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Table 31. Median years to doctorate, by broad field of study: Selected years, 1991–2016

Field of study and time to degree 1991 1996 2001 2006 2011 2016
All fields
Since bachelor's 10.5 10.8 10.2 9.6 9.1 8.8
Since starting graduate school 8.7 8.7 8.3 8.0 7.7 7.3
Since starting doctoral programa na na na na na 5.7
Life sciencesb
Since bachelor's 9.2 9.6 9.0 8.6 8.6 8.2
Since starting graduate school 7.7 7.9 7.3 7.0 6.9 6.7
Since starting doctoral programa na na na na na 5.7
Physical sciences and earth sciences
Since bachelor's 7.6 8.0 7.5 7.4 7.4 6.9
Since starting graduate school 6.7 6.8 6.6 6.5 6.6 6.1
Since starting doctoral programa na na na na na 5.7
Mathematics and computer sciences
Since bachelor's 8.6 9.2 8.5 8.2 7.9 7.9
Since starting graduate school 7.2 7.7 7.2 7.2 6.9 6.9
Since starting doctoral programa na na na na na 5.7
Psychology and social sciences
Since bachelor's 10.7 10.3 9.9 9.8 9.6 9.5
Since starting graduate school 8.7 8.2 7.9 8.0 7.8 7.9
Since starting doctoral programa na na na na na 6.0
Engineering
Since bachelor's 8.6 9.0 8.4 8.1 7.8 7.3
Since starting graduate school 6.9 7.2 7.1 7.0 6.8 6.5
Since starting doctoral programa na na na na na 5.3
Education
Since bachelor's 18.5 20.3 19.0 16.7 15.0 15.0
Since starting graduate school 15.2 15.9 13.9 12.7 11.7 11.7
Since starting doctoral programa na na na na na 6.0
Humanities and arts
Since bachelor's 12.6 12.0 11.6 11.6 11.2 11.0
Since starting graduate school 10.7 9.9 9.7 9.7 9.3 9.3
Since starting doctoral programa na na na na na 7.0
Otherc
Since bachelor's 13.4 13.5 13.6 12.3 12.0 11.2
Since starting graduate school 10.7 10.2 10.7 9.8 9.3 9.0
Since starting doctoral programa na na na na na 5.3