From 2011 to 2015, temporary visa holders intending to stay in the United States after earning a doctorate took less time to complete their degrees than did those intending to leave. This result held in every broad field of study except physical and earth sciences, where both types of temporary visa holders took equally long to graduate. U.S. citizens and permanent residents took less time to complete an S&E doctorate, but they took longer to complete a doctorate in a non-S&E field (figure B).
Median time to degree of U.S. doctorate recipients, by resident type and broad field of study: 2011–15
| Field | U.S. citizens and permanent residents | Temporary visa holders intending to stay in the United States | Temporary visa holders intending to leave the United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life sciences | 6.7 | 7.3 | 7.8 |
| Physical sciences and earth sciences | 6.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Mathematics and computer sciences | 6.7 | 6.9 | 7.2 |
| Psychology and social sciences | 7.7 | 8.0 | 8.7 |
| Engineering | 6.2 | 6.9 | 7.3 |
| Non-S&E | 10.2 | 8.7 | 9.7 |
- S&E = science and engineering.
- SOURCE: Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities 2015. Related detailed data: tables 31, 32, even numbered tables 54–72.
