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News Release 09-227

Awards of U.S. Doctorate Degrees Rise for Sixth Straight Year

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Photo of a degree adjacent to a graduation cap on a black cloth.

U.S. academic institutions awarded 48,802 research doctorate degrees in 2008, the sixth consecutive annual increase. A total of 32,827 doctorates were awarded in science and engineering (S&E) fields and 15,975 doctorates were awarded in non-S&E fields. Doctorate degrees awarded in non-S&E fields in 2008 represent a drop of 2.1 percent from the 2007 total.

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