Field of degree: Women
Of all science and engineering (S&E) degrees awarded in 2016, women earned about half of bachelor’s degrees, 44% of master’s degrees, and 41% of doctorate degrees, about the same as in 2006. However, the proportion of degrees awarded to women in S&E fields varies across and within broad fields of study. Women’s highest degree shares are in psychology and biosciences; the lowest, in computer sciences and engineering.
Psychology, biological sciences, and social sciences
Overall
In 2016, women held a majority of the degrees in psychology and biological sciences at all degree levels—bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees. In psychology, women received around 75% of degrees at each level. In biological sciences, women received over half of degrees at each level. These were the highest rates among the S&E fields.
In the fields of social sciences, women earned a majority of bachelor’s degrees (55%) and master’s degrees (57%) but just under half of doctorate degrees. The number of female graduates in social sciences and their share in this field has increased over time.
Degrees awarded to women: Social sciences, 1997, 2006, 2016
Source(s)
National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, special tabulations of U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, Completions Survey, unrevised provisional release data, various years. Related detailed data: WMPD table 5-2, table 6-1, table 6-2, table 7-1, and table 7-2.
Economics
In the social science fields, women earned near or over half of all degrees in 2016, except in the field of economics. Women’s share of economics degrees at all degree levels continues to be the lowest within the social sciences, with little change in the share at the bachelor’s degree level over the past two decades. The lack of movement at the bachelor’s level may constrain future increases at the master’s and doctorate levels.
Degrees awarded to women: Economics, 1997, 2006, 2016
Source(s)
National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, special tabulations of U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, Completions Survey, unrevised provisional release data, various years. Related detailed data: WMPD table 5-2, table 6-1, table 6-2, table 7-1, and table 7-2.
Computer sciences
Computer sciences
Computer sciences has one of the lowest shares of women degree recipients among the broad fields of S&E, despite an increase in the number of women receiving computer sciences degrees over the past two decades. In addition, the share of women receiving bachelor’s and doctorate degrees has declined over time. At the bachelor’s level, only 19% of the computer science degrees in 2016 were awarded to women, down from 27% in 1997.
Degrees awarded to women: Computer sciences, 1997, 2006, 2016
Source(s)
National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, special tabulations of U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, Completions Survey, unrevised provisional release data, various years. Related detailed data: WMPD table 5-2, table 6-1, table 6-2, table 7-1, and table 7-2.
Engineering
Engineering
Engineering is another S&E field with one of the lowest shares of female degree recipients. Although the number of women receiving engineering degrees, at all levels, has increased over the past two decades, women’s share of degrees has increased only slightly at the bachelor’s and master’s levels, from 18% to 21% and 18% to 25% respectively, over the past two decades. Although the number of women receiving engineering doctoral degrees is small, 2,400 in 2016, this represents an increase in share from 12% to 24% since 1997.
Degrees awarded to women: Engineering, 1997, 2006, 2016
Source(s)
National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, special tabulations of U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, Completions Survey, unrevised provisional release data, various years. Related detailed data: WMPD table 5-2, table 6-1, table 6-2, table 7-1, and table 7-2.
Mathematics and statistics
Mathematics and statistics
Less than half of mathematics and statistics degrees are earned by women, although the share for women is over 40% at both the bachelor’s and master’s levels. However, at the doctorate level, the share drops to under 30%. Over the past two decades, the share of women receiving bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and statistics has declined and the share of women receiving master’s degrees has been stagnant. At the doctorate level, women’s share increased between 1997 and 2006, although the share then declined to 28% in 2016, when slightly over 500 doctoral degrees were awarded to women.
Degrees awarded to women: Mathematics and statistics, 1997, 2006, 2016
Source(s)
National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, special tabulations of U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, Completions Survey, unrevised provisional release data, various years. Related detailed data: WMPD table 5-2, table 6-1, table 6-2, table 7-1, and table 7-2.
Physical sciences
Overall
Women earned fewer than half of the degrees in the broad field of physical sciences. In 2016, women’s share of bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees was 39%, 36%, and 31%, respectively. At the bachelor’s and master’s levels, the share of women degree holders decreased over the previous decade, while the share of doctorate degrees awarded to women increased slightly over the same period. Among the physical sciences, chemistry has the highest shares of degrees awarded to women: over 45% at the bachelor’s and master’s levels and 38% at the doctorate level in 2016.
Physics
Physics has the lowest share of women degree recipients within the broad field of physical sciences. Although the number of physics degrees awarded to women increased over the past two decades at both the bachelor’s and doctorate level, it remained flat at the master’s level. At all degree levels, the number of women in this field remains very small.
Degrees awarded to women: Physics, 1997, 2006, 2016
Source(s)
National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, special tabulations of U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, Completions Survey, unrevised provisional release data, various years. Related detailed data: WMPD table 5-2, table 6-1, table 6-2, table 7-1, and table 7-2.
