Hispanic or Latino   1,275   1,219   1,209   1,189   1,191   1,144   1,093   1,056   1,182   1,206
      American Indian or Alaska Native   0   0   2   1   3   3   2   2   4   5
      Asian   140   117   106   100   91   82   80   68   74   51
      Black or African American   96   80   81   76   78   83   78   72   86   75
      Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander   0   1   1   2   1   1   2   4   8   2
      White   975   954   954   949   963   920   879   862   984   1,038
      More than one race   64   67   65   61   55   55   52   48   26   35
    Unknown ethnicity and race   31   23   25   25   25   35   36   47   16   11
  Temporary visa holders   626   624   520   510   474   502   432   437   463   460
  Science and engineering   2,034   1,956   1,851   1,813   1,772   1,738   1,607   1,574   1,579   1,586
    Science   1,632   1,577   1,456   1,414   1,398   1,358   1,256   1,225   1,199   1,210
      Agricultural and veterinary sciences   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Biological and biomedical sciences   746   756   690   690   662   636   596   578   342   360
      Communication   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Computer and information sciences   228   239   187   135   112   104   107   102   100   82
      Family and consumer sciences and human sciences   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences   21   20   18   16   15   16   13   17   16   19
      Mathematics and statistics   26   23   25   29   37   38   37   34   38   35
      Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary sciences   104   110   77   65   63   31   0   0   100   115
      Natural resources and conservation   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Physical sciences   236   164   184   187   202   202   201   200   213   212
      Psychology   111   96   108   99   108   111   102   95   85   83
      Social sciences   160   169   167   193   199   220   200   199   218   219
    Engineering   402   379   395   399   374   380   351   349   380   376
      Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Biological, biomedical, and biosystems engineering   145   138   134   132   116   106   89   83   82   77
      Chemical, petroleum, and chemical-related engineering   51   52   55   56   56   55   48   46   47   47
      Civil, environmental, transportation and related engineering fields   45   50   63   63   52   54   55   60   63   55
      Electrical, electronics, communications and computer engineering   77   76   75   80   83   97   94   94   97   108
      Industrial, manufacturing, systems engineering and operations research   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Mechanical engineering   60   63   68   68   67   68   65   66   66   59
      Metallurgical, mining, materials and related engineering fields   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   25   30
      Other engineering   24   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
    Health   42   43   38   47   48   53   55   55   153   157
      Clinical medicine   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   58   58
      Other health   42   43   38   47   48   53   55   55   95   99

NOTE:
  • . = data were not collected at this level or institution was not eligible to participate for this survey year.
  • Fields of study are grouped as they appear in survey data table (https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/srvygradpostdoc/#tabs-2).

SOURCE: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering

Part-time graduate students in science, engineering, and health, by selected characteristics: 2024–15
All races 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015
  U.S. citizens and permanent residents   68   100   15   17   23   22   22   20   15   24
    Hispanic or Latino   3   7   2   0   1   4   0   1   1   1
    Not Hispanic or Latino   61   90   13   17   22   18   21   18   13   22
      American Indian or Alaska Native   0   0   0   1   1   0   0   0   0   1
      Asian   13   20   3   0   2   4   3   0   0   1
      Black or African American   7   8   0   1   0   2   0   1   2   2
      Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   1
      White   40   62   10   15   19   9   18   17   11   17
      More than one race   1   0   0   0   0   3   0   0   0   0
    Unknown ethnicity and race   4   3   0   0   0   0   1   1   1   1
  Temporary visa holders   7   7   5   4   5   7   6   6   0   1
  Science and engineering   73   107   18   20   25   27   26   22   6   14
    Science   62   100   15   12   15   20   17   15   4   6
      Agricultural and veterinary sciences   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Biological and biomedical sciences   3   2   5   5   7   10   2   1   0   0
      Communication   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Computer and information sciences   58   95   5   3   3   4   6   6   0   0
      Family and consumer sciences and human sciences   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences   0   0   0   0   0   0   4   0   0   1
      Mathematics and statistics   0   1   1   0   3   0   0   2   0   0
      Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary sciences   1   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   3   5
      Natural resources and conservation   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Physical sciences   0   1   0   0   0   0   0   2   1   0
      Psychology   0   0   2   2   1   1   2   1   0   0
      Social sciences   0   1   2   2   1   5   3   3   0   0
    Engineering   11   7   3   8   10   7   9   7   2   8
      Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Biological, biomedical, and biosystems engineering   0   0   1   5   3   0   1   3   0   0
      Chemical, petroleum, and chemical-related engineering   0   0   0   0   0   0   2   0   0   0
      Civil, environmental, transportation and related engineering fields   2   1   1   2   1   1   2   3   2   4
      Electrical, electronics, communications and computer engineering   2   6   1   0   1   4   2   0   0   0
      Industrial, manufacturing, systems engineering and operations research   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Mechanical engineering   0   0   0   1   5   2   2   1   0   4
      Metallurgical, mining, materials and related engineering fields   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Other engineering   7   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
    Health   2   0   2   1   3   2   2   4   9   11
      Clinical medicine   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   3
      Other health   2   0   2   1   3   2   2   4   9   8

