Back to Data Tables
Excel icon Download to excel

Table 16. Doctoral degrees awarded to U.S. citizens and permanent residents, by field of degree, ethnicity, and race of recipients: 2008–18

Field 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
U.S. citizens and permanent residents, all fieldsa,b 30,844 32,327 31,602 31,725 32,981 33,964 34,004 35,071 35,671 35,738 35,404
Science and engineering 19,869 21,103 21,406 21,963 22,857 23,461 23,884 24,518 25,057 25,446 25,473
Science 16,911 17,937 18,074 18,613 19,278 19,694 19,818 20,299 20,877 21,135 21,255
Computer and information sciences 697 734 761 790 785 758 807 774 783 801 743
Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences 536 559 573 555 623 654 722 704 803 790 760
Atmospheric sciences 105 94 90 108 129 133 121 145 159 166 157
Earth sciences 280 318 325 297 307 327 366 363 387 363 383
Ocean sciences 151 147 158 150 187 194 235 196 257 261 220
Life sciences 7,279 7,803 7,812 7,892 8,184 8,352 8,390 8,470 8,682 8,826 9,041
Agricultural sciences and natural resources 647 712 618 697 675 737 754 774 771 822 793
Biological and biomedical sciences 5,141 5,528 5,585 5,614 5,790 5,768 5,993 6,029 6,214 6,147 6,406
Health sciences 1,491 1,563 1,609 1,581 1,719 1,847 1,643 1,667 1,697 1,857 1,842
Mathematics and Statistics 673 772 838 813 842 873 931 889 946 947 996
Physical sciences 2,138 2,355 2,287 2,493 2,525 2,593 2,578 2,777 2,866 2,925 3,011
Astronomy 175 174 190 198 191 212 199 190 236 238 253
Chemistry 1,231 1,391 1,323 1,407 1,385 1,443 1,447 1,572 1,581 1,697 1,711
Physics 732 790 774 888 949 938 932 1,015 1,049 990 1,047
Psychology and social sciences 5,588 5,714 5,803 6,070 6,319 6,464 6,390 6,685 6,797 6,846 6,704
Anthropology 400 403 384 455 445 457 405 397 360 349 335
Economics 405 418 459 428 517 505 469 552 521 547 484
Political science 441 483 522 488 536 593 574 621 579 572 543
Psychology 2,892 2,908 2,874 3,062 3,046 3,067 3,042 3,102 3,341 3,377 3,321
Sociology 463 506 519 511 512 516 545 596 506 562 556
Other social sciences 987 996 1,045 1,126 1,263 1,326 1,355 1,417 1,490 1,439 1,465
Engineering 2,958 3,166 3,332 3,350 3,579 3,767 4,066 4,219 4,180 4,311 4,218
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 122 160 141 145 181 194 246 216 233 241 221
Bioengineering and biomedical engineering 469 513 516 564 602 637 674 723 746 695 744
Chemical engineering 396 411 433 393 377 365 445 488 470 469 469
Civil engineering 207 262 231 216 159 182 229 231 219 231 200
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering 558 578 627 617 614 603 575 632 547 581 544
Industrial and manufacturing engineering 90 70 62 100 75 77 91 65 82 85 62
Materials science engineering 266 254 313 278 350 349 363 381 456 470 463
Mechanical engineering 371 421 403 440 505 547 558 620 585 591 608
Other engineering 479 497 606 597 716 813 885 863 842 948 907
Non-science and engineering 10,975 11,224 10,196 9,762 10,124 10,503 10,120 10,553 10,614 10,292 9,931
Education 5,584 5,584 4,476 3,878 4,040 4,118 3,934 4,196 4,301 4,052 4,033
Humanities and arts 3,744 3,893 4,029 4,191 4,434 4,535 4,361 4,478 4,448 4,297 4,150
Other non-science and engineering 1,647 1,747 1,691 1,693 1,650 1,850 1,825 1,879 1,865 1,943 1,748
Hispanic or Latino, all fields 1,773 1,880 1,842 1,989 2,144 2,135 2,190 2,448 2,548 2,537 2,582
