Survey of Earned Doctorates
As part of NCSES's ongoing website redesign project, the Survey of Earned Doctorates page has been reimagined. Beginning in May 2023, only survey data published from the 2021 cycle or earlier will be available on this page. Data from all subsequent cycles will be published on our new Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) page.
The Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) is an annual census conducted since 1957 of all individuals receiving a research doctorate from an accredited U.S. institution in a given academic year. The SED is sponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the National Science Foundation (NSF) and by three other federal agencies: the National Institutes of Health, Department of Education, and National Endowment for the Humanities. The SED collects information on the doctoral recipient's educational history, demographic characteristics, and postgraduation plans. Results are used to assess characteristics of the doctoral population and trends in doctoral education and degrees.
Survey Description
Questionnaires
Overview: SED
This overview provides a brief introduction to the Survey of Earned Doctorates, general details on the type of information collected, and how to access the data.
- Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2021 (Data Tables)
Data Tables | NSF 23-300 | October 18, 2022 - Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2019 Data Tables
Data Tables | NSF 21-308 | December 1, 2020 - Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2014(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 16-300 | December 3, 2015 - Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2013(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 15-304 | December 3, 2014 - Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2012 Data Tables(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 14-305 | December 5, 2013 - Science and Engineering Doctorate Awards: 2009–10(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 13-322 | July 2, 2013 - Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2011(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 13-301 | December 5, 2012 - Doctorate Recipients from United States Universities: 2010 Data Tables(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 12-305 | December 6, 2011 - Science and Engineering Doctorate Awards: 2007–08(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 11-321 | August 22, 2011 - Science and Engineering Doctorate Awards: 2006(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 09-311 | March 13, 2009 - See more in Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities →
- Science and Engineering State Profiles
- State Profiles is an interactive website providing access to state-level data on science and engineering (S&E) personnel and finances and state rankings. State Profiles displays up to 7 state profiles of the user’s choice. Data are available from surveys sponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the National Science Foundation on employed S&E doctorate holders; S&E doctorates awarded, including by major S&E fields; S&E graduate students and postdoctorates; federal research and development obligations by agency and performer; state government agency R&D expenditures; total and business R&D performance; and higher education R&D performance, including by major S&E fields. Data available from other sources include population, civilian labor force, per capita personal income, federal expenditures, patents, small business innovation research awards, and gross domestic product. All data are available for download. Data cover 2003 to present.
Because of the time it takes to produce and post the Science and Engineering State Profiles data set, some source data may have been updated since these profiles were created. See the source data for the most up-to-date information.
(A): Archived Publication
- Research Doctorate Conferrals Rebound, Leading to Record Number of U.S. Doctorate Recipients in 2022
InfoBriefs | NSF 23-353 | September 28, 2023 - Baccalaureate Origins of Underrepresented Minority Research Doctorate Recipients
InfoBriefs | NSF 22-335 | August 9, 2022 - Baccalaureate Origins of U.S. Research Doctorate Recipients
InfoBriefs | NSF 22-321 | March 14, 2022 - Research Funding for U.S. Doctorate Recipients at Research-Intensive Institutions
InfoBriefs | NSF 23-349 | December 4, 2023 - Baccalaureate Origins of U.S.-trained S&E Doctorate Recipients(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 13-323 | April 22, 2013 - Numbers of Doctorates Awarded in the United States Declined in 2010(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 12-303 | November 22, 2011 - Numbers of Doctorates Awarded Continue to Grow in 2009; Indicators of Employment Outcomes Mixed(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 11-305 | November 22, 2010 - Numbers of U.S. Doctorates Awarded Rise for Sixth Year, but Growth Slower(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 10-308 | November 19, 2009 - 2007 Records Fifth Consecutive Annual Increase in U.S. Doctoral Awards(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 09-307 | November 21, 2008 - Role of HBCUs as Baccalaureate-Origin Institutions of Black S&E Doctorate Recipients(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 08-319 | August 27, 2008 - U.S. Doctoral Awards in Science and Engineering Continue Upward Trend in 2006(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 08-301 | November 20, 2007 - See more in Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities →
