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Table 13. Doctoral degrees awarded, by field of degree and citizenship status of recipients: 2005–15

Field 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
All fields 43,385 45,621 48,132 48,777 49,553 48,031 48,914 50,951 52,707 54,003 55,006
Science and engineering 29,578 31,584 33,758 34,718 35,314 34,998 36,334 37,852 39,034 40,644 41,261
Science 23,152 24,398 26,009 26,854 27,672 27,420 28,302 29,382 30,033 31,011 31,364
Computer sciences 1,129 1,453 1,654 1,787 1,610 1,633 1,667 1,793 1,843 1,989 2,005
Geosciences 714 757 875 865 877 862 852 941 989 1,099 1,057
Atmospheric sciences 145 146 167 188 167 170 178 205 205 200 213
Earth sciences 379 432 478 458 492 463 451 462 489 579 554
Ocean sciences 190 179 230 219 218 229 223 274 295 320 290
Life sciences 9,310 9,703 10,702 11,086 11,403 11,319 11,536 11,965 12,209 12,484 12,520
Agricultural sciences 1,160 1,146 1,321 1,198 1,283 1,100 1,206 1,255 1,324 1,338 1,439
Biological sciences 6,367 6,652 7,238 7,797 8,025 8,046 8,153 8,323 8,356 8,867 8,801
Health sciences 1,783 1,905 2,143 2,091 2,095 2,173 2,177 2,387 2,529 2,279 2,280
Mathematical sciences 1,205 1,325 1,388 1,400 1,553 1,590 1,606 1,703 1,817 1,874 1,820
Physical sciences 3,645 3,929 4,081 4,081 4,284 4,133 4,419 4,479 4,595 4,813 4,867
Astronomy 186 197 223 249 262 266 287 274 301 290 269
Chemistry 2,126 2,364 2,318 2,246 2,392 2,304 2,432 2,416 2,484 2,673 2,675
Physics 1,333 1,368 1,540 1,586 1,630 1,563 1,700 1,789 1,810 1,850 1,923
Social sciences 7,149 7,231 7,309 7,635 7,945 7,883 8,222 8,501 8,580 8,752 9,095
Anthropology 456 472 512 483 503 507 553 547 550 524 493
Economics 1,061 1,029 1,004 1,091 1,118 1,073 1,121 1,243 1,183 1,196 1,256
Political science 618 616 588 628 682 728 685 724 803 777 859
Psychology 3,322 3,260 3,276 3,357 3,472 3,421 3,577 3,601 3,592 3,724 3,782
Sociology 536 579 576 601 662 639 657 633 636 679 745
Other social sciences 1,156 1,275 1,353 1,475 1,508 1,515 1,629 1,753 1,816 1,852 1,960
Engineering 6,426 7,186 7,749 7,864 7,642 7,578 8,032 8,470 9,001 9,633 9,897
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 219 238 267 266 297 252 262 307 348 386 361
Bioengineering 417 525 637 762 834 824 898 943 1,039 1,046 1,129
Chemical engineering 774 799 817 873 807 822 823 840 824 973 1,002
Civil engineering 622 655 703 713 707 643 634 495 542 622 633
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering 1,547 1,786 1,967 1,888 1,693 1,778 1,886 1,939 1,897 1,953 2,004
Industrial and manufacturing engineering 221 234 279 280 251 215 258 226 241 298 244
Materials science engineering 493 583 646 636 625 670 662 743 815 833 874
Mechanical engineering 892 1,045 1,071 1,082 1,095 983 1,084 1,220 1,277 1,331 1,467
Other engineering 1,241 1,321 1,362 1,364 1,333 1,391 1,525 1,757 2,018 2,191 2,183
Non-science and engineering 13,807 14,037 14,374 14,059 14,239 13,033 12,580 13,099 13,673 13,359 13,745
Education 6,227 6,122 6,448 6,561 6,528 5,288 4,670 4,803 4,935 4,791 5,117
Humanities 5,187 5,333 5,085 4,736 4,904 5,016 5,227 5,562 5,715 5,526 5,600
Professional/other/unknown 2,393 2,582 2,841 2,762 2,807 2,729 2,683 2,734 3,023 3,042 3,028
U.S. citizens and permanent residents, all fieldsa 27,945 29,028 29,501 30,844 32,327 31,604 31,727 32,983 33,966 34,010 35,117
Science and engineering 17,177 18,073 18,635 19,869 21,103 21,406 21,964 22,858 23,463 23,889 24,547
Science 14,889 15,573 16,089 16,911 17,937 18,074 18,614 19,279 19,696 19,823 20,324
Computer sciences 468 588 639 697 734 761 790 785 758 807 773
Geosciences 444 473 551 536 559 573 555 623 654 722 704
Atmospheric sciences 86 69 93 105 94 90 108 129 133 121 145
Earth sciences 239 284 307 280 318 325 297 307 327 366 363