Science and engineering 1,135 1,145 1,213 1,371 1,458 1,424 1,506 1,677 1,785 1,753 1,851
Science 1,001 985 1,021 1,183 1,268 1,234 1,262 1,383 1,514 1,471 1,571
Computer and information sciences 20 20 22 24 27 30 29 35 33 44 43
Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences 17 25 26 23 31 36 38 43 42 55 49
Atmospheric sciences D D 5 D 6 8 7 7 14 9 16
Earth sciences D D 10 D 13 15 17 25 17 24 23
Ocean sciences D 10 11 12 12 13 14 11 11 22 10
Life sciences 399 390 449 471 493 545 529 630 652 605 663
Agricultural sciences and natural resources 26 34 31 49 42 53 48 52 46 47 50
Biological and biomedical sciences 313 305 350 355 371 416 383 478 493 443 499
Health sciences 60 51 68 67 80 76 98 100 113 115 114
Mathematics and Statistics 29 36 36 26 47 35 37 41 62 36 51
Physical sciences 100 106 102 136 128 132 166 137 144 160 172
Astronomy 5 5 7 11 8 7 12 9 11 9 12
Chemistry 72 77 62 90 68 82 101 86 87 97 106
Physics 23 24 33 35 52 43 53 42 46 54 54
Psychology and social sciences 436 408 386 503 542 456 463 497 581 571 593
Anthropology 25 37 22 42 36 38 45 38 38 32 24
Economics 16 11 33 23 28 25 24 34 31 32 26
Political science 22 25 30 24 31 32 33 36 43 28 35
Psychology 278 231 196 284 292 224 241 245 304 286 328
Sociology 40 32 34 47 56 43 37 50 33 64 53
Other social sciences 55 72 71 83 99 94 83 94 132 129 127
Engineering 134 160 192 188 190 190 244 294 271 282 280
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering D 11 7 8 8 14 25 12 17 17 17
Bioengineering and biomedical engineering 22 21 26 26 29 35 32 51 50 40 48
Chemical engineering 21 24 26 28 26 19 25 27 32 25 35
Civil engineering 11 16 18 16 12 10 12 16 16 22 18
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering D 23 33 34 31 33 26 43 28 D 23
Industrial and manufacturing engineering 7 6 8 11 5 6 7 6 9 D 6
Materials science engineering 8 9 20 11 18 15 27 32 36 34 34
Mechanical engineering 17 23 23 24 28 33 28 33 32 41 35
Other engineering 19 27 31 30 33 25 62 74 51 61 64
Non-science and engineering 638 735 629 618 686 711 684 771 763 784 731
Education 351 390 275 230 257 270 259 315 320 337 302
Humanities and arts 206 256 269 287 331 331 312 364 319 309 348
Other non-science and engineering 81 89 85 101 98 110 113 92 124 138 81
Not Hispanic or Latino, all fields
American Indian or Alaska Native, all fields 115 132 117 127 104 119 103 131 128 109 115
Science and engineering 62 75 78 78 61 71 70 71 75 68 76
Science D D 72 D 55 D 63 D 67 D D
Computer and information sciences 0 0 D D D 0 D D 0 0 D
Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences D D 0 D D D D D D D D
Atmospheric sciences 0 D 0 0 0 0 0 0 D 0 D
Earth sciences D 0 0 D D D 0 D D D D
Ocean sciences D 0 0 0 D D D D 0 D D
Life sciences 29 29 22 25 24 30 20 23 26 25 21
Agricultural sciences and natural resources D D D D 5 D D D 5 D D
Biological and biomedical sciences D D 15 D 14 16 7 13 11 D 11
Health sciences D 7 D 10 5 D D D 10 9 D
Mathematics and Statistics 0 D D D 0 0 D 0 D D D
Physical sciences D D 7 D D D D 7 D D D
Astronomy 0 0 0 0 0 0 D 0 D 0 0
Chemistry D D D 6 D D 6 D D D D
Physics 0 0 D D D D D D 0 0 D
Psychology and social sciences 22 28 38 33 23 30 D 31 30 26 34
Anthropology D D D D D D D D 5 D D
Economics 0 0 D D 0 0 0 D D D D
Political science D D D D D D 0 D D D D
Psychology 12 10 D 13 8 14 D D 11 D D
Sociology D D D D D D D D D D D
Other social sciences D 12 D 8 9 10 11 12 D D D
