Table 5. U.S. scientists and engineers, by detailed field and level of highest degree: 2010 |
Field of highest degree | All degree levelsa | Bachelor's | Master's | Doctorate | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number | SE | Number | SE | Number | SE | Number | SE | |
All degree fields | 26,882,000 | 166,000 | 15,436,000 | 142,000 | 7,878,000 | 70,500 | 1,297,000 | 15,500 |
S&E fields | 14,479,000 | 108,000 | 10,498,000 | 93,000 | 2,978,000 | 40,000 | 979,000 | 8,000 |
Sciences | 11,208,000 | 93,500 | 8,181,000 | 85,000 | 2,204,000 | 38,000 | 799,000 | 7,500 |
Biological/ agricultural/ environmental life sciences | 2,256,000 | 37,500 | 1,643,000 | 34,000 | 334,000 | 16,000 | 280,000 | 5,000 |
Agricultural/ food sciences | 356,000 | 21,000 | 283,000 | 18,500 | 49,000 | 8,500 | 24,000 | 1,500 |
Animal sciences | 121,000 | 11,500 | 112,000 | 11,000 | 4,000 | 1,500 | 5,000 | 500 |
Food sciences/ technology | 50,000 | 7,000 | 37,000 | 6,500 | 9,000 | 2,000 | 4,000 | 500 |
Plant sciences | 112,000 | 10,500 | 82,000 | 9,000 | 19,000 | 6,000 | 10,000 | 1,000 |
Other agricultural sciences | 73,000 | 11,500 | 52,000 | 9,500 | 16,000 | 6,000 | 5,000 | 1,000 |
Biological sciences | 1,693,000 | 30,500 | 1,203,000 | 28,000 | 243,000 | 12,000 | 246,000 | 5,000 |
Biochemistry/ biophysics | 145,000 | 8,000 | 77,000 | 6,500 | 19,000 | 3,500 | 49,000 | 2,500 |
Biology, general | 800,000 | 26,500 | 726,000 | 25,000 | 61,000 | 5,500 | 12,000 | 2,500 |
Botany | 33,000 | 4,000 | 18,000 | 3,500 | 7,000 | 2,000 | 8,000 | 1,000 |
Cell/ molecular biology | 85,000 | 5,500 | 35,000 | 4,500 | 13,000 | 2,000 | 37,000 | 2,500 |
Ecology | 81,000 | 7,000 | 44,000 | 6,000 | 26,000 | 4,000 | 11,000 | 1,500 |
Genetics, animal/ plant | 24,000 | 3,000 | 7,000 | 2,500 | 5,000 | 1,500 | 12,000 | 1,000 |
Microbiological sciences/ immunology | 124,000 | 8,500 | 72,000 | 7,000 | 29,000 | 4,000 | 23,000 | 1,500 |
Nutritional science | 79,000 | 9,000 | 56,000 | 8,500 | 19,000 | 3,000 | 3,000 | 500 |
Pharmacology, human/ animal | 28,000 | 4,500 | 9,000 | 3,500 | 5,000 | 2,000 | 14,000 | 2,500 |
Physiology/ pathology/ human/ animal | 71,000 | 8,000 | 33,000 | 6,500 | 19,000 | 4,500 | 19,000 | 1,500 |
Zoology, General | 93,000 | 8,500 | 67,000 | 8,000 | 12,000 | 2,500 | 14,000 | 1,000 |
Other biological sciences | 131,000 | 8,000 | 58,000 | 6,000 | 28,000 | 5,000 | 44,000 | 2,000 |
Environmental life sciences | 207,000 | 12,000 | 156,000 | 10,500 | 42,000 | 6,500 | 9,000 | 1,000 |
Environmental science studies | 132,000 | 9,500 | 102,000 | 9,000 | 25,000 | 3,500 | 5,000 | 500 |
Forestry sciences | 75,000 | 8,000 | 54,000 | 5,500 | 16,000 | 5,500 | 5,000 | 500 |
Computer/ mathematical sciences | 2,292,000 | 45,500 | 1,559,000 | 36,000 | 655,000 | 24,500 | 78,000 | 4,000 |
Computer/ information sciences | 1,607,000 | 40,500 | 1,079,000 | 30,500 | 496,000 | 24,000 | 32,000 | 3,500 |
