In 2019, the number of doctorates in S&E fields awarded to temporary visa holders was 15,801, an increase of 595 from 2018 (figure 2). Overall growth of doctorates awarded to temporary visa holders was up 99% since 2000 and 35% since 2010. Over the same period, the proportion of S&E doctorates awarded to temporary visa holders peaked at 41% in 2007, held steady at about 36% between 2010 and 2017, but increased to 38% in 2019.

In comparison, although starting from a larger base, the number of S&E doctorates awarded to U.S. citizens and permanent residents increased by 290 doctorates from 2018 to 2019 and experienced a slower relative growth overall (42% since 2000 and 20% since 2010).

The number of doctorate recipients on temporary visas is highly concentrated in a few places of origin. In the past decade, 10 countries accounted for 70% of the 158,996 doctorates awarded to temporary visa holders, and the top three countries—China, India, and South Korea—accounted for over half (53%) (figure 3). Between 70% and 95% of doctorate recipients from these countries earned a doctorate in an S&E field.

Overall, 46% of all doctorates in 2019 were awarded to women. Since 2002, women have earned just over half of all doctorates awarded to U.S. citizens and permanent residents and more than 31% of doctorates awarded to temporary visa holders (figure 4). From 2000 to 2008, the share of female doctorate recipients grew from 49% to 52% among U.S. citizens and permanent residents and from 29% to 35% among temporary visa holders. Since 2008, the shares of female doctorates in both citizenship categories have changed little.

Most of the growth in the number of doctorates earned by both men and women has been in S&E fields (figure 5). From 2000 to 2019, the number of female doctorate recipients in S&E fields increased by 75%, though starting from a small base, compared with 47% growth in the number of male S&E doctorates. Women’s share of S&E doctorates awarded increased from 38% in 2000 to 42% in 2009, and it has remained stable since then.

In non-S&E fields, 58% of doctorates were awarded to women in 2019, a share that has changed little since the late 2000s. The number of female non-S&E doctorate recipients declined by 5% between 2000 and 2019, while the number of male doctorate recipients in those fields declined by 15%.