Employment
Science and engineering (S&E) education is a large investment of time and resources for both the individual and the economy. Underutilization of this S&E expertise because of unemployment or underemployment affects the S&E enterprise in the United States. The unemployment rate is lower overall for scientists and engineers—those with at least a bachelor’s degree in a S&E field or who are working in S&E occupations—than for the U.S. labor force. However, a larger share of scientists and engineers working part time want a full-time job, compared with the corresponding share of all U.S. part-time workers.
Employment status
Women and men
Among scientists and engineers, more men than women were employed full time in 2017 (12.8 million men versus 10.1 million women) and about twice as many women were employed part time (2.9 million women versus 1.5 million men).
Among those working part time, the share wanting to work full time was about the same for men and women. However, the reasons for working part time varied. Women were much more likely than men to report that family responsibilities resulted in their part-time work schedules, whereas men were more likely than woman to report that they were retired from another job. Men and women working part time were equally as likely to report that a full-time job was not available, which is an indicator of overall economic conditions rather than of an individual’s situation. In 2017, this category of part-time workers, part time for economic reasons, was only 15% of the U.S. part-time employed, less than the 25% of scientists and engineers who reported full-time work was not available among their reasons for working part time.
Unemployed men and women—those who are not working but are looking for work—are close in number, about 400,000 each. Almost three times as many women as men report that they are not employed, not looking for work, and not retired.
Looking at reasons for not working, women are much more likely than men to report family responsibilities (27% versus 6%). Women are also about as likely as men to report that a suitable job is not available. Men are much more likely than women to report being retired, perhaps because a majority of older cohorts of scientists and engineers are male.
Employment status of scientists and engineers, by sex: 2017
Note(s)
Numbers are rounded to nearest 1,000. Scientists and engineers are individuals under the age of 76 who have a bachelor's or higher degree, are living in the United States, and have a science and engineering (S&E) or S&E-related degree or occupation.
Source(s)
National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, National Survey of College Graduates, 2017. Related detailed data: WMPD table 9-9.
Part-time employed scientists and engineers who want full-time work, and reason for working part time: 2017
Note(s)
Detail may not add to total because of rounding and suppression and because respondents could select more than one reason. Scientists and engineers are individuals under the age of 76 who have a bachelor's or higher degree, are living in the United States, and have a science and engineering (S&E) or S&E-related degree or occupation.
Source(s)
National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, National Survey of College Graduates, 2017. Related detailed data: WMPD table 9-11.
Scientists and engineers' reasons for being unemployed or not in the labor force, by sex: 2017
Note(s)
Respondents could select more than one reason. Scientists and engineers are individuals under the age of 76 who have a bachelor's or higher degree, are living in the United States, and have a science and engineering (S&E) or S&E-related degree or occupation.
Source(s)
National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, National Survey of College Graduates, 2017. Related detailed data: WMPD table 9-12.
Race and ethnicity
Almost 70% of scientists and engineers employed full time are white. White scientists and engineers are a larger share of those not employed and not looking for work because of retirement (84%). This may be because older cohorts of scientists and engineers are more likely to be white than are the recent waves of graduates.
Employment status of scientists and engineers, by ethnicity and race: 2017
Note(s)
Hispanic or Latino may be any race. For reasons of confidentiality or reliability, data for American Indian or Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander has been suppressed in the category Not employed, looking and for American Indian or Alaska Native in the category Not employed, not looking. Suppression is indicated with an "s." Detail may not add to total because of rounding and suppression. Scientists and engineers are individuals under the age of 76 who have a bachelor's or higher degree, are living in the United States, and have a science and engineering (S&E) or S&E-related degree or occupation.
Source(s)
National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, National Survey of College Graduates, 2017. Related detailed data: WMPD table 9-9.
Disability status
About 10% of employed scientists and engineers report one or more disabilities, that is, difficulties in hearing, vision, cognitive ability, ambulatory, self-care, or independent living. Men have a higher disability rate than do women, likely because reported disabilities increase with age and a larger share of male than female scientists and engineers are over age 50 (40% versus 32%). Asians have a lower disability rate (7%) than do the other racial and ethnic groups, perhaps because of Asian scientists and engineers’ younger age distribution.
Employed scientists and engineers with disability, by sex, ethnicity, and race: 2017
Note(s)
The National Survey of College Graduates asks the degree of difficulty—none, slight, moderate, severe, or unable to do—an individual has in seeing (with glasses), hearing (with hearing aid), walking without assistance, lifting 10 pounds, or concentrating, remembering, or making decisions. Respondents who answered "moderate," "severe," or "unable to do" for any activity were classified as having a disability. Underrepresented minority groups include black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, and American Indian or Alaska Native. Scientists and engineers are individuals under the age of 76 who have a bachelor's or higher degree, are living in the United States, and have a science and engineering (S&E) or S&E-related degree or occupation.
Source(s)
National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, National Survey of College Graduates, 2017. Related detailed data: WMPD table 9-39.
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate
Looking at the unemployment rates of scientists and engineers in 2017, the rates for both women (2.9%) and men (2.6%) were lower than that of the U.S. labor force (4.4%), indicating a strong demand for those with S&E expertise. Hispanic or Latino scientists and engineers had an unemployment rate of 4.6%; blacks or African Americans, 4.3%; and those with one or more disabilities, 5.0%—all about the same as the unemployment rate of the U.S. labor force.
Unemployment rates of scientists and engineers, by sex, ethnicity, race, and disability status, and of the U.S. civilian labor force: 2017
Note(s)
Hispanic or Latino may be any race. Unemployment rate calculated as the percentage of the labor force not working and looking for work. The National Survey of College Graduates asks the degree of difficulty—none, slight, moderate, severe, or unable to do—an individual has in seeing (with glasses), hearing (with hearing aid), walking without assistance, lifting 10 pounds, or concentrating, remembering, or making decisions. Respondents who answered "moderate," "severe," or "unable to do" for any activity were classified as having a disability. Scientists and engineers are individuals under the age of 76 who have a bachelor's or higher degree, are living in the United States, and have a science and engineering (S&E) or S&E-related degree or occupation.
Source(s)
National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, National Survey of College Graduates, 2017. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, 2017. Related detailed data: WMPD table 9-9.
