Who earns a U.S. doctorate?

Each new cohort of doctorate recipients augments the supply of prospective scientists, engineers, researchers, and scholars. Data on the demographic composition of these cohorts reveal changes in the presence of underrepresented groups.

Citizenship

Doctorates awarded in S&E fields, by citizenship: 1998–2017

Overview

In 2017, the number of doctorates in S&E fields awarded to temporary visa holders was 14,166, a decline of 159 from 2016. Overall growth was still up 77% since 1998 and 9% since 2008. The proportion of S&E doctorates awarded to temporary visa holders peaked at 41% in 2007 but has held steady at around 36% since 2011.

In comparison, the number of S&E doctorates awarded to U.S. citizens and permanent residents grew 2% from 2016 to 2017 but experienced a slower growth overall (32% since 1998 and 29% since 2008), although from a larger base.

Created with Highcharts 6.1.0YearNumberU.S. citizens and permanent residentsTemporary visa holders1998200120032005200720092011201320152017
05,00010,00015,00020,00025,00030,000
Number
YearU.S. citizens and permanent residentsTemporary visa holders
199819,3028,004
199918,4727,505
200018,1737,950
200117,3618,244
200216,6088,000
200316,8318,685
200416,8799,494
200517,17710,761
200618,07311,941
200718,63512,762
200819,86913,045
200921,10312,570
201021,40611,675
201121,96312,185
201222,85712,729
201323,46213,435
201423,88513,725
201524,52614,011
201625,08614,325
201725,53314,166

S&E = science and engineering.

Note(s)

Excludes respondents who did not report citizenship.

Source(s)

National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2017. Related detailed data: table 17 and table 18.

Top 10 countries or economies of foreign citizenship for U.S. doctorate recipients with temporary visas: 2008–17

Countries or economies of foreign citizenship

The number of doctorate recipients on temporary visas is highly concentrated in a few countries of origin. In the past decade, 10 countries accounted for 71% of the doctorates awarded to temporary visa holders, and the top three countries—China, India, and South Korea—accounted for over half (54%).

Created with Highcharts 6.1.0Country or economyNumberNon-S&E fieldsS&E fieldsChinaIndiaSouth KoreaTaiwanTurkeyCanadaIranThailandJapanMexico
010,00020,00030,00040,00050,000
Number
Country or economyS&E fieldsNon-S&E fields
China 43,2803,551
India 20,8191,248
South Korea 10,1913,331
Taiwan 5,2351,296
Turkey 4,004835
Canada 3,2341,371
Iran 3,733164
Thailand 2,110282
Japan 1,569500
Mexico 1,644339

S&E = science and engineering.

Note(s)

China includes Hong Kong. Ranking based on total number of doctorate recipients.

Source(s)

National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2017. Related detailed data: table 25 and table 26.

Sex

Sex and citizenship of U.S. doctorate recipients: 1998–2017

Citizenship

Since 2002, women have earned a slim majority of all doctorates awarded to U.S. citizens and permanent residents and more than 31% of those awarded to temporary visa holders. From 1998 to 2007, the share of female doctorate recipients grew from 47% to 51% among U.S. citizens and permanent residents and from 26% to 35% among temporary visa holders. Since 2007, the shares of female doctorates in both citizenship categories have changed little. Overall, 46% of all doctorates in 2017 were awarded to women.

Created with Highcharts 6.1.0YearNumberMale U.S. citizens and permanent residentsMale temporary visa holdersFemale U.S. citizens and permanent residentsFemale temporary visa holders1998200120032005200720092011201320152017
05,00010,00015,00020,000
Number
YearMale U.S. citizens and permanent residentsMale temporary visa holdersFemale U.S. citizens and permanent residentsFemale temporary visa holders
199816,5666,98614,6102,455
199915,9046,63314,4082,423
200015,3046,85614,6432,810
200114,6847,01114,2092,800
200213,7796,76513,9572,977
200313,9207,25714,2503,340
200413,7707,91314,2703,715
200513,5868,74914,3574,079
200614,2669,39814,7624,800
200714,2409,99415,2605,128
200814,7749,98416,0695,277
200915,5089,56416,8185,167
201015,2758,76816,3274,868
201115,3979,17916,3295,056
201216,0729,55616,9095,224
201316,55010,10317,4155,571
201416,66010,20417,3455,633
201517,22210,39617,8575,734
201617,53910,67718,1645,813
201717,58710,62218,2035,700
Note(s)

Excludes respondents who did not report sex or citizenship.

Source(s)

National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2017. Related detailed data: table 20 and table 21.

Sex and field of study of U.S. doctorate recipients: 1998–2017

Field of study

Most of the growth in the number of doctorates earned by both men and women has been in S&E fields. From 1998 to 2017, the number of female doctorate recipients in S&E fields increased by 73%, far more than the 30% growth in the number of male S&E doctorates. Women’s share of S&E doctorates awarded increased from 36% in 1998 to 42% in 2009, and it has remained stable since then.

In non-S&E fields, 58% of doctorates were awarded to women in 2017, a share that has changed little since 2007. The number of female non-S&E doctorate recipients has slightly increased over the past 20 years, whereas the number of male doctorates in those fields has declined.

Created with Highcharts 6.1.0YearNumberMale, S&E fieldsMale, non-S&E fieldsFemale, S&E fieldsFemale, non-S&E fields1998200120032005200720092011201320152017
05,00010,00015,00020,00025,00030,000
Number
YearMale, S&E fieldsMale, non-S&E fieldsFemale, S&E fieldsFemale, non-S&E fields
199818,2106,41810,2617,586
199917,1186,3209,9047,581
200016,9456,22010,3767,755
200116,6226,15810,2207,667
200215,8026,00410,2367,904
200316,1966,06010,5177,989
200416,8366,12910,9578,198
200517,8695,86811,6657,917
200618,8866,13412,6767,883
200720,1206,08213,6228,282
200820,4205,85214,2898,205
200920,3465,98514,9378,250
201020,0765,44914,9127,576
201120,9025,28715,4127,288
201221,7615,60116,0417,486
201322,4485,87816,5747,792
201423,3055,70617,1927,624
201523,7105,83017,4747,880
201623,9275,66417,3467,910
201723,6455,50117,7747,721

S&E = science and engineering.

Note(s)

Excludes respondents who did not report sex.

Source(s)

National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2017. Related detailed data: table 14 through table 16.

Race and ethnicity

Doctorates earned by underrepresented minority U.S. citizens and permanent residents: 2008–17

Participation in doctoral education by underrepresented minorities who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents is increasing, though from a small base. From 2008 to 2017, the number of doctorates awarded to blacks or African Americans increased by 23%, and the number of Hispanic or Latino doctorate recipients increased by 43%. As a result, the proportion of doctorates earned by each group during this period grew from 6% to 7%. The proportion of American Indian or Alaska Native doctorate recipients has remained under 1%.

Created with Highcharts 6.1.0YearNumberAmerican Indian or Alaska NativeBlack or African AmericanHispanic or Latino2008200920102011201220132014201520162017
05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,000
Number
YearAmerican Indian or Alaska NativeBlack or African AmericanHispanic or Latino
20081151,9611,773
20091322,1681,880
20101171,9391,842
20111271,8991,989
20121042,0552,144
20131192,1722,135
20141032,1722,191
20151312,2752,448
20161282,3612,550
20171092,4092,540
Note(s)

Excludes U.S. citizen and permanent resident respondents who did not report race or ethnicity. Hispanic or Latino may be any race.

Source(s)

National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2017. Related detailed data: table 19 and table 22 though table 24.