Table 59. Statistical profile of postgraduation plans of doctorate recipients in physical sciences and earth sciences fields, by sex and field of study: 2015
Characteristic |
All physical sciences and earth sciences fields |
Chemistry |
Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences |
Physics and astronomy |
All doctorate recipients (number)a |
5,924 |
2,675 |
1,057 |
2,192 |
Postgraduation status (number)b |
|
|
|
|
Definite postgraduation study |
1,988 |
826 |
405 |
757 |
Definite employment |
1,104 |
478 |
222 |
404 |
Seeking employment or study |
1,924 |
936 |
277 |
711 |
Otherc |
159 |
85 |
21 |
53 |
Definite postgraduation study (%)d |
|
|
|
|
Postdoc fellowship |
38.8 |
36.0 |
43.0 |
39.6 |
Postdoc research associateship |
60.5 |
62.8 |
56.3 |
60.1 |
Other or unknowne |
0.8 |
1.2 |
0.7 |
0.3 |
Definite employment (%)f |
|
|
|
|
Academe |
24.1 |
22.6 |
34.7 |
20.0 |
Government |
6.9 |
3.6 |
14.4 |
6.7 |
Industry or businessg |
64.4 |
70.3 |
44.1 |
68.6 |
Nonprofit organization |
2.8 |
1.5 |
5.9 |
2.7 |
Other or unknownh |
1.8 |
2.1 |
0.9 |
2.0 |
Primary activityi |
|
|
|
|
R&D |
64.5 |
69.1 |
56.7 |
63.3 |
Teaching |
18.6 |
19.3 |
20.5 |
16.8 |
Management or administration |
5.2 |
3.5 |
8.8 |
5.2 |
Professional services |
7.3 |
5.7 |
10.2 |
7.5 |
Other |
4.4 |
2.4 |
3.7 |
7.2 |
Secondary activityj |
|
|
|
|
R&D |
17.2 |
14.3 |
26.0 |
15.8 |
Teaching |
2.8 |
2.2 |
5.6 |
2.1 |
Management or administration |
15.8 |
20.7 |
8.4 |
14.2 |
Professional services |
8.5 |
9.1 |
13.5 |
4.9 |
Other |
2.8 |
2.0 |
5.1 |
2.6 |
No secondary activity |
52.8 |
51.7 |
41.4 |
60.5 |
Activity unknown |
3.8 |
3.8 |
3.2 |
4.2 |
Postgraduation location (%)k |
|
|
|
|
United Statesl |
88.5 |
92.7 |
88.0 |
83.9 |
New England |
9.0 |
10.3 |
7.5 |
8.4 |
Middle Atlantic |
12.6 |
13.3 |
9.4 |
13.5 |
East North Central |
10.3 |
13.8 |
4.8 |
9.4 |
West North Central |
4.2 |
5.8 |
3.0 |
3.0 |
South Atlantic |
12.5 |
13.9 |
13.7 |
10.4 |
East South Central |
2.6 |
3.4 |
1.9 |
2.0 |
West South Central |
8.0 |
6.7 |
15.6 |
5.4 |
Mountain |
6.5 |
4.5 |
11.0 |
6.4 |
Pacific and insular |
22.6 |
20.9 |
21.1 |
25.4 |
Not in United States |
11.5 |
7.3 |
11.8 |
16.1 |
Location unknown |
* |
0.0 |
0.2 |
0.0 |
Male doctorate recipients (number) |
3,935 |
1,598 |
600 |
1,737 |
Postgraduation status (number)b |
|
|
|
|
Definite postgraduation study |
1,365 |
535 |
233 |
597 |
Definite employment |
760 |
287 |
132 |
341 |
Seeking employment or study |
1,219 |
513 |
155 |
551 |
Otherc |
93 |
46 |
10 |
37 |
Definite postgraduation study (%)d |
|
|
|
|
Postdoc fellowship |
37.5 |
35.7 |
39.9 |
38.2 |
Postdoc research associateship |
62.2 |
63.9 |
60.1 |
61.5 |
Other or unknowne |
0.3 |
0.4 |
0.0 |
0.3 |
Definite employment (%)f |
|
|
|
|
Academe |
22.2 |
19.2 |
33.3 |
20.5 |
Government |
7.0 |
D |
12.9 |
D |
Industry or businessg |
66.4 |
74.2 |
46.2 |
67.7 |
Nonprofit organization |
2.5 |
D |
6.1 |
D |
Other or unknownh |
1.8 |
1.4 |
1.5 |
2.3 |
Primary activityi |
|
|
|
|
