The SED is an annual census of research doctorate recipients from U.S. academic institutions that collects information on educational history, demographic characteristics, graduate funding source and educational debts, and postgraduation plans.

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Survey Info

Summary

The Survey of Earned Doctorates is an annual census conducted since 1957 of all individuals receiving a research doctorate from an accredited U.S. institution in a given academic year. The SED is sponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the National Science Foundation (NSF) and by three other federal agencies: the National Institutes of Health, Department of Education, and National Endowment for the Humanities. The SED collects information on the doctoral recipient’s educational history, demographic characteristics, and postgraduation plans. Results are used to assess characteristics of the doctoral population and trends in doctoral education and degrees.

Areas of Interest

Survey Administration

The 2022 survey was conducted by RTI International under contract to NCSES.

Survey Details

Status Active
Frequency Annual
Reference Period Academic year 2022
Next Release Date October 2025

In the News

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Article

More and More Doctorate Recipients Are Leaving Academia to Find Work. Here’s What Detailed Data Show.

Data from NCSES are cited in a research paper exploring the impacts of changes in government R&D spending on business-sector productivity.
The Boston Globe
June 11, 2024

Methodology

Survey Description
Data presented in Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2022 were collected by the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED). The survey is sponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the National Science Foundation (NSF) and by three other federal agencies: the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Education (ED), and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The Survey Description for the 2022 SED is accessible within the Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2022 site.

Analysis

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Survey Contact

For additional information about this survey or the methodology, contact

Kelly H. Kang
Survey Manager
Phone
(703) 292-7796
E-mail
kkang@nsf.gov
Address
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Suite W14200, Alexandria, VA 22314