Among those employed in S&E occupations in 1999, 85 percent of women and 86 percent of men had either a bachelor's or master's degree as their highest degree. (See appendix table 6-1.) The occupations of these nondoctoral scientists and engineers, as is true for all of those employed in S&E, differ by sex, with women constituting the majority of people in some S&E occupations, and men the majority in others. For example, in 1999, almost two-thirds of all social and related scientists whose highest degree was a baccalaureate were women. Men, on the other hand, constituted 90 percent of the engineers and 73 percent of the physical scientists and computer/mathematical scientists whose highest degree was a baccalaureate.

Asians employed in S&E occupations are less likely than members of other racial/ethnic groups to have a bachelor's or master's degree as their highest degree conferred: 80 percent of employed Asian scientists and engineers had either a bachelor's or master's degree as their highest degree in 1999, compared with between 86 and 90 percent of all other racial/ethnic groups. Higher proportions of Asian scientists and engineers than of other racial/ethnic groups held doctoral degrees. (See figure 6-2 and appendix table 6-1.) Similar percentages of those in S&E occupations with and without disabilities (84 and 86 percent, respectively, in 1999) have a bachelor's or master's as their highest degree. (See appendix table 6-3.)