R&D |
66.2 |
73.2 |
59.7 |
62.9 |
Teaching |
17.4 |
16.3 |
19.4 |
17.5 |
Management or administration |
5.5 |
4.0 |
D |
D |
Professional services |
6.8 |
4.7 |
D |
D |
Other |
4.1 |
1.8 |
3.1 |
6.4 |
Secondary activityj |
|
|
|
|
R&D |
16.3 |
12.3 |
23.3 |
16.9 |
Teaching |
3.0 |
D |
D |
D |
Management or administration |
17.8 |
25.7 |
10.1 |
14.1 |
Professional services |
8.2 |
9.8 |
14.7 |
4.3 |
Other |
3.3 |
D |
D |
D |
No secondary activity |
51.4 |
46.7 |
40.3 |
59.8 |
Activity unknown |
3.8 |
3.8 |
2.3 |
4.4 |
Postgraduation location (%)k |
|
|
|
|
United Statesl |
87.8 |
92.5 |
87.4 |
83.8 |
New England |
9.1 |
11.3 |
8.8 |
7.4 |
Middle Atlantic |
12.7 |
13.1 |
8.5 |
13.9 |
East North Central |
10.3 |
14.7 |
4.7 |
8.6 |
West North Central |
4.2 |
5.2 |
D |
D |
South Atlantic |
11.8 |
12.9 |
12.9 |
10.4 |
East South Central |
2.8 |
D |
D |
D |
West South Central |
7.9 |
6.8 |
15.9 |
5.7 |
Mountain |
6.1 |
D |
10.7 |
D |
Pacific and insular |
22.8 |
20.8 |
19.5 |
25.8 |
Not in United States |
12.2 |
7.5 |
12.6 |
16.2 |
Location unknown |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
Female doctorate recipients (number) |
1,988 |
1,077 |
457 |
454 |
Postgraduation status (number)b |
|
|
|
|
Definite postgraduation study |
623 |
291 |
172 |
160 |
Definite employment |
344 |
191 |
90 |
63 |
Seeking employment or study |
705 |
423 |
122 |
160 |
Otherc |
66 |
39 |
11 |
16 |
Definite postgraduation study (%)d |
|
|
|
|
Postdoc fellowship |
41.6 |
36.4 |
47.1 |
45.0 |
Postdoc research associateship |
56.7 |
60.8 |
51.2 |
55.0 |
Other or unknowne |
1.8 |
2.7 |
1.7 |
0.0 |
Definite employment (%)f |
|
|
|
|
Academe |
28.2 |
27.7 |
36.7 |
17.5 |
Government |
6.7 |
D |
16.7 |
D |
Industry or businessg |
59.9 |
64.4 |
41.1 |
73.0 |
Nonprofit organization |
3.5 |
D |
5.6 |
D |
Other or unknownh |
1.7 |
3.1 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
Primary activityi |
|
|
|
|
R&D |
60.7 |
63.0 |
52.3 |
65.6 |
Teaching |
21.5 |
23.9 |
22.1 |
13.1 |
Management or administration |
4.5 |
2.7 |
D |
D |
Professional services |
8.2 |
7.1 |
D |
D |
Other |
5.1 |
3.3 |
4.7 |
11.5 |
Secondary activityj |
|
|
|
|
R&D |
19.3 |
17.4 |
30.2 |
9.8 |
Teaching |
2.4 |
D |
D |
D |
Management or administration |
11.5 |
13.0 |
5.8 |
14.8 |
Professional services |
9.1 |
8.2 |
11.6 |
8.2 |
Other |
1.8 |
D |
D |
D |
No secondary activity |
55.9 |
59.2 |
43.0 |
63.9 |
Activity unknown |
3.8 |
3.7 |
4.4 |
3.2 |
Postgraduation location (%)k |
|
|
|
|
United Statesl |
90.0 |
93.2 |
88.9 |
84.3 |
New England |
8.7 |
8.5 |
5.7 |
12.6 |
Middle Atlantic |
12.4 |
13.5 |
10.7 |
12.1 |
East North Central |
10.3 |
12.2 |
5.0 |
12.6 |
West North Central |
4.1 |
6.8 |
D |
D |
South Atlantic |
14.2 |
15.6 |
14.9 |
10.3 |
East South Central |
2.0 |
D |
D |
D |
West South Central |
8.4 |
6.4 |
15.3 |
4.5 |
Mountain |
7.4 |
D |
11.5 |
D |
Pacific and insular |
22.3 |
21.2 |
23.3 |
23.8 |
Not in United States |
9.9 |
6.8 |
10.7 |
15.7 |
Location unknown |
0.1 |
0.0 |
0.4 |
0.0 |