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Table 57. Statistical profile of postgraduation plans of doctorate recipients in life sciences fields, by sex and field of study: 2015

Characteristic All life sciences fields Agricultural sciences and natural resources Biological and biomedical sciences Health sciences
All doctorate recipients (number)a 12,520 1,439 8,801 2,280
Postgraduation status (number)b
Definite postgraduation study 3,896 333 3,216 347
Definite employment 2,258 378 1,101 779
Seeking employment or study 3,925 472 2,775 678
Otherc 788 43 669 76
Definite postgraduation study (%)d
Postdoc fellowship 55.6 34.5 57.4 59.7
Postdoc research associateship 41.2 63.4 39.9 31.7
Other or unknowne 3.2 2.1 2.7 8.6
Definite employment (%)f
Academe 45.9 43.1 36.5 60.5
Government 10.5 14.3 10.4 8.7
Industry or businessg 31.7 34.7 43.5 13.6
Nonprofit organization 9.5 5.0 7.1 15.1
Other or unknownh 2.4 2.9 2.5 2.1
Primary activityi
R&D 46.3 61.5 52.7 29.6
Teaching 26.6 19.1 18.5 41.9
Management or administration 10.4 6.6 9.4 13.7
Professional services 13.6 10.0 15.4 12.9
Other 3.0 2.8 3.9 1.9
Secondary activityj
R&D 25.4 21.6 18.7 36.9
Teaching 12.9 17.5 9.0 16.2
Management or administration 18.4 20.5 20.2 14.9
Professional services 9.8 9.1 9.4 10.7
Other 2.3 1.1 3.0 1.9
No secondary activity 31.1 30.2 39.6 19.4
Activity unknown 4.3 4.5 3.5 5.1
Postgraduation location (%)k
United Statesl 91.5 84.4 92.1 93.6
New England 10.1 6.5 11.5 6.7
Middle Atlantic 11.4 6.5 12.1 12.1
East North Central 10.4 12.7 9.7 11.5
West North Central 6.6 11.0 5.9 6.4
South Atlantic 18.6 13.9 18.2 22.9
East South Central 3.8 4.1 3.4 5.2
West South Central 7.1 6.9 6.5 9.5
Mountain 4.9 8.0 4.1 6.2
Pacific and insular 18.5 14.9 20.5 12.9
Not in United States 8.4 15.6 7.8 6.3
Location unknown * 0.0 * 0.1
Male doctorate recipients (number) 5,578 748 4,112 718
Postgraduation status (number)b
Definite postgraduation study 1,883 175 1,573 135
Definite employment 950 214 516 220
Seeking employment or study 1,616 228 1,180 208
Otherc 376 20 336 20
Definite postgraduation study (%)d
Postdoc fellowship 53.6 30.9 56.1 53.3
Postdoc research associateship 42.9 66.3 40.9 35.6
Other or unknowne 3.5 2.9 2.9 11.1
Definite employment (%)f
Academe 41.5 39.7 35.3 57.7
Government 10.7 15.4 9.1 10.0
Industry or businessg 39.2 36.0 48.6 20.0
Nonprofit organization 6.6 5.6 5.0 11.4
Other or unknownh 2.0 3.3 1.9 0.9
Primary activityi
R&D 54.7 67.0 56.6 37.7
Teaching 20.9 15.3 16.1 38.2
Management or administration 8.0 6.9 8.2 8.8
Professional services 14.3 8.9 16.7 13.7
Other 2.1 2.0 2.4 1.5
Secondary activityj
R&D 22.6 18.7 18.3 36.8
Teaching 14.5 19.7 10.8 18.6
Management or administration 20.0 23.6 19.9 16.7
Professional services 9.4 9.9 9.6 8.3
Other 1.9 1.5 2.2 1.5
No secondary activity 31.7 26.6 39.2 18.1
Activity unknown 4.3 5.1 2.7 7.3
Postgraduation location (%)k
United Statesl 89.9 82.3 91.0 92.1
New England 9.9 5.4 11.8 3.9
Middle Atlantic 10.5 6.4 11.6 8.2
East North Central 10.7 13.4 9.8 13.2
West North Central 7.3 11.8 6.4 7.6
South Atlantic 17.3 12.6 17.7 19.7
East South Central 3.7 3.1 3.3 6.8
West South Central 7.1 8.2 6.3 10.7
Mountain 5.1 7.5 4.0 9.0
Pacific and insular 18.2 13.9 19.9 12.7
Not in United States 10.0 17.7 9.0 7.9