Engineering D D 6 D 6 D 7 D 8 D D
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D 0 0
Bioengineering and biomedical engineering D D 0 D 0 0 D D 0 0 D
Chemical engineering D D 0 D D D 0 D 0 0 D
Civil engineering 0 0 D 0 D 0 0 0 D D D
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering D D 0 D D D D 0 D 0 0
Industrial and manufacturing engineering 0 D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D 0
Materials science engineering 0 D 0 D D 0 D 0 0 0 0
Mechanical engineering D D D D D D 0 0 0 D D
Other engineering D D D D 0 0 D D D D D
Non-science and engineering 53 57 39 49 43 48 33 60 53 41 39
Education 36 42 22 30 29 D 19 D 30 D 23
Humanities and arts 11 D D 13 D D D D D 15 D
Other non-science and engineering 6 D D 6 D D D 7 D D D
Asian, all fields 2,507 2,612 2,738 2,832 2,943 2,892 2,881 3,073 3,082 3,499 3,305
Science and engineering 2,013 2,046 2,217 2,298 2,384 2,316 2,343 2,487 2,503 2,904 2,735
Science 1,526 1,559 1,674 1,735 1,828 1,746 1,763 1,839 1,859 2,179 2,057
Computer and information sciences 116 123 134 150 127 125 135 109 119 140 112
Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences 25 19 19 33 34 22 23 24 49 46 42
Atmospheric sciences D D D 9 D 9 D 9 17 20 13
Earth sciences 16 9 12 16 D 6 D D 18 13 16
Ocean sciences D D D 8 D 7 9 D 14 13 13
Life sciences 768 784 843 853 934 877 883 921 914 1,013 997
Agricultural sciences and natural resources 41 31 33 46 31 29 46 49 51 56 44
Biological and biomedical sciences 589 613 648 651 737 679 695 730 708 778 778
Health sciences 138 140 162 156 166 169 142 142 155 179 175
Mathematics and Statistics 62 81 89 84 73 108 87 96 97 135 119
Physical sciences 212 198 216 219 223 205 229 248 253 314 314
Astronomy D 7 9 12 13 11 11 11 17 18 18
Chemistry 134 129 141 134 142 120 122 145 150 182 176
Physics D 62 66 73 68 74 96 92 86 114 120
Psychology and social sciences 343 354 373 396 437 409 406 441 427 531 473
Anthropology 27 16 14 29 19 34 23 25 15 20 21
Economics 58 57 52 62 78 63 58 74 61 89 67
Political science 26 28 32 36 28 35 28 29 29 33 39
Psychology 144 147 167 170 186 158 161 190 187 217 200
Sociology 28 39 32 31 35 26 41 33 32 35 40
Other social sciences 60 67 76 68 91 93 95 90 103 137 106
Engineering 487 487 543 563 556 570 580 648 644 725 678
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 16 13 D 15 16 16 21 12 21 25 19
Bioengineering and biomedical engineering 92 91 106 121 133 142 124 159 162 166 157
Chemical engineering 50 53 56 50 53 62 60 73 76 88 78
Civil engineering 21 29 33 33 23 20 17 D 24 D 28
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering 155 150 142 158 145 125 124 137 109 138 125
Industrial and manufacturing engineering 10 14 6 11 11 9 11 D 13 D 5
Materials science engineering 40 29 52 49 50 48 50 58 64 63 71
Mechanical engineering 34 44 D 47 40 57 62 73 79 D 76
Other engineering 69 64 89 79 85 91 111 104 96 121 119
Non-science and engineering 494 566 521 534 559 576 538 586 579 595 570
Education 202 211 186 181 178 219 198 195 209 224 205
Humanities and arts 169 203 180 198 206 190 186 198 181 182 203
Other non-science and engineering 123 152 155 155 175 167 154 193 189 189 162
Black or African American, all fields 1,961 2,168 1,939 1,899 2,055 2,172 2,172 2,275 2,358 2,399 2,456
Science and engineering 897 1,055 1,008 1,094 1,125 1,311 1,282 1,307 1,350 1,405 1,445
