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Table 67. Statistical profile of postgraduation plans of doctorate recipients in education fields, by sex and field of study: 2015

Characteristic All education fields Education administration Education research Teacher education Teaching fields Other education
All doctorate recipients (number)a 5,117 922 2,783 155 957 300
Postgraduation status (number)b
Definite postgraduation study 230 9 161 D 46 D
Definite employment 2,382 480 1,283 D 446 D
Seeking employment or study 1,434 221 839 56 266 52
Otherc 179 31 88 6 40 14
Definite postgraduation study (%)d
Postdoc fellowship 51.3 D 57.1 D 34.8 D
Postdoc research associateship 43.5 D 37.9 D 63.0 D
Other or unknowne 5.2 22.2 5.0 0.0 2.2 10.0
Definite employment (%)f
Academe 60.5 43.3 62.7 62.1 71.3 65.4
Government 3.7 4.0 4.4 D 2.2 D
Industry or businessg 4.5 3.1 5.6 D 2.2 D
Nonprofit organization 5.9 4.8 7.4 D 3.4 D
Other or unknownh 25.4 44.8 20.0 24.2 20.9 24.3
Primary activityi
R&D 12.5 5.4 16.9 D 8.9 D
Teaching 41.2 21.7 37.3 53.8 72.6 41.6
Management or administration 33.8 66.1 28.9 30.8 13.2 33.7
Professional services 11.0 6.5 14.7 9.2 4.8 12.4
Other 1.4 0.2 2.2 D 0.5 D
Secondary activityj
R&D 26.7 13.5 27.1 36.9 38.7 24.7
Teaching 17.2 19.8 17.7 18.5 12.7 16.9
Management or administration 11.1 6.5 13.0 7.7 11.1 11.2
Professional services 11.3 15.2 9.8 13.8 11.3 9.0
Other 2.9 2.6 2.7 0.0 3.8 3.4
No secondary activity 30.9 42.4 29.5 23.1 22.4 34.8
Activity unknown 4.6 4.2 3.2 1.5 6.7 16.8
Postgraduation location (%)k
United Statesl 94.3 95.5 94.9 D 90.7 D
New England 5.1 4.1 5.3 11.4 4.9 4.3
Middle Atlantic 10.3 6.5 9.5 20.0 12.6 19.7
East North Central 16.0 21.3 14.8 20.0 13.4 17.1
West North Central 8.3 8.0 8.9 D 6.9 D
South Atlantic 18.5 20.0 18.3 15.7 19.3 12.8
East South Central 6.9 8.2 7.0 D 6.1 D
West South Central 11.1 12.9 10.7 D 10.8 D
Mountain 8.0 7.4 8.7 D 7.3 D
Pacific and insular 10.0 7.2 11.4 D 8.9 D
Not in United States 5.5 4.3 5.0 D 8.7 D
Location unknown 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.6 0.0
Male doctorate recipients (number) 1,614 345 855 36 296 82
Postgraduation status (number)b
Definite postgraduation study 74 D 48 0 18 D
Definite employment 797 D 424 18 135 D
Seeking employment or study 417 77 237 15 76 12
Otherc 49 10 23 0 12 4
Definite postgraduation study (%)d
Postdoc fellowship 50.0 D 56.3 0.0 D D
Postdoc research associateship 47.3 D 39.6 0.0 D D
Other or unknowne 2.7 0.0 4.2 0.0 0.0 0.0
Definite employment (%)f
Academe 58.5 34.9 66.3 50.0 68.1 58.1
Government 3.6 4.8 3.3 D D D
Industry or businessg 5.1 D 5.2 0.0 3.7 D
Nonprofit organization 5.9 3.2 8.0 D D D
Other or unknownh 26.9 51.3 17.2 D 22.2 D
Primary activityi
R&D 13.2 4.3 18.4 D 10.9 D
Teaching 36.8 18.2 33.9 35.3 71.1 48.0