Location unknown * 0.0 * 0.0
Female doctorate recipients (number) 6,941 691 4,688 1,562
Postgraduation status (number)b
Definite postgraduation study 2,013 158 1,643 212
Definite employment 1,308 164 585 559
Seeking employment or study 2,309 244 1,595 470
Otherc 412 23 333 56
Definite postgraduation study (%)d
Postdoc fellowship 57.6 38.6 58.6 63.7
Postdoc research associateship 39.5 60.1 38.9 29.2
Other or unknowne 2.9 1.3 2.5 7.1
Definite employment (%)f
Academe 49.1 47.6 37.6 61.5
Government 10.3 12.8 11.6 8.2
Industry or businessg 26.3 32.9 39.0 11.1
Nonprofit organization 11.6 4.3 8.9 16.6
Other or unknownh 2.7 2.4 2.9 2.5
Primary activityi
R&D 40.2 54.4 49.3 26.5
Teaching 30.8 24.1 20.7 43.4
Management or administration 12.1 6.3 10.5 15.5
Professional services 13.2 11.4 14.3 12.5
Other 3.7 3.8 5.2 2.1
Secondary activityj
R&D 27.5 25.3 19.1 37.0
Teaching 11.7 14.6 7.5 15.3
Management or administration 17.2 16.5 20.4 14.2
Professional services 10.1 8.2 9.3 11.6
Other 2.6 0.6 3.8 2.1
No secondary activity 30.7 34.8 40.0 19.8
Activity unknown 4.2 3.7 4.3 4.3
Postgraduation location (%)k
United Statesl 92.8 87.0 93.2 94.3
New England 10.2 7.8 11.3 7.9
Middle Atlantic 12.2 6.5 12.5 13.9
East North Central 10.0 11.8 9.5 10.8
West North Central 6.0 9.9 5.5 5.8
South Atlantic 19.7 15.5 18.7 24.4
East South Central 4.0 5.3 3.6 4.5
West South Central 7.1 5.3 6.8 8.9
Mountain 4.7 8.7 4.1 4.9
Pacific and insular 18.7 16.1 21.1 13.0
Not in United States 7.1 13.0 6.8 5.6
Location unknown 0.1 0.0 * 0.1
* = value < 0.05%.
a Includes respondents who did not report sex.
b Includes only respondents who reported postgraduation status.
c Includes respondents who indicated that they did not plan to work or study, respondents who indicated some other type of postgraduation plans, and respondents who indicated definite plans for other full-time degree program.
d Excludes respondents who indicated plans for other full-time degree program. Percentages based on number of doctorate recipients reporting definite postgraduation plans for study.
e "Other" includes respondents who indicated definite postgraduation study plans for traineeship, internship or clinical residency, or other study.
f Percentages based on number of doctorate recipients reporting definite postgraduation plans for employment.
g Includes doctorate recipients who indicated self-employment.
h "Other" is mainly composed of elementary and secondary schools.
i Percentages based on number of doctorate recipients reporting definite postgraduation plans for employment and primary work activity.
j Percentages based on number of doctorate recipients reporting definite postgraduation plans for employment and secondary work activity.
k Percentages based on number of doctorate recipients reporting definite postgraduation plans and type of plans.
l Includes cases with an unknown U.S. region of employment after doctorate; see technical notes for states or territories included in regions.
NOTES: Due to rounding, percentages may not sum to 100. See table A-6 in the technical notes for a listing of major fields and their constituent subfields.
SOURCE: National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Earned Doctorates, 2015.