Ocean sciences 119 120 151 151 147 158 150 187 194 235 196
Life sciences 6,282 6,506 7,009 7,279 7,803 7,812 7,892 8,184 8,354 8,392 8,484
Agricultural sciences 599 631 686 647 712 618 697 675 737 754 774
Biological sciences 4,392 4,504 4,833 5,141 5,528 5,585 5,614 5,790 5,770 5,995 6,043
Health sciences 1,291 1,371 1,490 1,491 1,563 1,609 1,581 1,719 1,847 1,643 1,667
Mathematical sciences 543 619 602 673 772 838 813 842 873 931 888
Physical sciences 1,900 2,006 2,016 2,138 2,355 2,287 2,493 2,525 2,593 2,579 2,777
Astronomy 121 124 135 175 174 190 198 191 212 200 190
Chemistry 1,212 1,276 1,190 1,231 1,391 1,323 1,407 1,385 1,443 1,447 1,574
Physics 567 606 691 732 790 774 888 949 938 932 1,013
Social sciences 5,252 5,381 5,272 5,588 5,714 5,803 6,071 6,320 6,464 6,392 6,698
Anthropology 358 404 410 400 403 384 455 445 457 406 397
Economics 344 356 327 405 418 459 428 517 505 470 552
Political science 459 459 425 441 483 522 488 536 593 574 621
Psychology 2,894 2,825 2,780 2,892 2,908 2,874 3,063 3,047 3,067 3,042 3,107
Sociology 417 472 440 463 506 519 511 512 516 545 598
Other social sciences 780 865 890 987 996 1,045 1,126 1,263 1,326 1,355 1,423
Engineering 2,288 2,500 2,546 2,958 3,166 3,332 3,350 3,579 3,767 4,066 4,223
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 98 90 118 122 160 141 145 181 194 246 216
Bioengineering 229 306 342 469 513 516 564 602 637 674 725
Chemical engineering 306 359 310 396 411 433 393 377 365 445 488
Civil engineering 192 195 221 207 262 231 216 159 182 229 230
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering 480 478 492 558 578 627 617 614 603 575 632
Industrial and manufacturing engineering 75 69 73 90 70 62 100 75 77 91 65
Materials science engineering 177 216 251 266 254 313 278 350 349 363 382
Mechanical engineering 301 353 332 371 421 403 440 505 547 558 620
Other engineering 430 434 407 479 497 606 597 716 813 885 865
Non-science and engineering 10,768 10,955 10,866 10,975 11,224 10,198 9,763 10,125 10,503 10,121 10,570
Education 5,255 5,171 5,358 5,584 5,584 4,477 3,878 4,040 4,118 3,934 4,209
Humanities 4,036 4,240 3,894 3,744 3,893 4,030 4,192 4,435 4,535 4,362 4,480
Professional/other/unknown 1,477 1,544 1,614 1,647 1,747 1,691 1,693 1,650 1,850 1,825 1,881
Temporary visa holders, all fields 12,832 14,198 15,123 15,261 14,737 13,636 14,235 14,784 15,674 15,842 16,155
Science and engineering 10,761 11,941 12,762 13,045 12,571 11,675 12,185 12,729 13,435 13,728 14,037
Science 7,005 7,646 8,171 8,553 8,350 7,809 8,021 8,374 8,676 8,765 8,915
Computer sciences 598 797 897 1,005 791 760 759 870 990 1,030 1,096
Geosciences 234 244 283 293 295 251 246 281 290 326 307
Atmospheric sciences 53 63 64 78 72 71 61 71 68 71 62
Earth sciences 119 128 147 155 157 116 125 133 138 178 159
Ocean sciences 62 53 72 60 66 64 60 77 84 77 86
Life sciences 2,553 2,723 3,039 3,252 3,097 2,926 3,029 3,197 3,177 3,169 3,262
Agricultural sciences 484 463 538 492 509 412 472 529 516 504 558
Biological sciences 1,681 1,857 2,030 2,302 2,190 2,084 2,124 2,166 2,154 2,229 2,261
Health sciences 388 403 471 458 398 430 433 502 507 436 443
Mathematical sciences 602 665 694 651 713 686 690 747 843 821 828
Physical sciences 1,554 1,732 1,776 1,734 1,734 1,633 1,709 1,678 1,742 1,870 1,797
Astronomy 63 64 80 66 80 67 82 69 79 72 68
Chemistry 801 956 951 879 890 847 907 880 888 1,000 933
Physics 690 712 745 789 764 719 720 729 775 798 796
Social sciences 1,464 1,485 1,482 1,618 1,720 1,553 1,588 1,601 1,634 1,549 1,625
Anthropology 67 43 68 63 81 88 73 74 76 86 69
Economics 668 612 600 621 656 556 623 656 615 627 607
Political science 130 135 127 160 178 162 150 150 163 145 178
Psychology 209 247 233 249 258 270 238 254 282 249 260
