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Table 31. Median years to doctorate, by broad field of study: Selected years, 1990–2015

Field of study and time to degree 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
All fields
Since bachelor's 10.6 10.9 10.3 9.9 9.3 8.7
Since starting graduate school 8.7 8.7 8.5 8.2 7.7 7.3
Since starting doctoral programa na na na na na 5.7
Life sciencesb
Since bachelor's 9.2 9.5 9.1 8.7 8.6 8.2
Since starting graduate school 7.7 7.7 7.7 7.1 6.8 6.7
Since starting doctoral programa na na na na na 5.7
Physical sciences and earth sciences
Since bachelor's 7.5 8.1 7.6 7.5 7.3 7.0
Since starting graduate school 6.7 6.9 6.7 6.6 6.5 6.2
Since starting doctoral programa na na na na na 5.7
Mathematics and computer sciences
Since bachelor's 8.3 9.0 8.7 8.3 8.0 7.8
Since starting graduate school 7.2 7.7 7.2 7.2 7.0 6.7
Since starting doctoral programa na na na na na 5.7
Psychology and social sciences
Since bachelor's 10.8 10.6 9.9 10.0 9.5 9.3
Since starting graduate school 8.9 8.7 7.9 8.2 7.7 7.7
Since starting doctoral programa na na na na na 6.0
Engineering
Since bachelor's 8.3 9.2 8.7 8.3 7.8 7.3
Since starting graduate school 6.7 7.3 7.2 7.3 6.9 6.7
Since starting doctoral programa na na na na na 5.2
Education
Since bachelor's 18.0 19.9 19.4 17.4 16.2 14.8
Since starting graduate school 14.7 15.7 14.2 13.0 12.5 11.7
Since starting doctoral programa na na na na na 6.0
Humanities and arts
Since bachelor's 12.3 12.1 11.6 12.0 11.6 11.0
Since starting graduate school 10.7 10.1 9.7 9.9 9.5 9.2
Since starting doctoral programa na na na na na 6.9
Otherc
Since bachelor's 13.2 13.2 13.6 13.0 12.1 11.2
Since starting graduate school 10.3 10.3 10.2 10.3 9.3 8.9
Since starting doctoral programa na na na na na 5.3