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Table 32. Median years to doctorate, by sex, citizenship status, ethnicity, race, and broad field of study: 2015

Time to degree and demographic characteristic All fields Life sciencesa Physical sciences and earth sciences Mathematics and computer sciences Psychology and social sciences Engineering Education Humanities and arts Otherb
Median Number Median Number Median Number Median Number Median Number Median Number Median Number Median Number Median Number
Years since bachelor's
All doctorate recipientsc 8.7 49,922 8.2 11,442 7.0 5,434 7.8 3,456 9.3 8,125 7.3 9,037 14.8 4,675 11.0 5,069 11.2 2,684
Sex
Male 8.3 26,864 8.0 5,079 7.0 3,597 7.8 2,612 9.4 3,404 7.5 6,949 14.6 1,458 11.0 2,493 11.3 1,272
Female 9.3 23,058 8.3 6,363 6.8 1,837 7.7 844 9.3 4,721 7.0 2,088 14.9 3,217 11.0 2,576 11.1 1,412
Citizenship status
U.S. citizen or permanent resident 9.0 34,315 8.0 8,295 6.6 3,429 7.7 1,607 9.3 6,506 6.9 4,126 15.0 4,123 11.0 4,398 12.0 1,831
Temporary visa holder 8.3 15,299 8.4 3,085 7.7 1,982 7.8 1,831 9.4 1,545 7.7 4,873 12.1 519 11.2 645 9.9 819
Ethnicity and race (U.S. citizens and permanent residents)
Hispanic or Latino 9.2 2,398 8.1 618 7.1 178 7.8 75 9.4 477 6.8 292 14.0 310 11.6 358 12.7 90
Not Hispanic or Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native 12.5 126 7.9 22 8.0 9 0.0 0 13.0 29 7.6 7 17.3 28 13.0 24 17.9 7
Asian 8.9 2,991 8.0 896 6.6 264 9.2 191 9.4 434 7.4 633 13.9 189 12.3 192 11.5 192
Black or African American 12.0 2,218 10.0 440 7.6 99 9.3 53 11.0 523 8.7 161 16.0 618 12.1 138 15.5 186
White 9.0 25,013 8.0 5,944 6.6 2,726 7.3 1,196 9.3 4,722 6.6 2,825 15.3 2,814 10.8 3,494 11.5 1,292
More than one race 8.6 895 7.9 239 6.6 85 7.3 35 9.0 193 6.6 106 14.4 88 10.6 110 11.7 39
Other race or race not reported 9.4 232 8.0 51 6.2 16 9.0 18 11.3 52 7.0 29 15.2 22 11.1 34 10.5 10
Ethnicity not reported 8.8 442 8.3 85 6.0 52 7.8 39 10.3 76 6.6 73 15.5 54 11.1 48 15.3 15
Years since entering graduate school
All doctorate recipientsd 7.3 49,402 6.7 11,462 6.2 5,388 6.7 3,442 7.7 7,938 6.7 8,974 11.7 4,557 9.2 4,995 8.9 2,646
Sex
Male 7.2 26,690 6.7 5,089 6.2 3,585 6.8 2,612 7.7 3,351 6.7 6,903 11.7 1,429 9.3 2,454 8.9 1,267
Female 7.7 22,712 6.9 6,373 6.0 1,803 6.7 830 7.7 4,587 6.3 2,071 11.7 3,128 9.2 2,541 9.0 1,379
Citizenship status
U.S. citizen or permanent resident 7.4 33,737 6.7 8,253 6.0 3,369 6.7 1,589 7.7 6,349 6.2 4,048 12.3 4,016 9.1 4,310 9.4 1,803
Temporary visa holder 7.3 15,394 7.2 3,159 6.8 1,992 6.9 1,829 8.2 1,540 6.9 4,878 9.1 519 9.9 659 8.2 818
Ethnicity and race (U.S. citizens and permanent residents)
Hispanic or Latino 7.7 2,329 6.8 607 6.1 173 7.4 72 7.9 463 6.2 282 11.3 300 9.8 346 9.8 86
Not Hispanic or Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native 9.7 120 6.8 20 7.9 9 0.0 0 10.7 29 7.3 7 14.7 27 9.7 22 13.7 6
