Graduate enrollment in science and engineering [1] rose in 1999 after 5 consecutive years of decline. (See appendix table 4-1.) The growth was entirely attributable to increases in enrollment among students with temporary visas, women, and minorities. The number of white male graduate students continued to decline in 1999, as it had since at least 1994 (the first year data were available by sex and race jointly). Among U.S. citizens and permanent residents, the numbers of female graduate students in all racial/ethnic groups increased in 1999, as did the numbers of Asian, black, and Hispanic men.

This chapter examines enrollment rates of recent recipients of S&E bachelor's degrees, graduate enrollment trends, graduate fields of study, full- and part-time enrollment patterns, sources of financial support, debt at graduation, and graduate school attrition rates.