Science 787 923 871 964 975 1,140 1,114 1,143 1,177 1,240 1,278
Computer and information sciences 26 27 28 30 33 31 38 28 43 32 39
Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences 9 8 11 8 18 10 17 13 10 14 11
Atmospheric sciences D D D D 7 D D D D D D
Earth sciences D D D D 6 D D 6 D 8 D
Ocean sciences D D D D 5 D 6 D 0 D D
Life sciences 318 410 392 428 448 523 501 454 510 567 587
Agricultural sciences and natural resources 30 34 32 24 35 43 37 29 30 34 45
Biological and biomedical sciences 188 241 213 248 240 250 280 226 280 300 306
Health sciences 100 135 147 156 173 230 184 199 200 233 236
Mathematics and Statistics 29 24 22 21 23 26 37 25 36 18 25
Physical sciences 65 74 69 78 84 80 83 90 87 78 92
Astronomy 0 0 D D 0 D D D D D D
Chemistry 50 62 52 61 59 60 62 73 D 56 77
Physics 15 12 D D 25 D D D D D D
Psychology and social sciences 340 380 349 399 369 470 438 533 491 531 524
Anthropology 12 23 17 18 14 19 19 17 17 17 20
Economics 16 13 17 16 16 17 16 15 18 18 21
Political science 23 30 28 28 24 50 30 46 27 42 28
Psychology 159 175 163 182 156 206 179 240 229 229 244
Sociology 39 44 45 41 43 48 45 53 42 57 57
Other social sciences 91 95 79 114 116 130 149 162 158 168 154
Engineering 110 132 137 130 150 171 168 164 173 165 167
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering D D D D D D D 9 6 8 9
Bioengineering and biomedical engineering 17 D 19 D 17 27 29 20 24 23 D
Chemical engineering 16 13 13 D 8 D 15 9 11 10 D
Civil engineering D D D D D D D 18 7 15 12
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering D 28 24 D 28 32 32 27 33 19 D
Industrial and manufacturing engineering D D D D D 14 D 5 7 14 D
Materials science engineering D D D D 14 17 D 12 18 15 29
Mechanical engineering 18 18 13 14 D 26 15 18 21 16 17
Other engineering 9 17 29 D 41 35 47 46 46 45 39
Non-science and engineering 1,064 1,113 931 805 930 861 890 968 1,008 994 1,011
Education 714 788 622 495 578 518 522 631 642 595 584
Humanities and arts 171 158 171 156 182 167 156 138 169 149 205
Other non-science and engineering 179 167 138 154 170 176 212 199 197 250 222
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, all fields 67 73 53 47 57 53 58 44 55 40 47
Science and engineering 48 48 41 33 40 34 42 31 39 26 32
Science D D 36 D 35 D 35 D D D D
Computer and information sciences 0 0 D D 0 0 D 0 D D 0
Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences 0 0 0 D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Atmospheric sciences 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Earth sciences 0 0 0 D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Ocean sciences 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Life sciences 21 22 21 15 21 20 21 13 12 11 14
Agricultural sciences and natural resources D D D 0 D D D D 0 0 0
Biological and biomedical sciences D D 15 D 12 12 16 8 D D 8
Health sciences D D D D D D D D D D 6
Mathematics and Statistics D 0 D 0 D D 0 D 0 0 D
Physical sciences D D D D D D D 5 D D D
Astronomy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D 0 0
Chemistry D D D D D D 0 D D D 0
Physics D D D D D 0 D D D D D
Psychology and social sciences 15 17 6 8 10 9 D 9 17 5 9
Anthropology D 0 0 0 D D 0 0 0 0 0
Economics 0 D D 0 D 0 0 D D 0 0
Political science D D D D D D D D 0 D D
Psychology 5 11 D D 5 5 D D 9 D D
Sociology D 0 0 D 0 0 D 0 0 0 0
Other social sciences D D D D D D D 5 D D D