Sociology 84 96 95 119 139 95 113 85 92 90 101
Other social sciences 306 352 359 406 408 382 391 382 406 352 410
Engineering 3,756 4,295 4,591 4,492 4,221 3,866 4,164 4,355 4,759 4,963 5,122
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 115 117 118 127 126 99 100 107 138 124 132
Bioengineering 167 200 257 265 280 290 291 292 352 318 349
Chemical engineering 408 400 449 439 383 359 379 414 409 482 461
Civil engineering 402 416 437 468 419 378 373 303 333 340 360
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering 983 1,222 1,298 1,219 1,050 1,040 1,109 1,181 1,160 1,217 1,243
Industrial and manufacturing engineering 128 144 171 175 175 142 152 140 156 185 161
Materials science engineering 289 335 361 339 352 326 350 334 435 420 450
Mechanical engineering 543 649 671 651 646 519 568 631 664 686 784
Other engineering 721 812 829 809 790 713 842 953 1,112 1,191 1,182
Non-science and engineering 2,071 2,257 2,361 2,216 2,166 1,961 2,050 2,055 2,239 2,114 2,118
Education 536 611 601 567 567 478 497 460 515 478 539
Humanities 806 796 797 723 729 667 767 761 779 731 713
Professional/other/unknown 729 850 963 926 870 816 786 834 945 905 866
Citizenship unknown, all fields 2,608 2,395 3,508 2,672 2,489 2,791 2,952 3,184 3,067 4,151 3,734
Science and engineering 1,640 1,570 2,361 1,804 1,640 1,917 2,185 2,265 2,136 3,027 2,677
Science 1,258 1,179 1,749 1,390 1,385 1,537 1,667 1,729 1,661 2,423 2,125
Computer sciences 63 68 118 85 85 112 118 138 95 152 136
Geosciences 36 40 41 36 23 38 51 37 45 51 46
Atmospheric sciences 6 14 10 5 1 9 9 5 4 8 6
Earth sciences 21 20 24 23 17 22 29 22 24 35 32
Ocean sciences 9 6 7 8 5 7 13 10 17 8 8
Life sciences 475 474 654 555 503 581 615 584 678 923 774
Agricultural sciences 77 52 97 59 62 70 37 51 71 80 107
Biological sciences 294 291 375 354 307 377 415 367 432 643 497
Health sciences 104 131 182 142 134 134 163 166 175 200 170
Mathematical sciences 60 41 92 76 68 66 103 114 101 122 104
Physical sciences 191 191 289 209 195 213 217 276 260 364 293
Astronomy 2 9 8 8 8 9 7 14 10 18 11
Chemistry 113 132 177 136 111 134 118 151 153 226 168
Physics 76 50 104 65 76 70 92 111 97 120 114
Social sciences 433 365 555 429 511 527 563 580 482 811 772
Anthropology 31 25 34 20 19 35 25 28 17 32 27
Economics 49 61 77 65 44 58 70 70 63 99 97
Political science 29 22 36 27 21 44 47 38 47 58 60
Psychology 219 188 263 216 306 277 276 300 243 433 415
Sociology 35 11 41 19 17 25 33 36 28 44 46
Other social sciences 70 58 104 82 104 88 112 108 84 145 127
Engineering 382 391 612 414 255 380 518 536 475 604 552
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 6 31 31 17 11 12 17 19 16 16 13
Bioengineering 21 19 38 28 41 18 43 49 50 54 55
Chemical engineering 60 40 58 38 13 30 51 49 50 46 53
Civil engineering 28 44 45 38 26 34 45 33 27 53 43
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering 84 86 177 111 65 111 160 144 134 161 129
Industrial and manufacturing engineering 18 21 35 15 6 11 6 11 8 22 18
Materials science engineering 27 32 34 31 19 31 34 59 31 50 42
Mechanical engineering 48 43 68 60 28 61 76 84 66 87 63
Other engineering 90 75 126 76 46 72 86 88 93 115 136
Non-science and engineering 968 825 1,147 868 849 874 767 919 931 1,124 1,057
Education 436 340 489 410 377 333 295 303 302 379 369
Humanities 345 297 394 269 282 319 268 366 401 433 407
Professional/other/unknown 187 188 264 189 190 222 204 250 228 312 281
a These categories include U.S. citizens and foreign citizens on permanent visas (i.e., resident aliens who have been admitted for permanent residency).
NOTE: See table A-1 for specific fields included in each category.
SOURCE: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Earned Doctorates.