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Table 11. Doctorates awarded, by broad field of study and Carnegie category: 2006–16

Field and Carnegie category 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
All doctorate recipients 45,620 48,132 48,777 49,552 48,029 48,911 50,945 52,704 53,994 54,909 54,904
Doctoral: Highest Research 35,101 36,877 37,377 37,666 36,679 37,754 39,221 40,484 41,064 41,428 41,256
Doctoral: Higher Research 6,536 7,034 7,029 7,295 7,124 7,120 7,475 7,820 8,197 8,626 8,687
Doctoral: Moderate Research 1,866 2,060 2,101 2,165 1,855 1,693 1,793 1,945 2,343 2,229 2,433
Other universities 2,117 2,161 2,270 2,426 2,371 2,344 2,456 2,455 2,390 2,626 2,528
Life sciencesa 9,703 10,702 11,086 11,403 11,319 11,535 11,964 12,208 12,484 12,503 12,568
Doctoral: Highest Research 7,516 8,137 8,503 8,552 8,570 8,633 8,934 9,085 9,064 9,060 9,144
Doctoral: Higher Research 972 1,161 1,158 1,291 1,248 1,267 1,353 1,432 1,579 1,574 1,606
Doctoral: Moderate Research 195 198 186 238 235 288 283 336 428 429 473
Other universities 1,020 1,206 1,239 1,322 1,266 1,347 1,394 1,355 1,413 1,440 1,345
Physical sciences and earth sciences 4,686 4,956 4,946 5,160 4,995 5,271 5,419 5,584 5,911 5,918 6,252
Doctoral: Highest Research 4,006 4,241 4,226 4,415 4,248 4,433 4,560 4,699 4,890 4,958 5,226
Doctoral: Higher Research 569 632 628 651 660 722 746 756 884 855 879
Doctoral: Moderate Research 29 33 41 27 36 46 42 56 74 38 62
Other universities 82 50 51 67 51 70 71 73 63 67 85
Mathematics and computer sciences 2,778 3,042 3,187 3,163 3,223 3,273 3,496 3,660 3,863 3,818 3,957
Doctoral: Highest Research 2,361 2,619 2,724 2,679 2,665 2,746 2,916 3,012 3,184 3,145 3,212
Doctoral: Higher Research 361 381 388 418 487 446 495 558 583 566 629
Doctoral: Moderate Research 33 24 34 43 42 57 52 44 60 51 68
Other universities 23 18 41 23 29 24 33 46 36 56 48
Psychology and social sciences 7,231 7,309 7,635 7,945 7,883 8,221 8,498 8,580 8,752 9,080 9,078
Doctoral: Highest Research 5,299 5,330 5,574 5,768 5,711 5,948 6,121 6,167 6,144 6,372 6,354
Doctoral: Higher Research 1,194 1,236 1,276 1,314 1,286 1,376 1,410 1,415 1,525 1,626 1,556
Doctoral: Moderate Research 403 449 452 512 491 529 591 624 739 675 749
Other universities 335 294 333 351 395 368 376 374 344 407 419
Engineering 7,186 7,749 7,864 7,642 7,578 8,032 8,469 9,000 9,628 9,878 9,469
Doctoral: Highest Research 6,152 6,667 6,716 6,497 6,394 6,762 7,128 7,476 8,093 8,101 7,783
Doctoral: Higher Research 858 909 926 922 1,005 1,037 1,098 1,273 1,259 1,472 1,432
Doctoral: Moderate Research 106 120 150 133 122 140 163 151 189 191 154
Other universities 70 53 72 90 57 93 80 100 87 114 100
Education 6,122 6,448 6,561 6,528 5,287 4,670 4,803 4,934 4,789 5,098 5,153
Doctoral: Highest Research 3,489 3,600 3,642 3,704 2,996 2,999 3,015 3,113 3,001 3,053 3,039
Doctoral: Higher Research 1,581 1,662 1,687 1,678 1,430 1,189 1,331 1,318 1,259 1,440 1,416
Doctoral: Moderate Research 837 965 1,042 926 654 368 332 370 425 454 507
Other universities 215 221 190 220 207 114 125 133 104 151 191
Humanities and arts 5,332 5,085 4,736 4,904 5,015 5,226 5,562 5,715 5,524 5,594 5,484
Doctoral: Highest Research 4,362 4,148 3,869 3,930 4,034 4,195 4,434 4,664 4,476 4,524 4,354
Doctoral: Higher Research 583 610 527 601 590 658 671 616 634 635 713
Doctoral: Moderate Research 95 77 67 92 105 104 164 133 134 124 155
Other universities 292 250 273 281 286 269 293 302 280 311 262
Otherb 2,582 2,841 2,762 2,807 2,729 2,683 2,734 3,023 3,043 3,020 2,943
Doctoral: Highest Research 1,916 2,135 2,123 2,121 2,061 2,038 2,113 2,268 2,212 2,215 2,144
Doctoral: Higher Research 418 443 439 420 418 425 371 452 474 458 456
Doctoral: Moderate Research 168 194 129 194 170 161 166 231 294 267 265
Other universities 80 69 71 72 80 59 84 72 63 80 78
a Includes agricultural sciences and natural resources; biological and biomedical sciences; and health sciences.
b Non-science and engineering fields not shown separately.
SOURCE: National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Earned Doctorates.