Computer/ information sciences | 335,000 | 20,500 | 213,000 | 15,500 | 97,000 | 11,000 | 24,000 | 3,500 |
Computer science | 850,000 | 25,000 | 587,000 | 20,000 | 256,000 | 16,000 | 7,000 | 1,500 |
Computer systems analysis | 37,000 | 4,500 | 23,000 | 3,500 | 14,000 | 3,000 | D | D |
Information services/ systems | 293,000 | 21,500 | 197,000 | 15,500 | 95,000 | 13,500 | D | D |
Other computer/ information sciences | 93,000 | 11,500 | 59,000 | 9,500 | 33,000 | 7,000 | 1,000 | 500 |
Mathematics/ statistics | 685,000 | 22,500 | 480,000 | 20,000 | 159,000 | 10,000 | 46,000 | 1,500 |
Applied mathematics | 87,000 | 7,500 | 61,000 | 6,500 | 18,000 | 2,500 | 8,000 | 1,000 |
Mathematics, general | 460,000 | 19,500 | 373,000 | 17,500 | 80,000 | 8,000 | 7,000 | 1,000 |
Operations research | 46,000 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 2,000 | 33,000 | 6,000 | 4,000 | 500 |
Statistics | 58,000 | 5,500 | 26,000 | 5,500 | 22,000 | 2,500 | 10,000 | 1,000 |
Other mathematics | 33,000 | 3,000 | 10,000 | 2,500 | 6,000 | 2,000 | 17,000 | 1,000 |
Physical/ related sciences | 887,000 | 20,500 | 523,000 | 16,500 | 171,000 | 8,500 | 193,000 | 3,500 |
Chemistry, except biochemistry | 429,000 | 14,000 | 259,000 | 11,500 | 69,000 | 6,500 | 100,000 | 3,000 |
Earth/ atmospheric/ ocean sciences | 216,000 | 12,500 | 134,000 | 11,000 | 57,000 | 4,500 | 24,000 | 1,000 |
Atmospheric sciences/ meteorology | 30,000 | 6,000 | 19,000 | 6,000 | 6,000 | 1,500 | 4,000 | 500 |
Earth sciences | 36,000 | 7,000 | 27,000 | 6,500 | 7,000 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 500 |
Geology | 113,000 | 8,000 | 76,000 | 7,000 | 29,000 | 3,000 | 8,000 | 1,000 |
Other geological science | 25,000 | 3,000 | 9,000 | 2,000 | 9,000 | 2,000 | 8,000 | 1,000 |
Oceanography | 12,000 | 2,000 | 3,000 | 1,000 | 6,000 | 2,000 | 3,000 | 500 |
Physics/ astronomy | 206,000 | 7,500 | 100,000 | 6,500 | 40,000 | 4,000 | 66,000 | 2,000 |
Astronomy/ astrophysics | 15,000 | 2,500 | 5,000 | 2,000 | 3,000 | 1,000 | 8,000 | 1,000 |
Physics | 190,000 | 7,500 | 95,000 | 6,500 | 37,000 | 4,000 | 58,000 | 2,000 |
Other physical sciences | 37,000 | 4,500 | 30,000 | 4,500 | 4,000 | 1,500 | 4,000 | 1,000 |
Social/ related sciences | 5,773,000 | 67,500 | 4,456,000 | 64,000 | 1,044,000 | 27,500 | 248,000 | 3,000 |
Economics | 899,000 | 31,500 | 745,000 | 30,500 | 122,000 | 12,500 | 32,000 | 1,500 |
Agricultural economics | 84,000 | 9,000 | 67,000 | 8,500 | 14,000 | 3,500 | 4,000 | 500 |
Economics | 815,000 | 30,000 | 678,000 | 29,500 | 108,000 | 12,500 | 29,000 | 1,500 |
Political/ related sciences | 935,000 | 27,000 | 747,000 | 24,500 | 161,000 | 13,000 | 27,000 | 1,000 |
Public policy studies | 49,000 | 4,500 | 11,000 | 3,000 | 35,000 | 3,500 | 4,000 | 500 |
International relations | 166,000 | 14,500 | 99,000 | 9,500 | 64,000 | 11,000 | 3,000 | 1,000 |
Political science/ government | 720,000 | 24,000 | 637,000 | 23,000 | 63,000 | 6,000 | 20,000 | 1,000 |