NOTE:
  • . = data were not collected at this level or institution was not eligible to participate for this survey year.
  • Fields of study are grouped as they appear in survey data table (https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/srvygradpostdoc/#tabs-2).

SOURCE: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering

Full-time graduate students in science, engineering, and health receiving primary support from federal sources, by field: 2024–15
Field 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015
All surveyed fields   831   807   836   828   786   629   690   681   765   768
  Science and engineering   813   794   828   820   777   620   671   664   716   714
    Science   615   589   602   572   561   487   503   495   518   525
      Agricultural and veterinary sciences   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Biological and biomedical sciences   389   377   411   407   379   347   354   335   212   189
      Communication   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Computer and information sciences   74   83   56   49   47   39   37   42   38   26
      Family and consumer sciences and human sciences   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences   5   3   4   0   3   3   3   3   15   6
      Mathematics and statistics   3   0   0   0   0   0   0   34   0   0
      Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary sciences   3   5   0   0   1   0   0   0   62   76
      Natural resources and conservation   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Physical sciences   100   77   74   72   81   72   73   46   93   123
      Psychology   23   33   30   27   32   20   30   28   25   27
      Social sciences   18   11   27   17   18   6   6   7   20   21
    Engineering   198   205   226   248   216   133   168   169   198   189
      Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Biological, biomedical, and biosystems engineering   96   88   86   96   65   23   40   43   46   41
      Chemical, petroleum, and chemical-related engineering   27   32   30   28   33   16   25   20   27   29
      Civil, environmental, transportation and related engineering fields   20   25   31   32   26   10   15   17   27   28
      Electrical, electronics, communications and computer engineering   33   30   39   46   45   46   45   54   46   44
      Industrial, manufacturing, systems engineering and operations research   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Mechanical engineering   22   30   40   46   47   38   43   35   39   31
      Metallurgical, mining, materials and related engineering fields   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   13   16
      Other engineering   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
    Health   18   13   8   8   9   9   19   17   49   54
      Clinical medicine   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   20   26
      Other health   18   13   8   8   9   9   19   17   29   28

NOTE:
  • . = data were not collected at this level or institution was not eligible to participate for this survey year.
  • Fields of study are grouped as they appear in survey data table (https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/srvygradpostdoc/#tabs-2).

SOURCE: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering

Full-time graduate students in science, engineering, and health, by type and primary source of support: 2024–15
Type and primary source of support 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015
All types and sources of support   2,076   1,999   1,889   1,860   1,820   1,791   1,662   1,629   1,732   1,743
  Fellowships   683   365   437   416   378   542   477   317   456   432
    Federal   198   287   280   287   279   257   271   248   306   266
    Institutional   463   67   146   112   77   254   194   56   135   146
    Nonfederal   22   11   11   17   22   31   12   13   15   20
  Research assistantships   875   796   792   746   703   593   651   658   688   679
    Federal   609   504   525   520   491   363   398   386   436   486
    Institutional   217   225   218   174   161   173   187   235   206   152
    Nonfederal   49   67   49   52   51   57   66   37   46   41
  Teaching assistantships   159   282   354   287   368   404   343   380   338   376
    Federal   20   0   11   9   1   4   13   38   1   0
    Institutional   136   282   340   277   366   379   308   325   335   368
    Nonfederal   3   0   3   1   1   21   22   17   2   8
  Other types of support   359   556   306   411   371   252   191   274   250   256
    Federal   4   16   20   12   15   5   8   9   22   16
    Institutional   78   256   67   133   141   71   30   119   26   40
    Nonfederal   9   5   6   5   3   9   46   24   16   30
    Personal resources   268   279   213   261   212   167   107   122   186   170

NOTE:
  • . = data were not collected at this level or institution was not eligible to participate for this survey year.

