Occupation
Scientists and engineers—those with at least a bachelor’s degree in a science or engineering (S&E) field or who are working in S&E occupations—generally have higher salaries when working in S&E occupations than in other occupations. However, women have lower median salaries than do men in most occupations. The share of academic doctoral positions held by women has increased, and although underrepresented minorities have also gained ground, their share of these positions remains small.
Science and engineering occupations
Science and engineering occupations
Among scientists and engineers, men were more likely than women to work in an S&E occupation in 2017. However, women were more likely than men to work in an S&E-related occupation, which includes health occupations. The net result is that female scientists and engineers were more likely than male scientists and engineers to work in a non-S&E occupation (48% versus 42%). Compared with other racial and ethnic groups, Asian scientists and engineers and white scientists and engineers were more likely to work in S&E or S&E-related occupations, with over half of Asians and whites working in these occupations in 2017.
For underrepresented minorities—Hispanics or Latinos, blacks or African Americans, and American Indians or Alaska Natives—and for those with one or more disabilities, about half of scientists and engineers work in either S&E or S&E-related occupations.
Employed scientists and engineers, by occupational group, sex, ethnicity, race, and disability status: 2017
S&E = science and engineering.
Note(s)
S&E occupations include S&E postsecondary teachers. S&E-related occupations include health occupations. Underrepresented minority groups include black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, and American Indian or Alaska Native. 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 an S&E or S&E-related degree or occupation.
Median salary
Women and men
Among scientists and engineers working full time in 2017, women generally made less than men in each broad occupational group. Overall, women’s median annual salary was $66,000, whereas the median salary for men was $90,000. Even for those employed in the relatively high-paying computer and information scientist occupations, women’s median salary was considerably lower than that of their male counterparts. In addition, female psychologists’ median salary was less than that of male psychologists, even though the field is majority female. However, for biological and life sciences occupations and social sciences occupations, the median salaries for women and men were about the same.
Median annual salary of scientists and engineers employed full time, by sex and broad occupation: 2017
S&E = science and engineering.
Note(s)
Salaries are rounded to nearest $1,000. S&E occupations include S&E postsecondary teachers. S&E-related occupations include health occupations. 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 an 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 9-17.
Race and ethnicity
Salaries of scientists and engineers vary considerably across racial and ethnic groups and also across occupations. Asian scientists and engineers had the highest median salary in S&E occupations ($100,000), whites had the second highest ($90,000), and underrepresented minorities had a lower median salary ($78,000). In S&E-related occupations, Asians and whites had higher median salaries than did underrepresented minorities.
Median annual salary of scientist and engineers employed full time, by ethnicity, race, and broad occupation: 2017
S&E = science and engineering.
Note(s)
Salaries are rounded to nearest $1,000. S&E occupations include S&E postsecondary teachers. S&E-related occupations include health occupations. 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 an 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 9-17.
Disability status
Scientists and engineers with one or more disabilities had a slightly lower median salary than did those without a disability for those working in S&E-related and non-S&E occupations. For both science occupations and engineering occupations, the median annual salaries were about the same for those with and without disability. Regardless of disability status, scientists and engineers working in S&E-related and non-S&E occupations had lower median salaries than those in either science or engineering occupations.
Median annual salary of scientists and engineers employed full time, by occupation groups and disability status: 2017
S&E = science and engineering.
Note(s)
Salaries are rounded to nearest $1,000. S&E occupations include S&E postsecondary teachers. S&E-related occupations include health occupations. 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 an 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 9-18.
Academic careers
Academic careers
Universities play a key role in the nation’s S&E enterprise by educating and training students in research practices and by performing a large share of the nation’s basic research. The structure of academic employment of science, engineering, and health (SEH) doctorate holders has changed substantially over the past several decades. Full-time faculty positions in the professoriate are less available than they were a generation ago, and a workforce once dominated by white males is now much more diverse.
The share of academic doctoral positions held by women with SEH doctoral degrees has increased, from 25% in 1997 to 38% in 2017. Underrepresented minorities also hold a larger share of academic positions than they did in 1997, although their share remains small (9%), considerably less than their share of the population. The share of those with one or more disabilities has increased to about 9%, about the same as their share in the population.
One goal of an academic career is to achieve tenure. Of all SEH doctorate holders employed in either universities or 4-year colleges in 2017, 45% were tenured, with an additional 15% in tenure-track positions.
Among SEH doctorate holders in academia, a larger share of men than women had tenure in 2017. Whites had the highest rates of tenure, followed by underrepresented minorities and Asians. Asians may have a lower rate of tenure because of their younger age distribution than the other racial and ethnic groups. Employed SEH doctoral holders who reported at least one disability were tenured at a higher rate than those without a disability. However, that is perhaps because those who are older are more likely to report a disability, and older academics are more likely to be tenured (see also appendix table A-2).
Women, underrepresented minorities, and those with disabilities as a percentage of the academic doctoral workforce: 1997, 2006, 2017
Note(s)
Underrepresented minority groups include black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, and American Indian or Alaska Native. Survey of Doctorate Recipients 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.
Source(s)
National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Doctorate Recipients. Related detailed data: WMPD table 9-22.
Doctoral scientists and engineers employed in universities and 4-year colleges who are tenured: 2017
Note(s)
Underrepresented minority groups include black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, and American Indian or Alaska Native. Survey of Doctorate Recipients 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. Doctoral scientists and engineers includes those who received research doctorates in science, engineering, and health fields.
Source(s)
National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Doctorate Recipients, 2017. Related detailed data: WMPD table 9-26 and table 9-29.
