Bookmark and Share

Table 72. Statistical profile of doctorate recipients, by ethnicity, race, and citizenship status: 2016

Characteristics Totala U.S. citizen Non-U.S. citizen Hispanic or Latino Not Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity not reported
American Indian or Alaska Native Asian Black or African American White More than one race Other race or race not reported
U.S. citizen Non-U.S. citizen U.S. citizen Non-U.S. citizen U.S. citizen Non-U.S. citizen U.S. citizen Non-U.S. citizen U.S. citizen Non-U.S. citizen U.S. citizen Non-U.S. citizen U.S. citizen Non-U.S. citizen U.S. citizen Non-U.S. citizen
All doctorate recipients (number) 54,904 35,719 16,498 2,555 1,015 128 8 3,082 10,944 2,360 502 25,524 3,221 1,032 84 273 174 765 550
Primary source of support (%)b
Teaching assistantships 21.4 20.4 23.6 18.6 21.5 16.8 D 17.5 23.9 13.3 28.0 21.7 22.8 18.8 28.6 17.4 D 16.2 19.3
Research or other assistantships or traineeships 30.8 23.5 46.9 17.0 29.8 8.0 D 31.5 52.6 10.9 34.8 24.4 35.3 23.6 D 22.7 33.7 29.3 48.2
Fellowships or grants 27.7 31.0 20.4 38.2 31.4 33.6 D 36.1 17.0 29.9 24.1 29.6 27.3 36.2 D 38.6 27.0 23.6 26.5
Own resources 15.1 20.5 3.2 22.8 2.5 35.4 D 10.8 3.0 39.7 8.1 19.8 3.6 17.4 D 17.9 D 24.6 3.6
Employer 3.2 4.4 0.4 3.2 0.9 5.3 0.0 3.8 0.3 6.0 1.3 4.5 0.6 3.7 D 2.9 D 6.3 0.0
Other source 1.9 0.2 5.5 0.2 13.9 0.9 12.5 0.3 3.2 0.1 3.6 0.2 10.5 0.3 3.9 0.5 18.0 0.0 2.4
Postgraduation status (number)c
Definite postgraduation study 11,359 7,580 3,747 558 223 18 D 676 D 320 90 5,669 816 268 29 45 D 26 15
Definite employment 17,941 12,863 5,019 774 346 53 D 983 D 801 130 9,742 1,015 349 28 93 D 68 25
Seeking employment or study 16,601 10,792 5,780 857 361 37 0 1,018 4,011 903 228 7,539 1,106 319 25 63 31 56 18
Other statusd 2,455 1,794 651 137 33 9 D 263 474 137 22 1,163 113 55 0 19 D 11 2
Postgraduation study plans (%)e 38.8 37.1 42.7 41.9 39.2 25.4 D 40.7 D 28.5 40.9 36.8 44.6 43.4 50.9 32.6 D 27.7 37.5
Postgraduation employment plans (%)f
Academe 46.2 48.6 40.1 50.0 55.8 62.3 D 37.1 34.7 47.2 57.7 50.0 49.8 46.1 D 40.9 60.7 39.7 44.0
Government 7.6 9.0 4.2 8.7 8.4 9.4 0.0 8.5 3.9 12.4 5.4 8.6 3.9 10.9 0.0 12.9 3.6 13.2 4.0
Industry or businessg 33.1 26.4 50.3 25.1 27.7 11.3 0.0 42.6 57.0 17.2 25.4 25.5 40.3 28.1 32.1 30.1 25.0 32.4 36.0
Nonprofit 5.5 6.7 2.6 6.1 2.6 11.3 0.0 7.3 2.4 7.1 D 6.6 2.7 6.3 D 6.5 0.0 7.4 4.0
Other or unknown plansh 7.5 9.3 2.7 10.2 5.5 5.7 0.0 4.4 D 16.1 D 9.3 3.3 8.6 0.0 9.7 D 7.4 12.0
Employment location (%)i
United States 90.9 97.7 73.4 98.1 53.5 D 0.0 96.0 77.9 98.6 70.0 97.9 66.3 95.1 64.3 D 46.4 97.1 80.0
Not United States 9.0 2.2 26.4 1.8 46.5 D D 3.8 D 1.2 30.0 2.0 33.7 4.9 35.7 D D 1.5 16.0
Unknown 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.0 D 0.2 D 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.2 0.0 1.5 4.0
Age at doctorate (median years) 31.6 32.0 31.0 32.7 33.2 39.2 31.9 31.4 30.5 35.9 34.7 31.8 31.7 31.2 31.1 33.1 32.3 32.2 30.6
Time to degree (median years)
From bachelor's 8.8 9.1 8.3 9.3 9.2 13.4 10.5 8.8 8.0 12.0 10.2 9.0 8.9 8.6 8.1 10.3 9.3 9.0 8.0
From graduate school start 7.3 7.5 7.3 7.7 7.7 10.3 8.2 7.3 7.0 9.8 7.7 7.3 7.9 7.0 7.2 8.1 7.7 7.7 6.9
From doctoral program startj 5.7 5.9 5.3 6.0 5.6 6.7 5.7 5.7 5.3 6.1 5.3 5.7 5.3 5.8 5.3 6.1 5.4 6.0 5.0
D = suppressed to avoid disclosure of confidential information.
a Includes respondents who did not report their citizenship.
b Percentages are based on the number of doctorate recipients who reported a primary source of financial support during graduate school.
c Includes only respondents who reported postgraduation status.
d Includes respondents who indicated having no plans to work or study, respondents indicating another type of postgraduation plan, and respondents indicating definite plans for another full-time degree program.
e Excludes respondents who indicated plans for another full-time degree program. Percentages are based on the number of doctorate recipients reporting definite postgraduation plans and type of plans.
f Percentages are based on the number of doctorate recipients who reported 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 are based on the number of doctorate recipients who reported definite postgraduation plan for employment and the location of employment.
j Time to doctorate from doctoral program start is based on master's program entry if the master's degree was at the doctoral institution in the same fine field of study or was a prerequisite to the doctorate; otherwise, it is based on doctoral program entry.
NOTES: U.S. citizen refers to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Non-U.S. citizen refers to temporary visa holders. Due to rounding, percentages may not sum to 100.
SOURCE: National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Earned Doctorates, 2016.