Management or administration 40.6 72.7 34.9 D D 28.0
Professional services 8.8 4.3 11.8 D D D
Other 0.7 0.5 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Secondary activityj
R&D 25.0 D 27.5 D 35.9 32.0
Teaching 18.6 18.2 21.9 D 10.9 D
Management or administration 11.8 D 15.2 D 14.1 D
Professional services 10.9 15.5 7.6 D 10.9 D
Other 1.8 1.1 1.5 0.0 4.7 0.0
No secondary activity 31.9 49.7 26.3 23.5 23.4 40.0
Activity unknown 4.1 1.1 4.0 5.6 5.2 19.4
Postgraduation location (%)k
United Statesl 90.9 92.3 91.9 100.0 D D
New England 4.9 D 5.5 D 3.3 0.0
Middle Atlantic 8.3 7.7 6.1 33.3 8.5 26.5
East North Central 16.3 18.6 18.0 D D D
West North Central 8.0 11.3 7.6 D D D
South Atlantic 17.6 14.4 17.6 D 22.9 D
East South Central 6.7 9.3 6.1 D D D
West South Central 10.6 13.9 9.7 D 8.5 D
Mountain 9.6 7.7 10.4 D 9.8 D
Pacific and insular 8.8 D 10.6 0.0 10.5 D
Not in United States 8.8 7.2 8.1 0.0 D D
Location unknown 0.2 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.0
Female doctorate recipients (number) 3,502 577 1,927 119 661 218
Postgraduation status (number)b
Definite postgraduation study 156 D 113 D 28 7
Definite employment 1,585 D 859 D 311 76
Seeking employment or study 1,017 144 602 41 190 40
Otherc 130 21 65 6 28 10
Definite postgraduation study (%)d
Postdoc fellowship 51.9 D 57.5 D D D
Postdoc research associateship 41.7 D 37.2 D D D
Other or unknowne 6.4 50.0 5.3 0.0 3.6 14.3
Definite employment (%)f
Academe 61.5 48.8 60.9 66.7 72.7 68.4
Government 3.8 3.4 4.9 D D D
Industry or businessg 4.1 D 5.8 D 1.6 D
Nonprofit organization 5.9 5.8 7.1 D D D
Other or unknownh 24.7 40.5 21.3 D 20.3 D
Primary activityi
R&D 12.2 6.2 16.2 D 8.0 D
Teaching 43.5 24.2 38.9 60.4 73.3 39.1
Management or administration 30.4 61.5 26.0 D D 35.9
Professional services 12.1 8.1 16.2 D D D
Other 1.8 0.0 2.8 D 0.7 D
Secondary activityj
R&D 27.5 D 26.9 D 39.9 21.9
Teaching 16.5 20.9 15.7 D 13.5 D
Management or administration 10.8 D 12.0 D 9.7 D
Professional services 11.5 15.0 10.9 D 11.5 D
Other 3.4 3.7 3.4 0.0 3.5 4.7
No secondary activity 30.3 37.4 31.1 22.9 21.9 32.8
Activity unknown 4.9 6.2 2.8 0.0 7.4 15.8
Postgraduation location (%)k
United Statesl 95.9 97.6 96.3 D D D
New England 5.2 D 5.1 D 5.6 6.0
Middle Atlantic 11.3 5.8 11.1 15.4 14.5 16.9
East North Central 15.9 23.1 13.3 D D D
West North Central 8.4 5.8 9.6 D D 9.6
South Atlantic 19.0 23.7 18.6 D 17.7 D
East South Central 7.0 7.5 7.4 D D D
West South Central 11.3 12.2 11.2 D 11.8 D
Mountain 7.2 7.1 7.8 D 6.2 D
Pacific and insular 10.5 D 11.8 D 8.3 14.5
Not in United States 3.8 2.4 3.5 D D D
Location unknown 0.2 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.6 0.0
D = suppressed to avoid disclosure of confidential information.
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.