Psychology | 2,236,000 | 45,000 | 1,552,000 | 40,500 | 533,000 | 18,500 | 127,000 | 2,000 |
Educational psychology | 157,000 | 15,500 | 66,000 | 10,000 | 85,000 | 11,000 | 6,000 | 500 |
Clinical psychology | 195,000 | 11,500 | 70,000 | 9,500 | 62,000 | 6,500 | 45,000 | 1,500 |
Counseling psychology | 331,000 | 14,500 | 81,000 | 9,000 | 233,000 | 11,500 | 15,000 | 1,000 |
Experimental psychology | 57,000 | 7,000 | 39,000 | 6,500 | 7,000 | 2,000 | 10,000 | 1,000 |
Psychology, general | 1,165,000 | 33,000 | 1,100,000 | 32,000 | 55,000 | 7,000 | 8,000 | 1,000 |
Industrial/ organizational psychology | 71,000 | 8,500 | 35,000 | 6,500 | 31,000 | 5,500 | 4,000 | 500 |
Social psychology | 95,000 | 11,500 | 75,000 | 10,500 | 11,000 | 5,000 | 9,000 | 1,500 |
Other psychology | 164,000 | 11,000 | 85,000 | 10,500 | 49,000 | 4,500 | 29,000 | 1,000 |
Sociology/ anthropology | 1,029,000 | 29,500 | 915,000 | 28,500 | 79,000 | 9,500 | 36,000 | 1,500 |
Anthropology/ archeology | 177,000 | 12,500 | 137,000 | 12,500 | 24,000 | 4,500 | 16,000 | 1,500 |
Criminology | 86,000 | 9,500 | 78,000 | 9,000 | 7,000 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 500 |
Sociology | 766,000 | 27,000 | 699,000 | 25,500 | 48,000 | 8,500 | 19,000 | 1,000 |
Other social sciences | 674,000 | 27,500 | 498,000 | 23,500 | 150,000 | 13,500 | 26,000 | 1,500 |
Area/ ethnic studies | 125,000 | 11,000 | 98,000 | 11,000 | 25,000 | 3,500 | 3,000 | 1,000 |
Linguistics | 80,000 | 13,000 | 45,000 | 10,500 | 27,000 | 6,500 | 8,000 | 1,500 |
Philosophy of science | 25,000 | 7,000 | 19,000 | 6,500 | S | S | D | D |
Geography | 144,000 | 10,000 | 110,000 | 9,500 | 28,000 | 4,000 | 6,000 | 1,000 |
History of science | 17,000 | 4,500 | 12,000 | 4,000 | 4,000 | 1,500 | 1,000 | 500 |
Other social sciences | 283,000 | 18,500 | 214,000 | 16,500 | 61,000 | 10,000 | 8,000 | 1,000 |
Engineering | 3,271,000 | 48,000 | 2,317,000 | 41,500 | 774,000 | 15,000 | 180,000 | 3,500 |
Aerospace/ related engineering | 130,000 | 12,500 | 92,000 | 12,000 | 30,000 | 3,500 | 7,000 | 1,000 |
Chemical engineering | 228,000 | 12,500 | 172,000 | 12,000 | 34,000 | 3,500 | 23,000 | 1,500 |
Civil/ architectural engineering | 481,000 | 16,000 | 362,000 | 15,000 | 105,000 | 5,000 | 14,000 | 1,000 |
Architectural engineering | 38,000 | 8,000 | 33,000 | 8,000 | 6,000 | 1,500 | D | D |
Civil engineering | 443,000 | 13,000 | 330,000 | 12,500 | 99,000 | 5,000 | 14,000 | 1,000 |
Electrical/ computer engineering | 1,078,000 | 24,000 | 738,000 | 21,000 | 288,000 | 10,500 | 52,000 | 2,000 |
Computer/ systems engineering | 236,000 | 12,500 | 142,000 | 11,000 | 86,000 | 6,500 | 8,000 | 1,000 |
Other Electrical/ related engineering | 842,000 | 20,000 | 596,000 | 18,500 | 202,000 | 8,000 | 44,000 | 1,500 |
Industrial engineering | 213,000 | 12,000 | 153,000 | 11,000 | 53,000 | 5,000 | 7,000 | 1,500 |