Engineering D D 5 D 5 D 7 D D D D
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Bioengineering and biomedical engineering D D 0 D D 0 D D D D D
Chemical engineering D 0 D D 0 D 0 D 0 0 0
Civil engineering 0 D 0 0 0 D 0 0 0 0 D
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering 0 D D 0 0 0 0 0 D D D
Industrial and manufacturing engineering 0 0 0 0 D 0 D 0 D 0 D
Materials science engineering 0 0 D D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mechanical engineering D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other engineering 0 0 D D D 0 D D D D D
Non-science and engineering 19 25 12 14 17 19 16 13 16 14 15
Education 9 19 7 7 7 D 10 D 10 6 6
Humanities and arts D D 5 D D D D D D 8 D
Other non-science and engineering D D 0 D D D D 0 D 0 D
White, all fields 22,835 23,616 23,100 23,278 24,010 24,749 24,830 25,375 25,497 24,846 24,951
Science and engineering 14,708 15,482 15,606 15,994 16,585 17,004 17,405 17,679 17,831 17,598 17,898
Science 12,643 13,371 13,379 13,700 14,111 14,408 14,579 14,812 15,021 14,791 15,069
Computer and information sciences 498 523 524 544 537 519 566 546 534 516 496
Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences 466 466 483 471 514 550 604 589 662 629 617
Atmospheric sciences 96 71 72 91 94 105 105 122 117 126 117
Earth sciences 236 274 278 258 262 286 307 299 325 303 317
Ocean sciences 134 121 133 122 158 159 192 168 220 200 183
Life sciences 5,423 5,782 5,689 5,753 5,880 5,977 6,040 6,033 6,112 6,054 6,277
Agricultural sciences and natural resources 514 567 489 550 536 581 589 605 600 632 608
Biological and biomedical sciences 3,772 4,059 4,071 4,084 4,123 4,116 4,319 4,285 4,369 4,227 4,461
Health sciences 1,137 1,156 1,129 1,119 1,221 1,280 1,132 1,143 1,143 1,195 1,208
Mathematics and Statistics 523 584 640 635 654 653 723 671 673 667 737
Physical sciences 1,642 1,823 1,758 1,917 1,956 2,034 1,942 2,163 2,217 2,186 2,289
Astronomy 157 153 168 165 166 184 164 161 191 194 218
Chemistry 911 1,036 992 1,057 1,044 1,103 1,072 1,180 1,192 1,243 1,268
Physics 574 634 598 695 746 747 706 822 834 749 803
Psychology and social sciences 4,091 4,193 4,285 4,380 4,570 4,675 4,704 4,810 4,823 4,739 4,653
Anthropology 303 297 298 335 341 335 287 288 265 257 244
Economics 298 311 330 312 371 376 349 396 378 346 336
Political science 343 355 403 370 415 433 459 468 441 430 404
Psychology 2,103 2,183 2,127 2,209 2,221 2,239 2,273 2,256 2,382 2,432 2,342
Sociology 331 364 380 367 354 376 399 424 364 368 360
Other social sciences 713 683 747 787 868 916 937 978 993 906 967
Engineering 2,065 2,111 2,227 2,294 2,474 2,596 2,826 2,867 2,810 2,807 2,829
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 92 116 111 108 138 150 183 169 166 175 161
Bioengineering and biomedical engineering 307 337 335 372 392 385 446 448 467 425 461
Chemical engineering 290 288 305 284 268 258 319 351 326 316 318
Civil engineering 159 195 158 148 110 137 171 166 158 153 131
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering 329 328 375 370 369 364 370 384 331 320 342
Industrial and manufacturing engineering 56 39 34 67 46 47 60 40 47 45 48
Materials science engineering 193 167 211 184 246 252 257 259 307 315 301
Mechanical engineering 285 298 292 327 387 392 423 459 416 408 439
Other engineering 354 343 406 434 518 611 597 591 592 650 628