SOURCE: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering

Postdoctorates in science, engineering, and health, by selected characteristics: 2024–15
All races 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015
  Science and engineering   291   297   275   257   328   318   331   377   386   390
    Science   253   263   245   224   283   273   296   334   350   357
      Agricultural and veterinary sciences   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Biological and biomedical sciences   156   164   165   162   205   192   207   215   211   218
      Communication   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Computer and information sciences   14   11   14   2   0   0   0   0   3   0
      Family and consumer sciences and human sciences   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences   1   3   2   4   5   6   6   3   2   2
      Mathematics and statistics   17   18   18   12   11   8   0   20   20   18
      Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary sciences   1   0   0   0   1   0   0   0   33   51
      Natural resources and conservation   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Physical sciences   28   31   19   18   32   36   44   55   48   37
      Psychology   20   18   15   14   16   21   30   33   29   23
      Social sciences   16   18   12   12   13   10   9   8   4   8
    Engineering   38   34   30   33   45   45   35   43   36   33
      Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Biological, biomedical, and biosystems engineering   6   11   10   12   13   11   11   12   11   8
      Chemical, petroleum, and chemical-related engineering   14   8   9   8   14   12   7   7   7   9
      Civil, environmental, transportation and related engineering fields   7   7   5   6   7   6   4   10   7   7
      Electrical, electronics, communications and computer engineering   5   2   2   5   7   9   8   9   6   0
      Industrial, manufacturing, systems engineering and operations research   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Mechanical engineering   6   6   4   2   4   7   5   5   5   9
      Metallurgical, mining, materials and related engineering fields   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Other engineering   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
    Health   126   114   114   133   145   169   161   110   232   239
      Clinical medicine   119   106   110   129   141   165   157   105   186   196
      Other health   7   8   4   4   4   4   4   5   46   43

NOTE:
  • . = data were not collected at this level or institution was not eligible to participate for this survey year.
  • Fields of study are grouped as they appear in survey data table (https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/srvygradpostdoc/#tabs-2).

SOURCE: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering

Federally supported science, engineering, and health postdoctorates, by field: 2024–15
Field 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015
All surveyed fields   250   250   247   260   298   328   319   318   428   434
  Science and engineering   166   168   168   165   208   213   205   232   271   278
    Science   137   146   151   137   175   183   181   203   246   252
      Agricultural and veterinary sciences   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Biological and biomedical sciences   99   106   113   108   139   141   132   154   167   167
      Communication   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Computer and information sciences   6   5   10   1   0   0   0   0   3   0
      Family and consumer sciences and human sciences   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences   1   2   2   2   3   4   3   1   2   2
      Mathematics and statistics   2   1   0   1   1   0   0   0   0   0
      Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary sciences   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   26   40
      Natural resources and conservation   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Physical sciences   13   16   12   12   21   23   27   26   26   23
      Psychology   13   12   11   11   10   14   16   21   22   19
      Social sciences   3   4   3   2   1   1   3   1   0   1
    Engineering   29   22   17   28   33   30   24   29   25   26
      Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Biological, biomedical, and biosystems engineering   4   8   6   9   8   6   7   9   11   8
      Chemical, petroleum, and chemical-related engineering   13   5   5   7   10   8   4   6   3   5
      Civil, environmental, transportation and related engineering fields   4   4   3   6   7   5   4   7   5   6
      Electrical, electronics, communications and computer engineering   3   1   1   4   5   6   6   6   4   0
      Industrial, manufacturing, systems engineering and operations research   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Mechanical engineering   5   4   2   2   3   5   3   1   2   7
      Metallurgical, mining, materials and related engineering fields   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
      Other engineering   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
    Health   84   82   79   95   90   115   114   86   157   156
      Clinical medicine   80   76   77   93   90   115   113   85   128   123
      Other health   4   6   2   2   0   0   1   1   29   33

NOTE:
  • . = data were not collected at this level or institution was not eligible to participate for this survey year.
  • Fields of study are grouped as they appear in survey data table (https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/srvygradpostdoc/#tabs-2).

SOURCE: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering

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