Mechanical engineering | 668,000 | 17,000 | 523,000 | 16,000 | 122,000 | 7,500 | 23,000 | 1,500 |
Other engineering | 474,000 | 18,500 | 277,000 | 17,500 | 143,000 | 7,000 | 54,000 | 2,500 |
Agricultural engineering | 45,000 | 12,000 | 39,000 | 12,000 | 3,000 | 1,500 | 3,000 | 500 |
Bioengineering/ biomedical engineering | 43,000 | 3,500 | 20,000 | 2,500 | 13,000 | 2,000 | 9,000 | 1,000 |
Engineering sciences, mechanics/ physics | 49,000 | 4,500 | 28,000 | 3,500 | 13,000 | 2,500 | 8,000 | 1,500 |
Environmental engineering | 50,000 | 4,500 | 18,000 | 3,000 | 30,000 | 3,500 | 3,000 | 500 |
Engineering, general | 48,000 | 4,500 | 33,000 | 3,500 | 14,000 | 3,000 | 1,000 | 500 |
Geophysical/ geological engineering | 10,000 | 2,000 | 4,000 | 1,500 | 5,000 | 1,500 | D | D |
Materials engineering, including ceramic/ textile sciences | 52,000 | 5,500 | 25,000 | 5,000 | 13,000 | 2,500 | 14,000 | 1,000 |
Metallurgical engineering | 21,000 | 3,000 | 14,000 | 3,000 | 4,000 | 1,500 | 3,000 | 500 |
Mining/ minerals engineering | 10,000 | 2,000 | 8,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 500 |
Naval architecture/ marine engineering | 19,000 | 3,000 | 17,000 | 3,000 | 2,000 | 1,000 | D | D |
Nuclear engineering | 17,000 | 3,500 | 8,000 | 3,000 | 6,000 | 1,500 | 3,000 | 500 |
Petroleum engineering | 22,000 | 3,500 | 17,000 | 3,000 | 4,000 | 1,500 | * | * |
Other engineering | 87,000 | 9,500 | 47,000 | 9,000 | 33,000 | 3,000 | 7,000 | 1,500 |
S&E-related fields | 6,385,000 | 74,000 | 3,392,000 | 67,500 | 1,498,000 | 31,000 | 107,000 | 8,500 |
Health | 4,942,000 | 57,500 | 2,433,000 | 51,500 | 1,036,000 | 22,500 | 85,000 | 7,500 |
Audiology/ speech pathology | 217,000 | 11,500 | 54,000 | 6,000 | 151,000 | 9,500 | 7,000 | 2,000 |
Health services administration | 225,000 | 13,000 | 97,000 | 9,000 | 126,000 | 10,000 | 1,000 | 500 |
Health/ medical assistants | 60,000 | 9,000 | 33,000 | 5,500 | 27,000 | 7,000 | D | D |
Health/ medical technologies | 176,000 | 14,000 | 161,000 | 12,500 | 8,000 | 2,000 | S | S |
Medical preparatory programs | 29,000 | 5,000 | 26,000 | 4,500 | 2,000 | 1,500 | D | D |
Medicine | 1,381,000 | 35,000 | 84,000 | 15,000 | 26,000 | 5,000 | 21,000 | 4,500 |
Nursing | 1,593,000 | 39,500 | 1,291,000 | 36,500 | 292,000 | 13,500 | 10,000 | 1,000 |
Pharmacy | 325,000 | 17,000 | 191,000 | 14,500 | 13,000 | 2,500 | 5,000 | 1,000 |
Physical therapy/ other rehabilitation/ therapeutic services | 424,000 | 19,000 | 250,000 | 17,500 | 153,000 | 8,500 | 7,000 | 2,500 |
Public health | 185,000 | 11,500 | 59,000 | 6,000 | 113,000 | 9,000 | 13,000 | 1,000 |
Other health/ medical sciences | 327,000 | 19,500 | 187,000 | 17,500 | 124,000 | 11,500 | 13,000 | 2,000 |
Science/ mathematics teacher education | 510,000 | 28,000 | 257,000 | 22,000 | 241,000 | 20,500 | 11,000 | 2,000 |
Computer teacher education | 36,000 | 5,500 | S | S | 30,000 | 4,000 | D | D |
