Vanderbilt U.

Rankings

Data year Earned doctorates Full-time graduate students Total R&D expenditures
Rank Percentile Institutions ranked Rank Percentile Institutions ranked Rank Percentile Institutions ranked Rank Percentile Institutions ranked
2024 58 87.7 459
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
2014 83 88.2 688
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: 2023–14
All races 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014
    Male 979 940 928 929 932 875 867 895 924 938 0
    Female 1,020 949 932 891 859 787 762 837 819 864 0
  U.S. citizens and permanent residents 1,375 1,369 1,350 1,346 1,289 1,230 1,192 1,269 1,283 1,325 0
    Hispanic or Latino 133 135 136 130 110 101 89 71 66 62 0
    Not Hispanic or Latino 1,219 1,209 1,189 1,191 1,144 1,093 1,056 1,182 1,206 1,249 0
      American Indian or Alaska Native 0 2 1 3 3 2 2 4 5 10 0
      Asian 117 106 100 91 82 80 68 74 51 87 0
      Black or African American 80 81 76 78 83 78 72 86 75 83 0
      Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 1 1 2 1 1 2 4 8 2 3 0
      White 954 954 949 963 920 879 862 984 1,038 1,042 0
      More than one race 67 65 61 55 55 52 48 26 35 24 0
    Unknown ethnicity and race 23 25 25 25 35 36 47 16 11 14 0
  Temporary visa holders 624 520 510 474 502 432 437 463 460 477 0
  Science and engineering 1,956 1,851 1,813 1,772 1,738 1,607 1,574 1,579 1,586 1,642 0
    Science 1,577 1,456 1,414 1,398 1,358 1,256 1,225 1,199 1,210 1,256 0
      Agricultural and veterinary sciences 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Biological and biomedical sciences 756 690 690 662 636 596 578 342 360 375 0
      Communication 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Computer and information sciences 239 187 135 112 104 107 102 100 82 91 0
      Family and consumer sciences and human sciences 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences 20 18 16 15 16 13 17 16 19 23 0
      Mathematics and statistics 23 25 29 37 38 37 34 38 35 39 0
      Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary sciences 110 77 65 63 31 0 0 100 115 102 0
      Natural resources and conservation 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Physical sciences 164 184 187 202 202 201 200 213 212 217 0
      Psychology 96 108 99 108 111 102 95 85 83 87 0
      Social sciences 169 167 193 199 220 200 199 218 219 238 0
    Engineering 379 395 399 374 380 351 349 380 376 386 0
      Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Biological, biomedical, and biosystems engineering 138 134 132 116 106 89 83 82 77 73 0
      Chemical, petroleum, and chemical-related engineering 52 55 56 56 55 48 46 47 47 53 0
      Civil, environmental, transportation and related engineering fields 50 63 63 52 54 55 60 63 55 52 0
      Electrical, electronics, communications and computer engineering 76 75 80 83 97 94 94 97 108 102 0
      Industrial, manufacturing, systems engineering and operations research 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Mechanical engineering 63 68 68 67 68 65 66 66 59 70 0
      Metallurgical, mining, materials and related engineering fields 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 25 30 36 0
      Other engineering 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
  Health 43 38 47 48 53 55 55 153 157 160 0
    Clinical medicine 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 58 58 67 0
    Other health 43 38 47 48 53 55 55 95 99 93 0

