Most scientists and engineers work in industry. In 1992, there were nearly 2 million industrial S& E jobs, with engineers outnumbering scientists two to one (BLS' annual series). (See appendix table 3-1.) (Click here for footnote 1.)

The rate of growth in industrial S& E employment slowed considerably in the early 1990s. Between 1989 and 1992, total industrial S& E employment increased at an average annual rate of 1.5 percent, far below the 3.6 percent rate registered between 1980 and 1989. Despite the slowdown, the rate of growth in industrial S& E employment outpaced that for total industrial employment, continuing a trend that began before 1980. Between 1980 and 1992, the S& E share of total industrial employment gradually increased, rising from 2.1 percent in 1980 to 2.5 percent in 1992.

The major contributing factor to the increase in industrial S& E employment between 1980 and 1992 was a doubling in the number of jobs filled by computer specialists. This group now accounts for more than half of all scientists employed by industry. Their proportion of total industrial S& E employment increased from 13 percent in 1980 to 18 percent in 1992.

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