Patterns of interstate mobility: What are the employment and geographic trends?
Employment opportunities available for highly skilled individuals vary considerably by state based on employment sector and primary work activity. Some doctorate recipients may take a job in a different state in search of opportunities to conduct research and development (R&D). Others may stay because they are more settled or have job opportunities in the area.
Employment sector
U.S. citizen and permanent resident doctorate recipients with definite employment commitments outside the state where the degree was awarded, by sector: 2008 and 2017
In 2017, doctorate recipients with definite employment commitments for a postdoc were more mobile than those committed to jobs in other sectors. About half or more of doctorate recipients committed to work in academe, government, business, and the nonprofit sectors moved out of state for a job after graduating. Doctorate recipients in the “other or unknown” category, which includes mostly those in K–12 teaching, had the lowest interstate mobility rate of all sectors.
In the past 10 years, interstate mobility increased in all sectors. Doctorate recipients with commitments in academe had the smallest increase in mobility and those with jobs in government, the largest.
Note(s)
Postdoctorates are excluded from other sectors. Definite commitment refers to a doctorate recipient who is either returning to predoctoral employment or has signed a contract (or otherwise made a definite commitment) for employment, including postdoctoral study, in the coming year and plans to stay in the United States. Postdoc commitments can be in any sector but are reported in the postdoc row. Government includes federal, state, and local governments. Industry or business includes self-employment.
Source(s)
National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2017.
Primary work activity
U.S. citizen and permanent resident doctorate recipients with definite employment commitments outside the state where the degree was awarded, by primary work activity: 2008–17
Doctorate recipients who would be primarily working in R&D were the most mobile, followed closely by those who would be mainly teaching. In comparison, interstate mobility was lower for those who would be primarily managers or administrators and those providing professional services to individuals—but their mobility rates have seen larger increases in the past 10 years, peaking in 2017. Doctorate recipients who would be primarily offering professional services to individuals were now nearly as mobile as those who would be teaching.
Note(s)
Definite commitment refers to a doctorate recipient who is either returning to predoctoral employment or has signed a contract (or otherwise made a definite commitment) for employment, including postdoctoral study, in the coming year and plans to stay in the United States.
Source(s)
National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2017.
Doctorate recipients staying in state
U.S. citizen and permanent resident S&E doctorate recipients with definite commitments in the state where the degree was awarded, by state: 2008–17
S&E
Among doctorate recipients in science and engineering (S&E) fields, the rates of those staying to work in the state where they earned their degree (stay rates) were highest in Puerto Rico (69%), Alaska (66%), California (60%), and Hawaii (57%). Four Midwest states (Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, and Minnesota) had stay rates below 35% and Southeastern states had stay rates between 35% and 45%.
Note(s)
Puerto Rico includes outlying territories. Definite commitment refers to a doctorate recipient who is either returning to predoctoral employment or has signed a contract (or otherwise made a definite commitment) for employment, including postdoctoral study, in the coming year and plans to stay in the United States.
Source(s)
National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2017.
U.S. citizen and permanent resident non-S&E doctorate recipients with definite commitments in the state where the degree was awarded, by state: 2008–17
Non-S&E
In nearly every state, stay rates were higher among doctorate recipients in non-S&E than in S&E fields. The vast majority of non-S&E doctorate recipients from Puerto Rico and Alaska stayed there for their first job after graduation (94% and 87% respectively). Other states with high stay rates (between 65% and 80%) included Maine, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Alabama, and Texas.
Note(s)
Puerto Rico includes outlying territories. Definite commitment refers to a doctorate recipient who is either returning to predoctoral employment or has signed a contract (or otherwise made a definite commitment) for employment, including postdoctoral study, in the coming year and plans to stay in the United States.
Source(s)
National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2017.
Net inflows and outflows by state
Net inflows or outflows of U.S. citizen and permanent resident S&E doctorate recipients relative to S&E doctorates awarded, by state: 2008–17
Highest S&E flows
Over the past 10 years, several states registered a net inflow of new S&E doctorate recipients—an increase in the number of new doctorate recipients working in the state, relative to the number of doctorates awarded by universities in the state over the same period (see “Glossary”). Net inflows of S&E doctorate recipients were particularly strong in Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states (Maine, Vermont, Maryland, and the District of Columbia) and in the Northwest (Oregon, Washington, and Idaho). New Mexico had the greatest net inflow of doctorate recipients—indicating a large number of research-intensive S&E jobs relative to S&E doctorates awarded.
Some states in the East North Central region (Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin) and the West North Central region (Iowa, North Dakota, Kansas, and Minnesota) together with Delaware, West Virginia, Florida, Alabama, and Wyoming registered the largest net outflows, training more S&E doctorate recipients than they employed.
Note(s)
Puerto Rico includes outlying territories. Definite commitment refers to a doctorate recipient who is either returning to predoctoral employment or has signed a contract (or otherwise made a definite commitment) for employment, including postdoctoral study, in the coming year and plans to stay in the United States.
Source(s)
National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2017.
Net inflows or outflows of U.S. citizen and permanent resident non-S&E doctorate recipients relative to non-S&E doctorates awarded, by state: 2008–17
Highest non-S&E flows
From 2008 to 2017, Alaska, Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire registered the highest net inflows of non-S&E doctorate recipients, while Delaware, the District of Columbia, Minnesota, and Arizona had the highest net outflows.
Note(s)
Puerto Rico includes outlying territories. Definite commitment refers to a doctorate recipient who is either returning to predoctoral employment or has signed a contract (or otherwise made a definite commitment) for employment, including postdoctoral study, in the coming year and plans to stay in the United States.
Source(s)
National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2017.
Other notable geographic trends
Over the past decade, some states in the East North Central region (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin) and West North Central region (Nebraska, Minnesota, North Dakota, Iowa, and Kansas) registered net outflows of both non-S&E and S&E doctorate recipients. The states of Wyoming, Utah, Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, and Louisiana, registered net inflows in non-S&E but net outflows in S&E fields.
