Table 11. Doctorates awarded, by broad field of study and Carnegie category: 2005–15
Field and Carnegie category |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
All doctorate recipients |
43,385 |
45,621 |
48,132 |
48,777 |
49,553 |
48,031 |
48,914 |
50,951 |
52,707 |
54,003 |
55,006 |
Research universities (very high research activity) |
31,480 |
33,598 |
35,290 |
35,770 |
36,054 |
35,101 |
35,983 |
37,316 |
38,515 |
38,902 |
39,305 |
Research universities (high research activity) |
7,595 |
7,629 |
8,123 |
8,257 |
8,499 |
8,221 |
8,528 |
8,860 |
9,266 |
9,686 |
10,124 |
Doctoral/research universities |
2,226 |
2,256 |
2,510 |
2,431 |
2,537 |
2,271 |
1,943 |
2,205 |
2,319 |
2,696 |
2,674 |
Other universities |
2,084 |
2,138 |
2,209 |
2,319 |
2,463 |
2,438 |
2,460 |
2,570 |
2,607 |
2,719 |
2,903 |
Life sciencesa |
9,310 |
9,703 |
10,702 |
11,086 |
11,403 |
11,319 |
11,536 |
11,965 |
12,209 |
12,484 |
12,520 |
Research universities (very high research activity) |
7,061 |
7,351 |
7,998 |
8,343 |
8,449 |
8,446 |
8,480 |
8,753 |
8,920 |
8,851 |
8,863 |
Research universities (high research activity) |
1,042 |
1,106 |
1,262 |
1,294 |
1,360 |
1,323 |
1,355 |
1,459 |
1,515 |
1,653 |
1,668 |
Doctoral/research universities |
179 |
203 |
236 |
204 |
279 |
262 |
330 |
358 |
396 |
489 |
481 |
Other universities |
1,028 |
1,043 |
1,206 |
1,245 |
1,315 |
1,288 |
1,371 |
1,395 |
1,378 |
1,491 |
1,508 |
Physical sciences and earth sciences |
4,359 |
4,686 |
4,956 |
4,946 |
5,161 |
4,995 |
5,271 |
5,420 |
5,584 |
5,912 |
5,924 |
Research universities (very high research activity) |
3,575 |
3,882 |
4,106 |
4,099 |
4,259 |
4,098 |
4,245 |
4,414 |
4,505 |
4,678 |
4,745 |
Research universities (high research activity) |
658 |
686 |
737 |
746 |
776 |
790 |
904 |
853 |
929 |
1,055 |
1,028 |
Doctoral/research universities |
63 |
55 |
68 |
54 |
80 |
65 |
74 |
89 |
90 |
109 |
81 |
Other universities |
63 |
63 |
45 |
47 |
46 |
42 |
48 |
64 |
60 |
70 |
70 |
Mathematics and computer sciences |
2,334 |
2,778 |
3,042 |
3,187 |
3,163 |
3,223 |
3,273 |
3,496 |
3,660 |
3,863 |
3,825 |
Research universities (very high research activity) |
1,888 |
2,267 |
2,508 |
2,603 |
2,583 |
2,548 |
2,631 |
2,762 |
2,865 |
3,028 |
2,952 |
Research universities (high research activity) |
392 |
444 |
475 |
492 |
502 |
576 |
538 |
618 |
673 |
714 |
723 |
Doctoral/research universities |
36 |
50 |
42 |
61 |
54 |
72 |
83 |
91 |
78 |
71 |
81 |
Other universities |
18 |
17 |
17 |
31 |
24 |
27 |
21 |
25 |
44 |
50 |
69 |
Psychology and social sciences |
7,149 |
7,231 |
7,309 |
7,635 |
7,945 |
7,883 |
8,222 |
8,501 |
8,580 |
8,752 |
9,095 |
Research universities (very high research activity) |
4,749 |
4,940 |
4,959 |
5,163 |
5,356 |
5,304 |
5,505 |
5,633 |
5,682 |
5,679 |
5,866 |
Research universities (high research activity) |
1,507 |
1,443 |
1,487 |
1,569 |
1,607 |
1,544 |
1,698 |
1,732 |
1,757 |
1,793 |
1,937 |
Doctoral/research universities |
527 |
481 |
493 |
516 |
547 |
588 |
575 |
692 |
695 |
842 |
807 |
Other universities |
366 |
367 |
370 |
387 |
435 |
447 |
444 |
444 |
446 |
438 |
485 |
Engineering |
6,426 |
7,186 |
7,749 |
7,864 |
7,642 |
7,578 |
8,032 |
8,470 |
9,001 |
9,633 |
9,897 |
Research universities (very high research activity) |
5,296 |
6,028 |
6,486 |
6,546 |
6,328 |
6,226 |
6,535 |
6,886 |
7,223 |
7,754 |
7,808 |
Research universities (high research activity) |
963 |
973 |
1,072 |
1,107 |
1,093 |
1,156 |
1,271 |
1,313 |
1,487 |
1,527 |
1,717 |
Doctoral/research universities |
107 |
124 |
126 |
140 |
146 |
126 |
140 |
186 |
188 |
210 |
230 |
Other universities |
60 |
61 |
65 |
71 |
75 |
70 |
86 |
85 |
103 |
142 |
142 |
Education |
6,227 |
6,122 |
6,448 |
6,561 |
6,528 |
5,288 |
4,670 |
4,803 |
4,935 |
4,791 |
5,117 |
Research universities (very high research activity) |
3,190 |
3,187 |
3,303 |
3,372 |
3,382 |
2,723 |
2,737 |
2,749 |
2,800 |
2,666 |
2,766 |
Research universities (high research activity) |
1,844 |
1,712 |
1,781 |
1,805 |
1,862 |
1,564 |
1,364 |
1,489 |
1,527 |
1,492 |
1,597 |
Doctoral/research universities |
998 |
1,002 |
1,169 |
1,197 |
1,077 |
803 |
425 |
411 |
434 |
479 |
548 |
Other universities |
195 |
221 |
195 |
187 |
207 |
198 |
144 |
154 |
174 |
154 |
206 |
Humanities and arts |
5,187 |
5,333 |
5,085 |
4,736 |
4,904 |
5,016 |
5,227 |
5,562 |
5,715 |
5,526 |
5,600 |
Research universities (very high research activity) |
4,052 |
4,153 |
3,946 |
3,691 |
3,724 |
3,847 |
3,965 |
4,206 |
4,436 |
4,258 |
4,296 |
Research universities (high research activity) |
674 |
728 |
735 |
642 |
735 |
710 |
829 |
842 |
761 |
777 |
810 |
Doctoral/research universities |
165 |
155 |
151 |
127 |
162 |
170 |
161 |
217 |
208 |
200 |
171 |
Other universities |
296 |
297 |
253 |
276 |
283 |
289 |
272 |
297 |
310 |
291 |
323 |
Otherb |
2,393 |
2,582 |
2,841 |
2,762 |
2,807 |
2,729 |
2,683 |
2,734 |
3,023 |
3,042 |
3,028 |
Research universities (very high research activity) |
1,669 |
1,790 |
1,984 |
1,953 |
1,973 |
1,909 |
1,885 |
1,913 |
2,084 |
1,988 |
2,009 |
Research universities (high research activity) |
515 |
537 |
574 |
602 |
564 |
558 |
569 |
554 |
617 |
675 |
644 |
Doctoral/research universities |
151 |
186 |
225 |
132 |
192 |
185 |
155 |
161 |
230 |
296 |
275 |
Other universities |
58 |
69 |
58 |
75 |
78 |
77 |
74 |
106 |
92 |
83 |
100 |