Table 55. Statistical profile of postgraduation plans of doctorate recipients, by sex and broad field of study: 2016
| Characteristic |
All fields |
Life sciencesa |
Physical sciences and earth sciences |
Mathematics and computer sciences |
Psychology and social sciences |
Engineering |
Education |
Humanities and arts |
Otherb |
| All doctorate recipients (number)c |
54,904 |
12,568 |
6,252 |
3,957 |
9,078 |
9,469 |
5,153 |
5,484 |
2,943 |
| Postgraduation status (number)d |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Definite postgraduation study |
11,359 |
4,106 |
2,116 |
743 |
1,911 |
1,618 |
219 |
516 |
130 |
| Definite employment |
17,941 |
2,554 |
1,350 |
1,587 |
3,264 |
3,228 |
2,568 |
1,870 |
1,520 |
| Seeking employment or study |
16,601 |
3,910 |
1,988 |
1,013 |
2,300 |
3,174 |
1,410 |
2,133 |
673 |
| Othere |
2,455 |
813 |
198 |
155 |
339 |
365 |
214 |
239 |
132 |
| Definite postgraduation study (%)f |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Postdoc fellowship |
53.0 |
56.0 |
38.4 |
42.9 |
72.9 |
35.9 |
52.5 |
81.6 |
66.2 |
| Postdoc research associateship |
43.8 |
39.3 |
60.9 |
54.9 |
22.0 |
62.8 |
44.3 |
17.2 |
31.5 |
| Other or unknowng |
3.2 |
4.7 |
0.7 |
2.2 |
5.1 |
1.3 |
3.2 |
1.2 |
2.3 |
| Definite employment (%)h |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Academe |
46.2 |
39.8 |
21.0 |
31.9 |
55.8 |
16.9 |
59.2 |
76.5 |
76.6 |
| Government |
7.6 |
10.8 |
9.1 |
3.6 |
13.0 |
8.1 |
4.0 |
2.3 |
5.4 |
| Industry or businessi |
33.1 |
35.8 |
64.3 |
59.5 |
17.6 |
69.9 |
4.8 |
5.3 |
10.7 |
| Nonprofit organization |
5.5 |
9.0 |
3.2 |
2.8 |
7.4 |
3.0 |
5.3 |
7.5 |
3.6 |
| Other or unknownj |
7.5 |
4.5 |
2.4 |
2.1 |
6.2 |
2.1 |
26.7 |
8.3 |
3.7 |
| Primary activityk |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| R&D |
43.2 |
46.0 |
65.3 |
63.6 |
38.1 |
73.6 |
12.0 |
10.6 |
37.8 |
| Teaching |
32.5 |
24.7 |
16.6 |
24.8 |
35.3 |
8.9 |
43.1 |
71.6 |
46.0 |
| Management or administration |
11.2 |
11.1 |
3.2 |
3.0 |
8.9 |
4.3 |
33.7 |
9.7 |
9.3 |
| Professional services |
10.4 |
14.5 |
10.4 |
5.3 |
16.1 |
9.5 |
9.3 |
5.7 |
6.1 |
| Other |
2.7 |
3.6 |
4.5 |
3.3 |
1.6 |
3.8 |
1.9 |
2.5 |
0.9 |
| Secondary activityl |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| R&D |
27.4 |
25.8 |
14.3 |
21.8 |
31.5 |
12.6 |
28.8 |
48.4 |
41.4 |
| Teaching |
14.1 |
11.3 |
3.2 |
8.9 |
21.0 |
6.7 |
16.6 |
12.1 |
33.4 |
| Management or administration |
13.7 |
18.7 |
19.8 |
9.0 |
12.7 |
18.7 |
10.8 |
9.0 |
6.7 |
| Professional services |
8.0 |
9.6 |
9.1 |
6.4 |
7.6 |
7.8 |
11.0 |
6.1 |
4.4 |
| Other |
2.0 |
1.8 |
2.4 |
1.5 |
1.7 |
1.7 |
2.7 |
2.6 |
1.5 |
| No secondary activity |
34.8 |
32.7 |
51.3 |
52.3 |
25.5 |
52.5 |
30.0 |
21.9 |
12.6 |