Mathematics teacher education | 184,000 | 18,500 | 99,000 | 14,500 | 80,000 | 13,000 | 5,000 | 1,500 |
Science teacher education | 172,000 | 18,500 | 74,000 | 11,500 | 95,000 | 14,500 | 4,000 | 1,500 |
Social science teacher education | 117,000 | 14,000 | 79,000 | 12,500 | 36,000 | 5,500 | 2,000 | 1,000 |
Technology/ technical fields | 518,000 | 31,000 | 435,000 | 29,500 | 78,000 | 9,500 | 5,000 | 1,500 |
Computer programming | 100,000 | 10,000 | 80,000 | 9,500 | 20,000 | 4,500 | D | D |
Data processing | S | S | S | S | S | S | D | D |
Electrical/ electronics technologies | 87,000 | 9,000 | 77,000 | 8,500 | 10,000 | 3,000 | S | S |
Industrial production technologies | 139,000 | 17,500 | 119,000 | 16,000 | 19,000 | 7,000 | D | D |
Mechanical engineering-related technologies | 57,000 | 9,000 | 51,000 | 8,500 | 6,000 | 2,000 | D | D |
Other engineering-related technologies | 116,000 | 11,500 | 91,000 | 11,000 | 22,000 | 3,500 | 2,000 | 1,000 |
Other S&E-related fields | 416,000 | 22,000 | 266,000 | 19,000 | 143,000 | 10,500 | 6,000 | 2,000 |
Architecture/ environmental design | 380,000 | 17,500 | 235,000 | 13,500 | 139,000 | 10,500 | 6,000 | 2,000 |
Actuarial science | 36,000 | 13,000 | 32,000 | 13,000 | 4,000 | 2,000 | D | D |
Non-S&E fields | 6,018,000 | 108,500 | 1,546,000 | 82,500 | 3,402,000 | 57,500 | 210,000 | 12,000 |
Art/ humanities fields | 587,000 | 50,500 | 395,000 | 49,000 | 167,000 | 15,000 | 25,000 | 5,500 |
Education, except science/ math teacher education | 1,374,000 | 49,000 | 222,000 | 30,500 | 1,066,000 | 41,500 | 86,000 | 6,000 |
Management/ administration | 1,978,000 | 64,500 | 590,000 | 47,000 | 1,362,000 | 36,000 | 26,000 | 4,500 |
Sales/ marketing | 163,000 | 16,500 | 63,000 | 14,000 | 97,000 | 10,000 | 3,000 | 1,000 |
Social service/ related | 444,000 | 20,500 | 40,000 | 8,500 | 356,000 | 17,500 | 40,000 | 8,500 |
Other non-S&E fields | 1,473,000 | 50,000 | 236,000 | 31,000 | 354,000 | 22,500 | 30,000 | 4,500 |
Data codes used in these tables: * = value < 500. D = suppressed to avoid disclosure of confidential information. S = suppressed for reliability; coefficient of variation exceeds publication standards. |
Abbreviations used in these tables: S&E = science and engineering; SE = standard error. |
a Total includes professional degrees not broken out separately. |
NOTES: Numbers are rounded to the nearest 1,000. Standard errors for numbers are rounded up to the nearest 500. Detail may not add to total because of rounding. Scientists and engineers are bachelor's and higher degreed individuals living in the United States with an S&E or S&E-related degree or occupation. See appendix for additional details on coverage, eligibility, educational field classification, and occupational classification. |
SOURCE: National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System (SESTAT): 2010. |
Data from survey cycle 2010, as of 22 September 2014. |