What influences the path to the doctorate?

Time to degree

The time between entering graduate school and earning the doctorate has fallen in all fields of study over the past 20 years, particularly in education. Since 1996, non-S&E fields have seen a greater reduction in the time to degree than have S&E fields. However, on average it still takes years longer to earn a doctorate in the non-S&E fields than it does to complete doctoral training in S&E fields.

Median time to degree of U.S. doctorate recipients, by broad field of study: 1996–2016

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(Years from graduate school entry to doctorate)
Year Life sciences Physical sciences and earth sciences Mathematics and computer sciences Psychology and social sciences Engineering Education Humanities and arts Other non-S&E fields
1996 7.9 6.8 7.7 8.2 7.2 15.9 9.9 10.2
1997 7.7 6.7 7.8 8.2 7.2 15.7 9.7 10.2
1998 7.5 6.7 7.4 7.9 7.2 15.0 9.7 10.2
1999 7.3 6.7 7.2 7.9 7.2 14.7 9.7 10.2
2000 7.7 6.7 7.2 7.9 7.2 14.2 9.7 10.2
2001 7.3 6.6 7.2 7.9 7.1 13.9 9.7 10.7
2002 7.4 6.7 7.3 8.2 7.2 14.1 9.7 10.2
2003 7.2 6.7 7.7 8.2 7.3 13.2 9.7 10.2
2004 7.0 6.5 7.1 8.0 7.2 12.7 9.7 9.8
2005 7.1 6.6 7.2 8.2 7.3 13.0 9.9 10.3
2006 7.0 6.5 7.2 8.0 7.0 12.7 9.7 9.8
2007 7.0 6.5 7.0 8.0 6.7 12.6 9.7 9.4
2008 6.9 6.4 7.0 7.7 6.7 12.7 9.3 9.1
2009 7.0 6.3 7.0 7.7 6.9 12.4 9.7 9.6
2010 6.8 6.5 7.0 7.7 6.9 12.5 9.5 9.3
2011 6.9 6.6 6.9 7.8 6.8 11.7 9.3 9.3
2012 6.9 6.4 7.0 7.7 6.7 11.9 9.2 8.9
2013 6.9 6.3 6.9 7.7 6.7 11.7 9.3 9.0
2014 6.7 6.3 6.9 7.9 6.5 11.7 9.3 9.0
2015 6.7 6.2 6.7 7.7 6.7 11.7 9.2 8.9
2016 6.7 6.1 6.9 7.9 6.5 11.7 9.3 9.0