| Activity unknown |
10.1 |
10.6 |
9.4 |
9.7 |
10.2 |
11.1 |
8.6 |
10.5 |
10.5 |
| Postgraduation location (%)m |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| United Statesn |
90.5 |
92.3 |
89.1 |
89.7 |
88.6 |
90.7 |
94.5 |
89.0 |
87.8 |
| New England |
8.5 |
10.8 |
9.8 |
7.2 |
8.6 |
7.4 |
4.6 |
9.0 |
6.2 |
| Middle Atlantic |
12.6 |
11.8 |
11.9 |
15.0 |
13.0 |
11.0 |
10.5 |
17.6 |
12.9 |
| East North Central |
12.0 |
10.3 |
10.9 |
9.7 |
12.5 |
12.6 |
15.1 |
12.9 |
14.4 |
| West North Central |
5.2 |
6.7 |
3.5 |
3.4 |
4.9 |
3.8 |
7.8 |
5.1 |
7.0 |
| South Atlantic |
16.3 |
18.2 |
13.9 |
12.9 |
19.1 |
13.1 |
19.3 |
13.9 |
17.2 |
| East South Central |
3.7 |
3.7 |
2.5 |
1.8 |
3.0 |
2.4 |
8.4 |
5.1 |
4.7 |
| West South Central |
7.4 |
7.3 |
6.3 |
5.6 |
6.9 |
7.3 |
10.3 |
8.0 |
8.5 |
| Mountain |
5.7 |
4.9 |
7.2 |
4.0 |
4.9 |
6.5 |
7.4 |
4.7 |
6.1 |
| Pacific and insular |
19.1 |
18.5 |
22.9 |
29.9 |
15.6 |
26.6 |
11.1 |
12.8 |
10.8 |
| Not in United States |
9.4 |
7.6 |
10.9 |
10.2 |
11.2 |
8.9 |
5.5 |
10.9 |
12.1 |
| Location unknown |
0.2 |
0.1 |
* |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.4 |
* |
0.1 |
0.1 |
| Male doctorate recipients (number) |
29,616 |
5,643 |
4,286 |
2,998 |
3,749 |
7,277 |
1,550 |
2,639 |
1,474 |
| Postgraduation status (number)d |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Definite postgraduation study |
6,353 |
1,982 |
1,509 |
577 |
661 |
1,262 |
58 |
254 |
50 |
| Definite employment |
9,834 |
1,096 |
920 |
1,210 |
1,534 |
2,541 |
830 |
892 |
811 |
| Seeking employment or study |
8,814 |
1,631 |
1,337 |
770 |
948 |
2,378 |
397 |
1,035 |
318 |
| Othere |
1,243 |
397 |
119 |
108 |
141 |
274 |
55 |
99 |
50 |
| Definite postgraduation study (%)f |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Postdoc fellowship |
47.9 |
54.1 |
38.2 |
42.3 |
67.3 |
33.9 |
58.6 |
81.9 |
66.0 |
| Postdoc research associateship |
49.7 |
40.8 |
61.4 |
56.3 |
29.3 |
64.8 |
41.4 |
17.7 |
34.0 |
| Other or unknowng |
2.4 |
5.1 |
0.4 |
1.4 |
3.3 |
1.3 |
0.0 |
0.4 |
0.0 |
| Definite employment (%)h |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Academe |
40.4 |
37.0 |
18.4 |
28.6 |
55.8 |
16.0 |
59.9 |
73.0 |
78.7 |
| Government |
8.5 |
10.9 |
9.3 |
3.6 |
16.2 |
8.6 |
4.9 |
3.5 |
5.4 |
| Industry or businessi |
41.2 |
40.5 |
67.7 |
63.1 |
16.8 |
70.6 |
4.7 |
5.0 |
11.1 |
| Nonprofit organization |
4.4 |
7.6 |
2.2 |
2.9 |
6.4 |
2.8 |
3.7 |
9.0 |
2.2 |
| Other or unknownj |
5.5 |
4.0 |
2.4 |
1.9 |
4.8 |
1.9 |
26.7 |
9.5 |
2.6 |
| Primary activityk |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| R&D |
51.8 |
54.6 |
67.7 |
67.1 |
42.6 |
75.0 |
11.3 |
11.0 |
39.7 |
| Teaching |
27.3 |
20.6 |
13.4 |
21.7 |
34.5 |
8.2 |
39.8 |
70.2 |
46.6 |