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: 2023–14
All races 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014
    Male 88 10 11 18 16 13 14 5 11 7 0
    Female 19 10 10 10 13 15 12 10 14 11 0
  U.S. citizens and permanent residents 100 15 17 23 22 22 20 15 24 17 0
    Hispanic or Latino 7 2 0 1 4 0 1 1 1 1 0
    Not Hispanic or Latino 90 13 17 22 18 21 18 13 22 16 0
      American Indian or Alaska Native 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
      Asian 20 3 0 2 4 3 0 0 1 2 0
      Black or African American 8 0 1 0 2 0 1 2 2 0 0
      Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
      White 62 10 15 19 9 18 17 11 17 14 0
      More than one race 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0
    Unknown ethnicity and race 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0
  Temporary visa holders 7 5 4 5 7 6 6 0 1 1 0
  Science and engineering 107 18 20 25 27 26 22 6 14 9 0
    Science 100 15 12 15 20 17 15 4 6 3 0
      Agricultural and veterinary sciences 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Biological and biomedical sciences 2 5 5 7 10 2 1 0 0 0 0
      Communication 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Computer and information sciences 95 5 3 3 4 6 6 0 0 0 0
      Family and consumer sciences and human sciences 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 1 0 0
      Mathematics and statistics 1 1 0 3 0 0 2 0 0 0 0
      Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary sciences 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 5 3 0
      Natural resources and conservation 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Physical sciences 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0
      Psychology 0 2 2 1 1 2 1 0 0 0 0
      Social sciences 1 2 2 1 5 3 3 0 0 0 0
    Engineering 7 3 8 10 7 9 7 2 8 6 0
      Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Biological, biomedical, and biosystems engineering 0 1 5 3 0 1 3 0 0 0 0
      Chemical, petroleum, and chemical-related engineering 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0
      Civil, environmental, transportation and related engineering fields 1 1 2 1 1 2 3 2 4 3 0
      Electrical, electronics, communications and computer engineering 6 1 0 1 4 2 0 0 0 0 0
      Industrial, manufacturing, systems engineering and operations research 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Mechanical engineering 0 0 1 5 2 2 1 0 4 2 0
      Metallurgical, mining, materials and related engineering fields 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Other engineering 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
  Health 0 2 1 3 2 2 4 9 11 9 0
    Clinical medicine 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 0
    Other health 0 2 1 3 2 2 4 9 8 8 0

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: 2023–14
Field 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014
All surveyed fields 807 836 828 786 629 690 681 765 768 806 0
  Science and engineering 794 828 820 777 620 671 664 716 714 771 0
    Science 589 602 572 561 487 503 495 518 525 546 0
      Agricultural and veterinary sciences 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Biological and biomedical sciences 377 411 407 379 347 354 335 212 189 204 0
      Communication 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Computer and information sciences 83 56 49 47 39 37 42 38 26 36 0
      Family and consumer sciences and human sciences 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences 3 4 0 3 3 3 3 15 6 15 0
      Mathematics and statistics 0 0 0 0 0 0 34 0 0 0 0
      Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary sciences 5 0 0 1 0 0 0 62 76 73 0
      Natural resources and conservation 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Physical sciences 77 74 72 81 72 73 46 93 123 102 0
      Psychology 33 30 27 32 20 30 28 25 27 30 0
      Social sciences 11 27 17 18 6 6 7 20 21 22 0
    Engineering 205 226 248 216 133 168 169 198 189 225 0
      Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Biological, biomedical, and biosystems engineering 88 86 96 65 23 40 43 46 41 45 0
      Chemical, petroleum, and chemical-related engineering 32 30 28 33 16 25 20 27 29 35 0
      Civil, environmental, transportation and related engineering fields 25 31 32 26 10 15 17 27 28 23 0
      Electrical, electronics, communications and computer engineering 30 39 46 45 46 45 54 46 44 50 0
      Industrial, manufacturing, systems engineering and operations research 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Mechanical engineering 30 40 46 47 38 43 35 39 31 51 0
      Metallurgical, mining, materials and related engineering fields 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 16 21 0
      Other engineering 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
  Health 13 8 8 9 9 19 17 49 54 35 0
    Clinical medicine 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 26 16 0
    Other health 13 8 8 9 9 19 17 29 28 19 0

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: 2023–14
Type and primary source of support 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014
All types and sources of support 1,999 1,889 1,860 1,820 1,791 1,662 1,629 1,732 1,743 1,802
  Fellowships 365 437 416 378 542 477 317 456 432 450
    Federal 287 280 287 279 257 271 248 306 266 258
    Institutional 67 146 112 77 254 194 56 135 146 166
    Nonfederal 11 11 17 22 31 12 13 15 20 26
  Research assistantships 796 792 746 703 593 651 658 688 679 717
    Federal 504 525 520 491 363 398 386 436 486 535
    Institutional 225 218 174 161 173 187 235 206 152 134
    Nonfederal 67 49 52 51 57 66 37 46 41 48
  Teaching assistantships 282 354 287 368 404 343 380 338 376 359
    Federal 0 11 9 1 4 13 38 1 0 1
    Institutional 282 340 277 366 379 308 325 335 368 348
    Nonfederal 0 3 1 1 21 22 17 2 8 10
  Other types of support 556 306 411 371 252 191 274 250 256 276
    Federal 16 20 12 15 5 8 9 22 16 12
    Institutional 256 67 133 141 71 30 119 26 40 46
    Nonfederal 5 6 5 3 9 46 24 16 30 14
    Personal resources 279 213 261 212 167 107 122 186 170 204

