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Table 65. Statistical profile of postgraduation plans of doctorate recipients in engineering fields, by sex and field of study: 2016

Characteristic All engineering fields Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering Bioengineering and biomedical engineering Chemical engineering Civil engineering Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering Industrial and manufacturing engineering Materials science engineering Mechanical engineering Other engineering
All doctorate recipients (number)a 9,469 369 1,089 923 565 1,827 256 985 1,299 2,156
Postgraduation status (number)b
Definite postgraduation study 1,618 75 304 182 103 201 26 204 216 307
Definite employment 3,228 140 234 303 175 728 109 270 446 823
Seeking employment or study 3,174 99 398 316 181 555 81 386 424 734
Otherc 365 9 64 28 24 78 6 19 40 97
Definite postgraduation study (%)d
Postdoc fellowship 35.9 33.3 52.0 33.0 30.1 33.8 46.2 29.4 35.6 29.3
Postdoc research associateship 62.8 65.3 45.7 65.9 69.9 65.2 46.2 70.6 63.0 69.4
Other or unknowne 1.3 1.3 2.3 1.1 0.0 1.0 7.7 0.0 1.4 1.3
Definite employment (%)f
Academe 16.9 19.3 17.5 6.6 28.6 10.6 34.9 10.7 18.8 22.0
Government 8.1 27.1 3.4 2.6 D 7.6 D 7.0 8.5 8.0
Industry or businessg 69.9 45.0 72.6 87.5 52.6 77.5 55.0 78.9 67.0 64.5
Nonprofit organization 3.0 6.4 4.7 2.0 D 2.7 D 2.2 2.7 3.0
Other or unknownh 2.1 2.1 1.7 1.3 5.1 1.6 0.0 1.1 2.9 2.4
Primary activityi
R&D 73.6 78.6 69.0 79.2 45.5 84.7 62.0 79.8 75.3 66.3
Teaching 8.9 9.5 7.5 4.1 11.9 4.3 17.0 6.6 13.4 11.6
Management or administration 4.3 D 7.5 1.9 6.3 1.8 D 2.9 2.8 6.8
Professional services 9.5 D 13.5 8.9 30.1 5.8 D 9.1 5.9 11.2
Other 3.8 6.3 2.5 5.9 6.3 3.4 3.0 1.7 2.6 4.1
Secondary activityj
R&D 12.6 12.7 9.0 8.2 18.2 6.6 23.0 9.1 14.2 18.2
Teaching 6.7 5.6 4.0 3.0 13.3 5.2 22.0 2.5 5.4 9.1
Management or administration 18.7 23.8 30.5 23.8 18.2 14.0 8.0 23.6 20.1 16.1
Professional services 7.8 6.3 7.5 5.6 10.5 7.7 17.0 7.0 8.8 7.2
Other 1.7 3.2 1.5 2.6 2.1 0.9 0.0 1.7 2.3 1.7
No secondary activity 52.5 48.4 47.5 56.9 37.8 65.6 30.0 56.2 49.2 47.7
Activity unknown 11.1 10.0 14.5 11.2 18.3 10.4 8.3 10.4 13.0 8.7
Postgraduation location (%)k
United Statesl 90.7 92.1 95.0 90.7 88.1 92.6 81.5 92.0 91.5 87.6
New England 7.4 6.0 13.2 8.0 5.0 5.9 5.2 6.1 7.1 7.3
Middle Atlantic 11.0 2.8 15.4 14.2 9.0 9.6 9.6 10.8 10.1 11.7
East North Central 12.6 14.4 11.7 13.4 14.0 9.9 14.1 14.3 19.0 9.4
West North Central 3.8 3.3 6.9 3.3 5.8 2.4 4.4 3.8 2.7 4.0
South Atlantic 13.1 19.1 16.4 10.5 15.1 11.1 20.0 10.3 12.1 13.8
East South Central 2.4 3.7 1.9 2.5 2.9 1.4 4.4 2.3 2.9 2.7
West South Central 7.3 5.6 4.8 10.7 14.7 6.9 6.7 4.9 6.6 7.2
Mountain 6.5 10.7 4.3 7.2 7.9 6.4 8.9 5.9 6.3 6.2
Pacific and insular 26.6 26.5 20.4 20.8 13.7 39.1 8.1 33.3 24.3 25.5
Not in United States 8.9 7.9 4.8 9.1 11.2 7.1 17.8 7.2 8.2 12.1
Location unknown 0.4 0.0 0.2 0.2 0.7 0.3 0.7 0.8 0.3 0.3
Male doctorate recipients (number) 7,277 313 687 626 438 1,532 185 723 1,097 1,676
Postgraduation status (number)b
Definite postgraduation study 1,262 67 190 139 84 173 20 157 188 244
Definite employment 2,541 118 155 187 141 625 81 201 386 647
Seeking employment or study 2,378 D 245 221 D 451 56 278 350 562
Otherc 274 9 40 18 D 66 D 12 35 72
