Chapter: 2 Science & Engineering Indicators 93

Masters Degrees in S& E

From 1981 to 1991, the number of S& E masters degrees obtained each year increased at a slightly faster rate than did masters degrees in all fields (2 and 1 percent, respectively). This growth masked significant differences by field, however. For instance, annual production of masters degrees in mathematics/computer sciences and in engineering grew at much faster rates than did masters degrees in other S& E fields. Between 1981 and 1991, the number of degrees in mathematics/computer sciences increased an average of 6.7 percent annually, and nearly doubled over the period (from 6,800 to 13,000 degrees). Engineering degrees increased 4 percent annually during this period, reaching 24,000 degrees by 1991. Masters degrees in the natural sciences declined slightly from 1981 to 1991 at a rate of 1 percent annually; social science degrees increased by fewer than 1 percent annually.

The number of masters degrees awarded in the natural sciences began a slow decline in 1975, as male participation in this field dropped. The number of masters degrees in the natural sciences obtained by males declined by one-third between 1975 and 1991--dropping from 12,000 to 8,000. (See appendix table 2-25.) This decline was somewhat offset by an increasing number of natural science degrees for females: Masters degrees to females in this field increased from 3,000 to 5,000 during this period. Much of this growth was concentrated in the biological sciences.

In contrast to this increase for women, the participation rates of underrepresented minorities in masters level S& E programs has changed little since 1977--either across all of S& E or in terms of their relative fields of concentration. (See text table 2-7 and appendix table 2-26.) Continuing the trends of the last 14 years, in 1991, underrepresented minorities received most of their masters degrees in the social sciences--4,600, compared to 600 degrees both in the natural sciences and mathematics/computer sciences, and 900 degrees in engineering. Masters degrees for Asians, on the other hand, were concentrated in engineering and in mathematics/computer sciences. Over the 1977-91 period, annual increases in awards to Asians in these fields were 7 and 14 percent, respectively.

Footnote 26:

Data for S& E masters degrees are from the National Center for Education Statistics annual survey of earned degrees; the data have been adapted to National Science Foundation field classifications.

Footnote 27:

Data on race/ethnicity reflect U.S. citizens and permanent residents only.

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