| Management or administration |
9.2 |
9.2 |
2.6 |
3.0 |
9.0 |
4.5 |
40.6 |
8.6 |
8.4 |
| Professional services |
9.1 |
13.3 |
11.9 |
4.5 |
12.6 |
9.0 |
6.6 |
7.7 |
4.8 |
| Other |
2.6 |
2.3 |
4.3 |
3.7 |
1.3 |
3.2 |
1.6 |
2.6 |
0.5 |
| Secondary activityl |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| R&D |
25.1 |
24.3 |
13.1 |
19.5 |
33.1 |
12.4 |
29.2 |
47.6 |
43.1 |
| Teaching |
13.5 |
12.1 |
3.2 |
8.6 |
22.8 |
6.5 |
18.3 |
11.8 |
34.4 |
| Management or administration |
14.4 |
20.4 |
20.6 |
9.1 |
11.6 |
19.5 |
9.5 |
9.8 |
6.7 |
| Professional services |
7.6 |
9.5 |
8.7 |
6.5 |
7.2 |
7.8 |
10.9 |
6.3 |
3.4 |
| Other |
1.8 |
1.1 |
2.4 |
1.5 |
1.7 |
1.7 |
2.8 |
2.4 |
1.2 |
| No secondary activity |
37.7 |
32.6 |
52.0 |
54.8 |
23.6 |
52.1 |
29.3 |
22.0 |
11.3 |
| Activity unknown |
10.2 |
10.4 |
9.7 |
10.5 |
9.8 |
11.1 |
8.7 |
11.0 |
9.2 |
| Postgraduation location (%)m |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| United Statesn |
89.0 |
91.3 |
88.7 |
89.3 |
84.0 |
90.7 |
91.6 |
87.4 |
85.6 |
| New England |
8.3 |
11.1 |
10.0 |
6.9 |
7.9 |
7.1 |
4.8 |
7.9 |
6.6 |
| Middle Atlantic |
12.2 |
11.3 |
11.7 |
14.4 |
12.9 |
10.7 |
11.8 |
16.7 |
12.0 |
| East North Central |
11.7 |
10.4 |
11.4 |
9.8 |
10.1 |
13.0 |
14.4 |
14.0 |
14.3 |
| West North Central |
4.9 |
7.1 |
3.5 |
3.0 |
4.4 |
3.8 |
7.9 |
6.0 |
6.5 |
| South Atlantic |
14.9 |
16.5 |
13.1 |
11.9 |
19.3 |
12.9 |
17.5 |
14.7 |
16.6 |
| East South Central |
3.3 |
3.7 |
2.4 |
1.7 |
3.0 |
2.4 |
8.1 |
5.8 |
4.5 |
| West South Central |
6.8 |
7.3 |
6.5 |
5.5 |
6.4 |
7.0 |
8.2 |
6.6 |
8.1 |
| Mountain |
5.8 |
5.1 |
7.7 |
3.9 |
4.4 |
6.7 |
8.6 |
4.4 |
5.7 |
| Pacific and insular |
20.9 |
18.7 |
22.4 |
32.1 |
15.6 |
27.0 |
10.2 |
11.3 |
11.3 |
| Not in United States |
10.9 |
8.7 |
11.3 |
10.5 |
15.9 |
9.0 |
8.4 |
12.4 |
14.3 |
| Location unknown |
0.1 |
0.1 |
* |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.3 |
0.0 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
| Female doctorate recipients (number) |
25,278 |
6,923 |
1,963 |
959 |
5,329 |
2,192 |
3,603 |
2,843 |
1,466 |
| Postgraduation status (number)d |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Definite postgraduation study |
5,006 |
2,124 |
607 |
166 |
1,250 |
356 |
161 |
262 |
80 |
| Definite employment |
8,107 |
1,458 |
430 |
377 |
1,730 |
687 |
1,738 |
978 |
709 |
| Seeking employment or study |
7,787 |
2,279 |
651 |
243 |
1,352 |
796 |
1,013 |
1,098 |
355 |
| Othere |
1,212 |
416 |
79 |
47 |
198 |
91 |
159 |
140 |
82 |
| Definite postgraduation study (%)f |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Postdoc fellowship |
59.6 |
57.7 |
38.7 |
45.2 |
75.8 |
43.0 |
50.3 |
81.3 |
66.3 |
| Postdoc research associateship |
36.3 |
37.9 |
59.8 |
50.0 |
