Postgraduation trends
A graduate’s first position after earning the doctoral degree may reflect broad economic conditions and can shape later career opportunities, earnings, and choices. Over the longer term, the early career patterns of doctorate recipients may influence the decisions of future generations of students considering careers as scientists, engineers, scholars, and researchers.
Job market
At any given time, the job market for new doctorate recipients will be better in some fields of study than in others. Though all fields tend to follow a similar cyclical pattern that generally reflects overall trends in economic conditions, definite commitments at graduation are likely to be influenced by many factors.
In life sciences, physical sciences and earth sciences, and engineering, the proportions of doctorate recipients reporting definite commitments, including postdoctoral positions (postdocs), have declined since 1999. These fields hit low points from 2014 to 2016 but have rebounded. In 2018, the proportions of doctorate recipients in mathematics and computer sciences and in psychology and social sciences who had definite commitments (75% and 74%, respectively) nearly reached their highest points in the last 20 years (figure 19). Non-S&E fields similarly have recovered from lows in 2014–16 (figure 20).
Definite commitments among doctorate recipients, by S&E broad field of study: 1999–2018
S&E = science and engineering.
Note(s):
Shaded areas in the graphic reflect recessions that occurred between March 2001 and November 2001 and between December 2007 and June 2009 (http://www.nber.org/cycles/cyclesmain.html). 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. Percentages are based on the number of doctorate recipients responding to the postgraduation status item.
Definite commitments among doctorate recipients, by non-S&E broad field of study: 1999–2018
S&E = science and engineering.
Note(s):
Shaded areas in the graphic reflect recessions that occurred between March 2001 and November 2001 and between December 2007 and June 2009 (http://www.nber.org/cycles/cyclesmain.html). 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. Percentages are based on the number of doctorate recipients responding to the postgraduation status item.
First postgraduate position
Academic employment
In 2018, 43% of all doctorate recipients with definite employment commitments (excluding postdoc positions) in the United States reported that their principal job would be in academe.
The highest rates of academic employment commitments were reported by doctorate recipients in humanities and arts and in other non-S&E fields (75% in each); the lowest rates were in engineering (13%) and in physical sciences and earth sciences (19%). In the past 10 years, the overall rate of academic employment commitments by doctorate recipients in S&E fields has declined, while that of doctorate recipients in non-S&E fields has risen due to the increase in academic commitments in education (figure 21).
Definite employment commitments in academe in the United States, by broad field of study: 1999 and 2018
S&E = science and engineering.
Note(s):
Definite employment 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 other than a postdoctoral position in the coming year. Percentages are based on the number of doctorate recipients who reported definite commitments (including those missing employer type) and plans to stay in the United States.
Postdoc positions
Historically, postdoc study positions have been a customary part of the early career paths of doctorate recipients in life sciences and in physical sciences and earth sciences, making up over half of definite commitments. Since 1999, they also have become more prevalent in mathematics and computer sciences, psychology and social sciences, engineering, and non-S&E fields, though their rates in these fields are not as high.
In the past 10 years, the overall proportion of S&E doctorate recipients taking postdoc positions in the United States immediately after graduation declined from 50% to 46%. The proportions of doctorate recipients taking postdoc positions in life sciences, physical sciences and earth sciences, mathematics and computer sciences, and engineering declined during this period, while the proportion in psychology and social sciences and in non-S&E fields increased (figure 22).
U.S. postdoctorate rate for doctorate recipients, by broad field of study: Selected years, 1999–2018
S&E = science and engineering.
Note(s):
Percentages are based on the number of doctorate recipients who reported definite commitments in the coming year, who reported whether their commitment was for postdoctoral study or other employment, and who plan to live in the United States.
Median salaries
In 2018, doctorate recipients who had definite commitments for a postdoc or other employed position in the United States in the coming year reported basic annual salaries that varied by their field of study and the type of position to which they committed.
In every field except for humanities and arts, median expected salaries for doctorate recipients committing to jobs in industry were higher than those in postdocs and academe; in humanities and arts, salaries were similar regardless of sector. The median salaries for postdocs in all broad fields were relatively similar, ranging from $47,000 to $53,000, except for postdocs in mathematics and computer sciences, who had a median salary of $60,000. Doctorate recipients in engineering and those in other non-S&E fields, such as business, reported the highest median academic salaries ($81,000 and $83,000, respectively). Those in mathematics and computer sciences and those in engineering reported the highest median salaries in industry positions ($130,000 and $108,000, respectively) (figure 23).
Median expected basic annual salary of doctorate recipients with definite commitments in the United States, by position type and broad field of study: 2018
S&E = science and engineering.
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. Other non-S&E fields includes business management and administration. Industry includes all nonacademic sectors, including self-employment, private for-profit and private nonprofit, and government.
Temporary visa holders and postgraduation
In 2018, 80% of temporary visa holder doctorate recipients in S&E fields with definite commitments reported that the location of their postdoc or other employment position was in the United States, up from 73% in 1999. Shares were highest in fields where temporary visa holders were more heavily represented: life sciences, physical sciences and earth sciences, mathematics and computer sciences, and engineering (figure 24).
Temporary visa holder doctorate recipients with definite commitments in the United States, by broad field of study: Selected years, 1999–2018
S&E = science and engineering.
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. Percentages are based on the number of temporary visa holders who reported definite commitments and plans to stay in the United States.