- Sector of Employment of S&E Doctorate Recipients with Definite U.S. Commitments
Other | NCSES 24-205 | June 17, 2024 - See more in Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities →
- Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2016 Report
Special Reports | NSF 18-304 | March 29, 2018 - Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2015 Report
Special Reports | NSF 17-306 | June 28, 2017 - Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2014 Report(A)
Special Reports | NSF 16-300 | March 31, 2016 - Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2013 Digest(A)
Special Reports | NSF 15-304 | April 29, 2015 - Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2012 Digest(A)
Special Reports | NSF 14-305 | January 16, 2014 - Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2011 (Digest)(A)
Special Reports | NSF 13-301 | June 7, 2012 - Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2010 (Digest)(A)
Special Reports | NSF 12-305 | June 29, 2012 - Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2009(A)
Special Reports | NSF 11-306 | December 1, 2010 - See more in Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities →
- Survey of Earned Doctorates Field of Study Taxonomy Changes in 2021 and Impact on Trend Data
Working Papers | NCSES 23-200 | October 18, 2022 - Trends in Interdisciplinary Dissertation Research: An Analysis of the Survey of Earned Doctorates(A)
Working Papers | NCSES 12-200 | April 27, 2012 - See more in Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities →
(A): Archived Publication
- Academic Institution Profiles
- This interactive website provides access to selected data on the number of earned doctorates, number of graduate students and postdoctorates in science and engineering, total federal obligations, and total R&D expenditures by individual U.S. academic institutions. Academic Institution Profiles also includes rankings of institutions by four selected variables. Data come from four NCSES surveys: the Higher Education R&D Survey; the Survey of Earned Doctorates; the Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges and Nonprofit Institutions; and the Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering. Data cover the most recent 10 years and are available for download.
- Profiles of the National Science Foundation Directorates
These Profiles highlight key trends in doctoral education, characteristics of recent doctorate recipients, and employment outcomes of early career doctorate holders for the fields of science and engineering funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
NSF has seven directorates that fund science and engineering research: Biological Sciences; Computer and Information Science and Engineering; Education and Human Resources; Engineering; Geosciences; Mathematical and Physical Sciences; and Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences.
Data for this series are from the Survey of Earned Doctorates and the Survey of Doctorate Recipients, conducted by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within NSF. NCSES is the nation's leading provider of data on the science and engineering enterprise.
- S&E Degrees
- This series provides information on the number and types of bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees awarded by U.S. institutions. It also provides information on the characteristics of the degree recipients.
- S&E Degrees, By Race/Ethnicity of Recipients
- This series provides time series information on the number of bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees awarded by U.S. institutions, by major field of degree and by race/ethnicity and sex of degree recipient.
- Science and Engineering Indicators
- This biennial report to Congress provides a broad base of quantitative information about U.S. science, engineering, and technology.
- Science and Engineering State Profiles
- State Profiles is an interactive website providing access to state-level data on science and engineering (S&E) personnel and finances and state rankings. State Profiles displays up to 7 state profiles of the user’s choice. Data are available from surveys sponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the National Science Foundation on employed S&E doctorate holders; S&E doctorates awarded, including by major S&E fields; S&E graduate students and postdoctorates; federal research and development obligations by agency and performer; state government agency R&D expenditures; total and business R&D performance; and higher education R&D performance, including by major S&E fields. Data available from other sources include population, civilian labor force, per capita personal income, federal expenditures, patents, small business innovation research awards, and gross domestic product. All data are available for download. Data cover 2003 to present.
Because of the time it takes to produce and post the Science and Engineering State Profiles data set, some source data may have been updated since these profiles were created. See the source data for the most up-to-date information.
- Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in S&E
- This series presents trends in the participation of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in science and engineering fields. Topics include higher-education enrollments, degrees, institutions, and financial support and employment status, occupations, sectors, and salaries.
Kelly Kang
Survey Manager
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
(703) 292-7796
Last Updated: September 2024
