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Science and Engineering Doctorates

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Minority U.S. citizens and permanent residents

Among minority U.S. citizens and permanent residents, doctorate recipients of different racial or ethnic backgrounds are more heavily represented in some fields of study than in others. In 2015, Asians earned more doctorates than other racial and ethnic minority groups in life sciences, physical and earth sciences, mathematics and computer sciences, and engineering. Blacks or African Americans were the largest U.S. minority population in psychology and social sciences and in education. Hispanics or Latinos earned more doctorates in humanities and arts than did any other minority group. In 2015, Asians and blacks or African Americans earned relatively similar numbers of doctorates in other non-S&E fields (figure D).

Doctorates awarded to minority U.S. citizens and permanent residents, by ethnicity, race, and broad field of study: 2015

Chart of Doctorates awarded to minority U.S. citizens and permanent residents, by ethnicity, race, and broad field of study: 2015
(Percent)
Field Hispanic or Latino Not Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity not reported
American Indian or Alaska Native Asian Black or African American White More than one race Other race or race not reported
All fields 7.0 0.4 8.7 6.5 72.3 2.6 0.7 1.8
Life sciences 7.4 0.3 10.9 5.3 71.3 2.8 0.6 1.4
Physical sciences and earth sciences 5.2 0.3 7.8 2.9 79.1 2.6 0.5 1.7
Mathematics and computer sciences 4.5 0.1 12.3 3.2 73.1 2.1 1.1 3.6
Psychology and social sciences 7.4 0.5 6.6 8.0 71.9 2.9 0.9 1.8
Engineering 7.0 0.2 15.4 3.9 67.9 2.6 0.7 2.4
Education 7.5 0.7 4.6 15.1 67.9 2.1 0.5 1.6
Humanities and arts 8.1 0.6 4.4 3.1 78.9 2.5 0.8 1.6
Other non-S&E fields 4.9 0.4 10.3 10.6 69.8 2.1 0.5 1.3
Table of Doctorates awarded to minority U.S. citizens and permanent residents, by ethnicity, race, and broad field of study: 2015