Science and Engineering Doctorates
Warning symbol Newer information is available

Who earns a U.S. doctorate?

Sex

Field of study

Most of the growth in the number of doctorates earned by both men and women has been in S&E fields. From 1995 to 2015, the number of female doctorate recipients in S&E fields increased by 93%, far faster than the 29% growth in the number of male S&E doctorates. The numbers of male doctorate recipients and female doctorate recipients in S&E fields both grew by 2% from 2014 to 2015. Although women's share of S&E doctorates awarded increased from 33% in 1995 to 42% in 2009, it has remained stable since then.

The number of female doctorate recipients in non-S&E fields has grown at a slower pace (7%) over the past 20 years, whereas the number of male doctorates in those fields has declined by 13%. In 2015, 57% of doctorates in non-S&E fields were awarded to women, a share that has changed little since 2002 (figure E).

Sex and field of study of U.S. doctorate recipients: 1995–2015

Print
Chart of Sex and field of study of U.S. doctorate recipients: 1995–2015
(Doctorate recipients)
Year Male, S&E fields Male, non-S&E fields Female, S&E fields Female, non-S&E fields
1995 18,474 6,686 9,051 7,365
1996 18,812 6,476 9,450 7,506
1997 18,452 6,490 9,806 7,436
1998 18,210 6,419 10,261 7,586
1999 17,118 6,320 9,904 7,581
2000 16,945 6,220 10,376 7,755
2001 16,622 6,158 10,220 7,667
2002 15,802 6,004 10,236 7,904
2003 16,196 6,060 10,518 7,989
2004 16,836 6,129 10,957 8,198
2005 17,869 5,868 11,665 7,917
2006 18,886 6,135 12,676 7,883
2007 20,120 6,082 13,622 8,282
2008 20,420 5,852 14,289 8,205
2009 20,347 5,985 14,937 8,250
2010 20,076 5,450 14,912 7,577
2011 20,903 5,288 15,413 7,288
2012 21,763 5,602 16,045 7,486
2013 22,449 5,879 16,575 7,792
2014 23,312 5,706 17,195 7,627
2015 23,751 5,845 17,505 7,898
Table of Sex and field of study of U.S. doctorate recipients: 1995–2015