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Table 57. Statistical profile of postgraduation plans of doctorate recipients in life sciences fields, by sex and field of study: 2016

Characteristic All life sciences fields Agricultural sciences and natural resources Biological and biomedical sciences Health sciences
All doctorate recipients (number)a 12,568 1,385 8,884 2,299
Postgraduation status (number)b
Definite postgraduation study 4,106 302 3,396 408
Definite employment 2,554 408 1,320 826
Seeking employment or study 3,910 483 2,759 668
Otherc 813 47 653 113
Definite postgraduation study (%)d
Postdoc fellowship 56.0 35.4 57.6 57.8
Postdoc research associateship 39.3 62.6 38.4 29.4
Other or unknowne 4.7 2.0 4.0 12.7
Definite employment (%)f
Academe 39.8 37.5 32.3 52.8
Government 10.8 15.7 10.5 9.1
Industry or businessg 35.8 36.3 45.5 20.0
Nonprofit organization 9.0 7.1 7.4 12.6
Other or unknownh 4.5 3.4 4.2 5.6
Primary activityi
R&D 46.0 56.8 51.7 31.8
Teaching 24.7 19.6 17.6 38.5
Management or administration 11.1 10.6 10.2 12.7
Professional services 14.5 10.3 15.0 16.0
Other 3.6 2.7 5.6 1.1
Secondary activityj
R&D 25.8 25.8 19.4 35.7
Teaching 11.3 16.3 7.4 15.0
Management or administration 18.7 17.4 21.1 15.7
Professional services 9.6 11.1 9.5 9.1
Other 1.8 1.6 2.1 1.3
No secondary activity 32.7 27.7 40.4 23.2
Activity unknown 10.6 9.8 11.4 9.7
Postgraduation location (%)k
United Statesl 92.3 83.2 93.6 92.6
New England 10.8 4.6 12.6 7.7
Middle Atlantic 11.8 6.6 12.7 11.5
East North Central 10.3 12.7 9.9 10.4
West North Central 6.7 11.0 5.6 8.2
South Atlantic 18.2 17.7 17.3 22.0
East South Central 3.7 3.4 3.5 4.9
West South Central 7.3 7.7 6.9 8.6
Mountain 4.9 5.2 4.9 4.7
Pacific and insular 18.5 13.9 20.1 14.7
Not in United States 7.6 16.6 6.3 7.3
Location unknown 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
Male doctorate recipients (number) 5,643 760 4,163 720
Postgraduation status (number)b
Definite postgraduation study 1,982 161 1,675 146
Definite employment 1,096 246 608 242
Seeking employment or study 1,631 246 1,189 196
Otherc 397 24 334 39
Definite postgraduation study (%)d
Postdoc fellowship 54.1 34.8 56.4 50.0
Postdoc research associateship 40.8 63.4 39.3 32.2
Other or unknowne 5.1 1.9 4.3 17.8
Definite employment (%)f
Academe 37.0 37.4 30.9 52.1
Government 10.9 16.7 10.0 7.0
Industry or businessg 40.5 35.4 47.5 28.1
Nonprofit organization 7.6 6.9 7.6 8.3
Other or unknownh 4.0 3.7 3.9 4.5
Primary activityi
R&D 54.6 59.2 58.0 41.2
Teaching 20.6 17.0 16.6 34.3
Management or administration 9.2 11.2 7.7 10.6
Professional services 13.3 9.4 14.7 13.9
Other 2.3 3.1 2.9 0.0
Secondary activityj
R&D 24.3 24.7 19.0 37.5
Teaching 12.1 18.4 8.1 15.7
Management or administration 20.4 17.5 24.5 13.0
Professional services 9.5 10.8 8.5 10.6
Other 1.1 0.9 1.3 0.9
No secondary activity 32.6 27.8 38.7 22.2
Activity unknown 10.4 9.3 10.7 10.7
Postgraduation location (%)k
United Statesl 91.3 81.6 93.3 89.7
New England 11.1 3.9 13.2 6.4
Middle Atlantic 11.3 6.1 12.4 10.1
East North Central 10.4 11.8 9.9 11.6
West North Central 7.1 11.5 6.1 8.5
South Atlantic 16.5 17.9 15.8 19.1
East South Central 3.7 3.4 3.6 4.1
West South Central 7.3 8.8 6.5 10.3
Mountain 5.1 5.2 5.2 4.1
Pacific and insular 18.7 12.3 20.4 15.5