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: 2023–14
All races 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014
  Science and engineering 297 275 257 328 318 331 377 386 390 380 0
    Science 263 245 224 283 273 296 334 350 357 356 0
      Agricultural and veterinary sciences 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Biological and biomedical sciences 164 165 162 205 192 207 215 211 218 223 0
      Communication 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Computer and information sciences 11 14 2 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0
      Family and consumer sciences and human sciences 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences 3 2 4 5 6 6 3 2 2 3 0
      Mathematics and statistics 18 18 12 11 8 0 20 20 18 18 0
      Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary sciences 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 33 51 48 0
      Natural resources and conservation 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Physical sciences 31 19 18 32 36 44 55 48 37 35 0
      Psychology 18 15 14 16 21 30 33 29 23 25 0
      Social sciences 18 12 12 13 10 9 8 4 8 4 0
    Engineering 34 30 33 45 45 35 43 36 33 24 0
      Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Biological, biomedical, and biosystems engineering 11 10 12 13 11 11 12 11 8 10 0
      Chemical, petroleum, and chemical-related engineering 8 9 8 14 12 7 7 7 9 7 0
      Civil, environmental, transportation and related engineering fields 7 5 6 7 6 4 10 7 7 0 0
      Electrical, electronics, communications and computer engineering 2 2 5 7 9 8 9 6 0 7 0
      Industrial, manufacturing, systems engineering and operations research 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Mechanical engineering 6 4 2 4 7 5 5 5 9 0 0
      Metallurgical, mining, materials and related engineering fields 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Other engineering 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
  Health 114 114 133 145 169 161 110 232 239 254 0
    Clinical medicine 106 110 129 141 165 157 105 186 196 201 0
    Other health 8 4 4 4 4 4 5 46 43 53 0

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: 2023–14
Field 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014
All surveyed fields 250 247 260 298 328 319 318 428 434 459 0
  Science and engineering 168 168 165 208 213 205 232 271 278 281 0
    Science 146 151 137 175 183 181 203 246 252 263 0
      Agricultural and veterinary sciences 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Biological and biomedical sciences 106 113 108 139 141 132 154 167 167 179 0
      Communication 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Computer and information sciences 5 10 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0
      Family and consumer sciences and human sciences 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences 2 2 2 3 4 3 1 2 2 3 0
      Mathematics and statistics 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary sciences 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 26 40 40 0
      Natural resources and conservation 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Physical sciences 16 12 12 21 23 27 26 26 23 19 0
      Psychology 12 11 11 10 14 16 21 22 19 22 0
      Social sciences 4 3 2 1 1 3 1 0 1 0 0
    Engineering 22 17 28 33 30 24 29 25 26 18 0
      Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Biological, biomedical, and biosystems engineering 8 6 9 8 6 7 9 11 8 9 0
      Chemical, petroleum, and chemical-related engineering 5 5 7 10 8 4 6 3 5 2 0
      Civil, environmental, transportation and related engineering fields 4 3 6 7 5 4 7 5 6 0 0
      Electrical, electronics, communications and computer engineering 1 1 4 5 6 6 6 4 0 7 0
      Industrial, manufacturing, systems engineering and operations research 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Mechanical engineering 4 2 2 3 5 3 1 2 7 0 0
      Metallurgical, mining, materials and related engineering fields 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      Other engineering 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
  Health 82 79 95 90 115 114 86 157 156 178 0
    Clinical medicine 76 77 93 90 115 113 85 128 123 129 0
    Other health 6 2 2 0 0 1 1 29 33 49 0

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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