Non-science and engineering 8,127 8,134 7,494 7,284 7,425 7,745 7,425 7,696 7,666 7,248 7,053
Education 4,001 3,886 3,129 2,763 2,835 2,876 2,710 2,848 2,890 2,658 2,714
Humanities and arts 2,961 3,027 3,147 3,328 3,463 3,568 3,469 3,535 3,527 3,360 3,167
Other non-science and engineering 1,165 1,221 1,218 1,193 1,127 1,301 1,246 1,313 1,249 1,230 1,172
More than one race, all fields 506 646 654 722 807 858 879 903 1,033 1,015 1,102
Science and engineering 335 445 463 518 580 621 637 664 776 764 826
Science 290 389 398 446 505 534 534 556 656 651 697
Computer and information sciences 8 17 17 D D 20 17 18 25 21 D
Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences D D 11 D D 16 23 16 20 21 D
Atmospheric sciences D D D D D D D D D D D
Earth sciences D D D D 5 8 D D D D D
Ocean sciences D D D D D D 10 D 8 11 D
Life sciences 124 158 155 180 215 212 234 239 263 281 285
Agricultural sciences and natural resources 6 13 7 D 11 10 9 18 17 17 24
Biological and biomedical sciences 97 118 116 138 174 164 181 189 209 207 210
Health sciences 21 27 32 D 30 38 44 32 37 57 51
Mathematics and Statistics D D D D D 20 17 17 40 29 D
Physical sciences 37 39 D 69 61 71 68 73 90 92 74
Astronomy D D D D D D D D 7 10 D
Chemistry D 23 27 D 39 40 44 46 52 59 D
Physics 17 D 22 38 D D D D 31 23 30
Psychology and social sciences 112 152 149 156 176 195 175 193 218 207 253
Anthropology D D D D D 11 19 13 13 D 14
Economics 5 D D D D 12 12 14 D D 16
Political science 8 17 D D D 19 12 16 D D 18
Psychology 62 80 81 D 87 87 82 81 110 104 114
Sociology D D D D D 15 16 25 D D 31
Other social sciences 19 D 22 D D 51 34 44 46 38 60
Engineering 45 56 65 72 75 87 103 108 120 113 129
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering 0 D D D D D D 8 D 9 6
Bioengineering and biomedical engineering 7 14 14 11 D 21 21 26 26 D 26
Chemical engineering 7 D D 8 D 6 11 8 11 14 18
Civil engineering D D D D D D D D 6 D D
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering 9 7 D 12 D D D 18 D D 16
Industrial and manufacturing engineering D D D D D 0 D D D D D
Materials science engineering D 7 7 12 D 12 11 10 17 23 16
Mechanical engineering D D 7 D 16 D 18 11 8 10 D
Other engineering 9 D D 12 D 12 21 21 24 21 D
Non-science and engineering 171 201 191 204 227 237 242 239 257 251 276
Education 64 90 77 83 81 81 92 89 102 84 117
Humanities and arts 85 80 84 84 113 115 115 110 112 114 112
Other non-science and engineering 22 31 30 37 33 41 35 40 43 53 47
D = suppressed to avoid disclosure of confidential information.
a Total includes doctorate recipients who did not report their race or ethnicity, not shown separately.
b Ethnicity and race categories are as designated on survey form. Hispanic or Latino may be of any race or unreported race. American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, black or African American, white, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander are single race and not Hispanic. More than one race includes doctorate recipients who are not Hispanic and indicated more than one race category. Ethnicity and race categories include U.S. citizens and foreign citizens on permanent visas (i.e., resident aliens who have been admitted for permanent residency).
NOTE: See technical table A-1 for specific fields included in each category.
SOURCE: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Earned Doctorates.