Table 5-10
Full-time S&E graduate students and graduate research assistants at U.S. universities and colleges, by degree field: Selected years, 1975–2001
 
  1975    1981    1991    2001
Group and degree field Thousands Percent   Thousands Percent   Thousands Percent   Thousands Percent
Graduate students 219.6 100   257.3 100   329.3 100   355.1 100
Physical sciences 21.9 10   26.7 10   28.9 9   27.1 8
Mathematics 10.7 5   11.8 5   13.4 4   12.5 4
Computer sciences 4.5 2   13.9 5   16.5 5   30.1 8
Earth, atmospheric, and ocean sciences 9.6 4   11.3 4   11.3 3   10.5 3
Life sciences 63.1 29   69.5 27   100.0 30   108.2 30
Psychology 24.1 11   25.3 10   35.2 11   34.5 10
Social sciences 48.0 22   42.8 17   56.2 17   54.6 15
Engineering 37.8 17   55.9 22   67.8 21   77.6 22
Graduate research assistantsa 40.0 100   61.0 100   89.9 100   99.7 100
Physical sciences 6.4 16   10.3 17   11.8 13   11.8 12
Mathematics 0.6 2   1.0 2   1.5 2   1.4 1
Computer sciences 0.7 2   2.1 3   3.9 4   4.2 4
Earth, atmospheric, and ocean sciences 2.8 7   3.7 6   4.7 5   6.5 6
Life sciences 11.3 28   17.9 29   29.3 33   31.0 31
Psychology 2.2 6   3.1 5   4.6 5   4.9 5
Social sciences 4.8 12   5.1 8   7.2 8   7.8 8
Engineering 11.0 28   17.9 29   27.0 30   32.2 32
 
aGraduate students with primary research assistantship support.

NOTE: Details may not add to totals and percents may not sum to 100 because of rounding.

SOURCE: National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics, Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering.
 
Science & Engineering Indicators — 2004
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