18.1 |
55.6 |
45.3 |
16.8 |
30.0 |
| Other or unknowng |
4.1 |
4.4 |
1.5 |
4.8 |
6.1 |
1.4 |
4.3 |
1.9 |
3.8 |
| Definite employment (%)h |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Academe |
53.3 |
41.8 |
26.7 |
42.7 |
55.8 |
20.4 |
58.9 |
79.8 |
74.2 |
| Government |
6.6 |
10.8 |
8.6 |
3.7 |
10.2 |
6.0 |
3.6 |
1.2 |
5.4 |
| Industry or businessi |
23.3 |
32.2 |
57.0 |
48.3 |
18.3 |
67.4 |
4.8 |
5.6 |
10.3 |
| Nonprofit organization |
6.8 |
10.2 |
5.3 |
2.4 |
8.3 |
3.5 |
6.0 |
6.2 |
5.2 |
| Other or unknownj |
10.0 |
4.9 |
2.3 |
2.9 |
7.4 |
2.8 |
26.7 |
7.2 |
4.9 |
| Primary activityk |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| R&D |
32.7 |
39.5 |
60.2 |
52.6 |
34.0 |
68.1 |
12.3 |
10.2 |
35.6 |
| Teaching |
38.8 |
27.9 |
23.5 |
34.3 |
36.0 |
11.3 |
44.6 |
72.8 |
45.2 |
| Management or administration |
13.6 |
12.5 |
4.3 |
3.1 |
8.9 |
3.8 |
30.3 |
10.7 |
10.3 |
| Professional services |
12.0 |
15.4 |
7.1 |
7.7 |
19.3 |
11.1 |
10.6 |
3.9 |
7.7 |
| Other |
2.9 |
4.6 |
4.8 |
2.3 |
1.8 |
5.7 |
2.1 |
2.4 |
1.3 |
| Secondary activityl |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| R&D |
30.1 |
26.8 |
16.8 |
29.1 |
30.0 |
13.4 |
28.7 |
49.1 |
39.4 |
| Teaching |
15.0 |
10.8 |
3.1 |
10.0 |
19.4 |
7.5 |
15.7 |
12.3 |
32.2 |
| Management or administration |
12.8 |
17.5 |
18.1 |
8.6 |
13.6 |
15.7 |
11.5 |
8.2 |
6.7 |
| Professional services |
8.5 |
9.8 |
9.9 |
6.3 |
8.1 |
7.8 |
11.0 |
5.9 |
5.6 |
| Other |
2.2 |
2.3 |
2.3 |
1.7 |
1.8 |
1.6 |
2.7 |
2.8 |
1.9 |
| No secondary activity |
31.4 |
32.8 |
49.7 |
44.3 |
27.1 |
53.9 |
30.4 |
21.7 |
14.1 |
| Activity unknown |
10.0 |
10.8 |
8.8 |
7.2 |
10.6 |
10.9 |
8.6 |
10.0 |
12.0 |
| Postgraduation location (%)m |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| United Statesn |
92.3 |
93.2 |
90.1 |
90.8 |
92.0 |
90.6 |
95.9 |
90.5 |
90.2 |
| New England |
8.7 |
10.6 |
9.5 |
8.1 |
9.2 |
8.3 |
4.5 |
10.1 |
5.7 |
| Middle Atlantic |
13.0 |
12.3 |
12.2 |
16.9 |
13.1 |
12.2 |
9.8 |
18.5 |
13.9 |
| East North Central |
12.3 |
10.2 |
9.9 |
9.6 |
14.2 |
10.8 |
15.5 |
11.9 |
14.4 |
| West North Central |
5.7 |
6.3 |
3.7 |
4.6 |
5.2 |
3.7 |
7.7 |
4.2 |
7.5 |
| South Atlantic |
17.9 |
19.7 |
15.8 |
16.0 |
19.1 |
14.0 |
20.1 |
13.1 |
17.7 |
| East South Central |
4.2 |
3.8 |
2.5 |
2.2 |
3.1 |
2.3 |
8.5 |
4.4 |
4.9 |
| West South Central |
8.1 |
7.3 |
6.1 |
6.1 |
7.3 |
8.3 |
11.2 |
9.3 |
8.9 |
| Mountain |
5.5 |
4.8 |
6.2 |
4.2 |
5.3 |
5.8 |
6.9 |
4.9 |
6.5 |
| Pacific and insular |
17.0 |
18.3 |
24.1 |
22.7 |
15.6 |
25.1 |
11.4 |
14.1 |
10.4 |
| Not in United States |
7.5 |
6.6 |
9.9 |
9.2 |
7.7 |
8.7 |
4.1 |
9.5 |
9.6 |
| Location unknown |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.2 |
0.7 |
0.1 |
0.0 |
0.1 |