Asian 7.3 3,014 6.7 908 6.0 268 8.0 198 7.9 423 6.7 645 10.9 192 10.7 189 9.7 191
Black or African American 9.7 2,182 8.3 440 6.3 98 8.3 52 9.3 518 7.0 159 12.9 597 9.9 136 11.9 182
White 7.3 24,768 6.7 5,940 5.9 2,698 6.5 1,190 7.3 4,644 6.0 2,797 12.3 2,771 9.0 3,450 9.0 1,278
More than one race 7.2 900 6.6 240 6.0 88 6.4 35 7.7 192 6.0 108 11.3 87 8.7 110 9.7 40
Other race or race not reported 7.8 220 6.7 52 5.0 15 7.7 17 9.5 46 5.6 30 13.3 20 9.2 30 9.0 10
Ethnicity not reported 7.0 204 6.3 46 5.1 20 6.3 25 9.1 34 5.3 20 12.2 22 8.3 27 10.3 10
Years since entering doctoral programe
All doctorate recipientsf 5.7 48,627 5.7 11,328 5.7 5,302 5.7 3,363 6.0 7,801 5.2 8,836 6.0 4,464 6.9 4,933 5.3 2,600
Sex
Male 5.7 26,248 5.6 5,027 5.7 3,524 5.7 2,557 5.9 3,285 5.2 6,794 6.2 1,394 6.7 2,420 5.0 1,247
Female 5.7 22,379 5.7 6,301 5.5 1,778 5.7 806 6.0 4,516 5.2 2,042 6.0 3,070 7.0 2,513 5.3 1,353
Citizenship status
U.S. citizen or permanent resident 5.8 33,193 5.7 8,151 5.7 3,325 5.7 1,553 6.0 6,237 5.3 3,983 6.2 3,929 7.0 4,255 5.3 1,760
Temporary visa holder 5.3 15,169 5.3 3,125 5.5 1,950 5.3 1,787 5.7 1,518 5.0 4,808 5.3 514 6.7 652 5.0 815
Ethnicity and race (U.S. citizens and permanent residents)
Hispanic or Latino 6.1 2,304 5.7 603 5.7 171 6.2 71 6.7 457 5.7 279 6.7 297 7.3 343 5.4 83
Not Hispanic or Latino
American Indian or Alaska Native 6.7 120 5.7 20 5.1 9 0.0 0 7.3 29 6.0 7 9.0 27 7.7 22 5.5 6
Asian 5.8 2,970 5.7 900 5.7 266 6.0 192 6.2 419 5.7 633 6.0 189 7.3 187 5.7 184
Black or African American 6.1 2,124 5.7 433 5.7 96 6.7 49 6.3 507 5.7 153 6.7 576 6.7 136 6.3 174
White 5.7 24,379 5.7 5,858 5.7 2,665 5.7 1,167 6.0 4,559 5.3 2,754 6.0 2,716 6.9 3,404 5.3 1,256
More than one race 5.7 884 5.7 239 5.3 87 5.7 34 6.0 186 5.5 108 5.7 85 7.0 108 6.0 37
Other race or race not reported 6.0 214 5.7 51 5.0 13 6.6 16 6.7 45 5.3 29 7.7 20 7.0 30 5.3 10
Ethnicity not reported 5.7 198 5.3 47 4.9 18 5.9 24 6.2 35 4.8 20 6.9 19 6.7 25 5.7 10
a Includes agricultural sciences and natural resources; biological and biomedical sciences; and health sciences.
b Non-science and engineering fields not shown separately.
c Includes only cases with valid year of bachelor's award.
d Includes only cases with valid year of entry into graduate school.
e Years since entering doctoral program is based on master's degree 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.
f Includes only cases with valid year of entry into master's program if master's degree was at the doctoral institution in the same fine field of study or was a prerequisite to the doctorate; otherwise, includes only cases with valid year of entry into graduate school.
SOURCE: National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Earned Doctorates, 2015.