Not in United States 8.7 18.2 6.7 10.3
Location unknown 0.1 0.2 * 0.0
Female doctorate recipients (number) 6,923 624 4,720 1,579
Postgraduation status (number)b
Definite postgraduation study 2,124 141 1,721 262
Definite employment 1,458 162 712 584
Seeking employment or study 2,279 237 1,570 472
Otherc 416 23 319 74
Definite postgraduation study (%)d
Postdoc fellowship 57.7 36.2 58.7 62.2
Postdoc research associateship 37.9 61.7 37.5 27.9
Other or unknowne 4.4 2.1 3.7 9.9
Definite employment (%)f
Academe 41.8 37.7 33.6 53.1
Government 10.8 14.2 10.8 9.9
Industry or businessg 32.2 37.7 43.8 16.6
Nonprofit organization 10.2 7.4 7.3 14.4
Other or unknownh 4.9 3.1 4.5 6.0
Primary activityi
R&D 39.5 53.1 46.2 27.9
Teaching 27.9 23.4 18.5 40.2
Management or administration 12.5 9.7 12.3 13.6
Professional services 15.4 11.7 15.2 16.8
Other 4.6 2.1 7.8 1.5
Secondary activityj
R&D 26.8 27.6 19.8 34.9
Teaching 10.8 13.1 6.9 14.7
Management or administration 17.5 17.2 18.2 16.8
Professional services 9.8 11.7 10.4 8.5
Other 2.3 2.8 2.9 1.5
No secondary activity 32.8 27.6 41.9 23.6
Activity unknown 10.8 10.5 12.1 9.2
Postgraduation location (%)k
United Statesl 93.2 85.5 93.9 94.0
New England 10.6 5.6 12.0 8.3
Middle Atlantic 12.3 7.3 12.9 12.2
East North Central 10.2 13.9 9.8 9.8
West North Central 6.3 10.2 5.2 8.0
South Atlantic 19.7 17.5 18.7 23.3
East South Central 3.8 3.3 3.4 5.2
West South Central 7.3 6.3 7.2 7.8
Mountain 4.8 5.3 4.6 5.0
Pacific and insular 18.3 16.2 19.9 14.4
Not in United States 6.6 14.5 5.8 5.9
Location unknown 0.2 0.0 0.2 0.1
* = value < 0.05%.
a Includes respondents who did not report sex.
b Includes only respondents who reported postgraduation status.
c Includes respondents who indicated that they did not plan to work or study, respondents who indicated some other type of postgraduation plans, and respondents who indicated definite plans for other full-time degree program.
d Excludes respondents who indicated plans for other full-time degree program. Percentages based on number of doctorate recipients reporting definite postgraduation plans for study.
e "Other" includes respondents who indicated definite postgraduation study plans for traineeship, internship or clinical residency, or other study.
f Percentages based on number of doctorate recipients reporting definite postgraduation plans for employment.
g Includes doctorate recipients who indicated self-employment.
h "Other" is mainly composed of elementary and secondary schools.
i Percentages based on number of doctorate recipients reporting definite postgraduation plans for employment and primary work activity.
j Percentages based on number of doctorate recipients reporting definite postgraduation plans for employment and secondary work activity.
k Percentages based on number of doctorate recipients reporting definite postgraduation plans and type of plans.
l Includes cases with an unknown U.S. region of employment after doctorate; see technical notes for states or territories included in regions.
NOTES: Due to rounding, percentages may not sum to 100. See table A-6 in the technical notes for a listing of major fields and their constituent subfields.
SOURCE: National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Earned Doctorates, 2016.