For an overarching view of long-term trends in U.S. doctoral education, as reflected in the data from the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED), please see U.S. Doctorates in the 20th Century (NSF 06-319, October 2006, https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/nsf06319/). Additional context is provided in summary reports for previous years (Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities), available at https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/doctorates/.
Other publications from NCSES use SED data to report on focused topics. Publications that relate to the topics covered in Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2015 are listed below, by relevant section.
Who earns a U.S. doctorate? and Which fields attract students?
Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2017 (NSF 17-310, January 2017, https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2017/nsf17310/).
Numbers of Doctorates Awarded in the United States Declined in 2010 (NSF 12-303, November 2011, https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf12303/).
Numbers of Doctorates Awarded Continue to Grow in 2009; Indicators of Employment Outcomes Mixed (NSF 11-305, November 2010, https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf11305/).
Interdisciplinary Dissertation Research (NSF 10-316, March 2010, https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf10316/).
Numbers of U.S. Doctorates Awarded Rise for Sixth Year, but Growth Slower (NSF 10-308, November 2009, https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf10308/).
What influences the path to the doctorate?
Baccalaureate Origins of U.S.-trained S&E Doctorate Recipients (NSF 13-323, April 2013, https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf13323/).
Role of HBCUs as Baccalaureate-Origin Institutions of Black S&E Doctorate Recipients (NSF 08-319, August 2008, https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf08319/).
Baccalaureate Origins of S&E Doctorate Recipients (NSF 08-311, July 2008, https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf08311/).
Time to Degree of U.S. Research Doctorate Recipients (NSF 06-312, March 2006, https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf06312/).
What are the postgraduation trends?
Unemployment among Doctoral Scientists and Engineers Remained Below the National Average in 2013 (NSF 14-317, September 2014, https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf14317/).
Unemployment among Doctoral Scientists and Engineers Increased but Remained below the National Average (NSF 14-310, April 2014, https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf14310/).
International Mobility and Employment Characteristics among Recent Recipients of U.S. Doctorates (NSF 13-300, October 2012, https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf13300/).
Emigration of U.S.-Born S&E Doctorate Recipients (NSF 04-327, June 2004, https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf04327/).
Plans for Postdoctoral Research Appointments among Recent U.S. Doctorate Recipients (NSF 04-308, March 2004, https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf04308/).
Interstate Migration Patterns of Recent Science and Engineering Doctorate Recipients (NSF 02-311, February 2002, https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/nsf02311/).
