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Table 59. Statistical profile of postgraduation plans of doctorate recipients in physical sciences and earth sciences fields, by sex and field of study: 2016

Characteristic All physical sciences and earth sciences fields Chemistry Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences Physics and astronomy
All doctorate recipients (number)a 6,252 2,704 1,227 2,321
Postgraduation status (number)b
Definite postgraduation study 2,116 835 473 808
Definite employment 1,350 601 265 484
Seeking employment or study 1,988 894 364 730
Otherc 198 91 37 70
Definite postgraduation study (%)d
Postdoc fellowship 38.4 38.0 42.5 36.4
Postdoc research associateship 60.9 61.3 56.9 62.9
Other or unknowne 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.7
Definite employment (%)f
Academe 21.0 19.8 32.5 16.3
Government 9.1 4.5 22.3 7.6
Industry or businessg 64.3 72.7 38.5 68.0
Nonprofit organization 3.2 1.5 3.8 5.0
Other or unknownh 2.4 1.5 3.0 3.1
Primary activityi
R&D 65.3 68.7 51.7 68.6
Teaching 16.6 15.5 25.6 13.1
Management or administration 3.2 3.8 2.9 2.5
Professional services 10.4 8.6 15.1 10.1
Other 4.5 3.5 4.6 5.7
Secondary activityj
R&D 14.3 11.5 28.2 10.3
Teaching 3.2 2.0 7.6 2.3
Management or administration 19.8 23.7 18.9 15.4
Professional services 9.1 8.7 11.3 8.3
Other 2.4 2.2 1.7 3.0
No secondary activity 51.3 51.9 32.4 60.8
Activity unknown 9.4 8.7 10.2 9.9
Postgraduation location (%)k
United Statesl 89.1 92.2 87.5 86.5
New England 9.8 11.8 6.6 9.5
Middle Atlantic 11.9 12.6 8.8 12.8
East North Central 10.9 12.5 7.3 11.2
West North Central 3.5 4.9 3.7 1.9
South Atlantic 13.9 14.2 15.0 12.8
East South Central 2.5 3.2 1.8 2.0
West South Central 6.3 6.3 10.8 3.8
Mountain 7.2 4.6 10.2 8.5
Pacific and insular 22.9 21.9 23.2 23.9
Not in United States 10.9 7.8 12.5 13.4
Location unknown * 0.0 0.0 0.1
Male doctorate recipients (number) 4,286 1,713 716 1,857
Postgraduation status (number)b
Definite postgraduation study 1,509 575 279 655
Definite employment 920 364 164 392
Seeking employment or study 1,337 550 204 583
Otherc 119 45 19 55
Definite postgraduation study (%)d
Postdoc fellowship 38.2 39.3 41.2 36.0
Postdoc research associateship 61.4 60.2 58.4 63.7
Other or unknowne 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.3
Definite employment (%)f
Academe 18.4 17.6 27.4 15.3
Government 9.3 3.8 25.6 7.7
Industry or businessg 67.7 76.6 42.1 70.2
Nonprofit organization 2.2 D D 3.6
Other or unknownh 2.4 D D 3.3
Primary activityi
R&D 67.7 71.6 54.4 69.8
Teaching 13.4 12.7 19.5 11.4
Management or administration 2.6 2.7 D D
Professional services 11.9 10.0 18.8 10.8
Other 4.3 3.0 D D
Secondary activityj
R&D 13.1 10.6 26.2 10.0
Teaching 3.2 1.8 D D
Management or administration 20.6 26.3 18.1 16.2
Professional services 8.7 7.9 11.4 8.3
Other 2.4 2.1 D D
No secondary activity 52.0 51.4 33.6 60.4
Activity unknown 9.7 9.1 9.1 10.5
Postgraduation location (%)k
United Statesl 88.7 91.5 86.5 87.1
New England 10.0 12.9 5.4 9.4
Middle Atlantic 11.7 11.1 9.3 13.3
East North Central 11.4 13.3 6.5 11.7
West North Central 3.5 5.2 3.6 1.9
South Atlantic 13.1 12.9 14.7 12.5
East South Central 2.4 3.3 1.6 2.0
West South Central 6.5 6.2 13.3 3.8
Mountain 7.7 4.9 11.5 8.6
Pacific and insular 22.4 21.5 20.5 24.0
Not in United States 11.3 8.5 13.5 12.8
Location unknown * 0.0 0.0 0.1
Female doctorate recipients (number) 1,963 991 510 462
Postgraduation status (number)b
Definite postgraduation study 607 260 194 153
Definite employment 430 237 101 92
Seeking employment or study 651 344 160 147
Otherc 79 46 18 15
Definite postgraduation study (%)d
Postdoc fellowship 38.7 35.0 44.3 37.9
Postdoc research associateship 59.8 63.8 54.6 59.5
Other or unknowne 1.5 1.2 1.0 2.6
Definite employment (%)f
Academe 26.7 23.2 40.6 20.7
Government 8.6 5.5 16.8 7.6
Industry or businessg 57.0 66.7 32.7 58.7
Nonprofit organization 5.3 D D 10.9
Other or unknownh 2.3 D D 2.2
Primary activityi
R&D 60.2 64.2 47.2 63.5
Teaching 23.5 19.7 36.0 20.0
Management or administration 4.3 5.5 D D
Professional services 7.1 6.4 9.0 7.1
Other 4.8 4.1 D D
Secondary activityj
R&D 16.8 12.8 31.5 11.8
Teaching 3.1 2.3 D D
Management or administration 18.1 19.7 20.2 11.8
Professional services 9.9 10.1 11.2 8.2
Other 2.3 2.3 D D
No secondary activity 49.7 52.8 30.3 62.4
Activity unknown 8.8 8.0 11.9 7.6
Postgraduation location (%)k
United Statesl 90.1 93.6 89.2 84.1
New England 9.5 9.7 8.5 10.2
Middle Atlantic 12.2 15.5 8.1 10.6
East North Central 9.9 11.1 8.5 9.4
West North Central 3.7 4.4 3.7 2.0
South Atlantic 15.8 16.7 15.6 14.3
East South Central 2.5 3.0 2.0 2.0
West South Central 6.1 6.6 7.1 3.7
Mountain 6.2 4.0 8.1 8.2
Pacific and insular 24.1 22.5 27.1 23.7
Not in United States 9.9 6.4 10.8 15.9
Location unknown 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
* = value < 0.05%; D = suppressed to avoid disclosure of confidential information.
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 the 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.