Definite postgraduation study (%)d
Postdoc fellowship 33.9 D 48.4 32.4 31.0 33.5 D 32.5 33.0 25.8
Postdoc research associateship 64.8 D 48.9 66.2 69.0 65.9 D 67.5 66.0 72.5
Other or unknowne 1.3 1.5 2.6 1.4 0.0 0.6 5.0 0.0 1.1 1.6
Definite employment (%)f
Academe 16.0 D 18.7 D 25.5 10.2 D 11.9 17.1 19.9
Government 8.6 26.3 D D 12.1 D D D D 8.0
Industry or businessg 70.6 45.8 71.6 90.9 55.3 77.3 54.3 77.1 68.7 67.1
Nonprofit organization 2.8 D D D D D D D 3.1 2.3
Other or unknownh 1.9 D 1.3 1.1 D 1.3 0.0 D D 2.6
Primary activityi
R&D 75.0 82.2 72.3 80.8 47.8 85.7 59.5 79.1 76.0 68.1
Teaching 8.2 D 5.4 D 9.6 3.9 D D 12.5 10.9
Management or administration 4.5 D D D D D 9.5 3.8 D 6.8
Professional services 9.0 D 10.8 10.2 30.4 5.7 D D 6.8 10.5
Other 3.2 4.7 D 5.4 D D 2.7 2.2 D 3.7
Secondary activityj
R&D 12.4 D 9.2 6.6 D D D D 13.6 17.5
Teaching 6.5 6.5 6.2 D D 4.8 20.3 3.3 D 8.0
Management or administration 19.5 D 33.8 26.9 15.7 15.1 D 25.8 21.4 16.6
Professional services 7.8 D 6.2 4.8 D 7.5 16.2 D D 7.5
Other 1.7 3.7 1.5 D 2.6 D 0.0 2.2 2.4 1.5
No secondary activity 52.1 51.4 43.1 55.1 38.3 64.7 27.0 51.6 49.3 48.9
Activity unknown 11.1 9.3 16.1 10.7 18.4 10.7 8.6 9.5 12.7 9.0
Postgraduation location (%)k
United Statesl 90.7 D 94.5 89.9 88.9 92.9 D 92.7 91.8 87.5
New England 7.1 D 12.5 6.1 6.2 D D D 7.0 7.3
Middle Atlantic 10.7 D 13.6 14.7 D 9.3 7.9 10.6 D 11.7
East North Central 13.0 16.8 12.2 12.3 13.8 10.5 12.9 14.5 20.4 9.7
West North Central 3.8 D 7.0 D D D 5.9 D D 4.0
South Atlantic 12.9 17.8 15.1 11.7 14.2 11.4 19.8 11.2 12.0 13.0
East South Central 2.4 D 1.4 D D D D D D 2.8
West South Central 7.0 D 4.1 9.8 14.7 7.0 D 3.9 5.9 7.4
Mountain 6.7 D 5.2 8.6 D 6.8 D 5.9 6.1 5.6
Pacific and insular 27.0 27.0 23.5 20.9 D 37.6 D 33.5 23.5 26.0
Not in United States 9.0 D 5.2 10.1 11.1 6.9 D 6.7 7.8 12.1
Location unknown 0.3 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.6 0.3 0.3
Female doctorate recipients (number) 2,192 56 402 297 127 295 71 262 202 480
Postgraduation status (number)b
Definite postgraduation study 356 8 114 43 19 28 6 47 28 63
Definite employment 687 22 79 116 34 103 28 69 60 176
Seeking employment or study 796 D 153 95 D 104 25 108 74 172
Otherc 91 0 24 10 D 12 D 7 5 25
Definite postgraduation study (%)d
Postdoc fellowship 43.0 D 57.9 34.9 26.3 35.7 D 19.1 53.6 42.9
Postdoc research associateship 55.6 D 40.4 65.1 73.7 60.7 D 80.9 42.9 57.1
Other or unknowne 1.4 0.0 1.8 0.0 0.0 3.6 16.7 0.0 3.6 0.0
Definite employment (%)f
Academe 20.4 D 15.2 D 41.2 12.6 D 7.2 30.0 29.5
Government 6.0 31.8 D D D D 0.0 D D 8.0
Industry or businessg 67.4 40.9 74.7 81.9 41.2 78.6 57.1 84.1 56.7 55.1
Nonprofit organization 3.5 D D D D D D D 0.0 5.7
Other or unknownh 2.8 D 2.5 1.7 D 3.9 0.0 D D 1.7
Primary activityi
R&D 68.1 57.9 62.9 76.5 35.7 78.7 69.2 81.7 70.6 59.9
Teaching 11.3 D 11.4 D 21.4 6.4 D D 19.6 14.2
Management or administration 3.8 D D D D D D 0.0 D 6.8
Professional services 11.1 D 18.6 6.9 28.6 6.4 D D 0.0 13.6
Other 5.7 15.8 D 6.9 D D 3.8 0.0 D 5.6
Secondary activityj
R&D 13.4 D 8.6 10.8 D D D D 17.6 21.0
Teaching 7.5 0.0 0.0 D D 7.4 26.9 0.0 D 13.0
Management or administration 15.7 D 24.3 18.6 28.6 7.4 D 16.7 11.8 14.2
Professional services 7.8 D 10.0 6.9 D 8.5 19.2 D D 6.2
Other 1.6 0.0 1.4 D 0.0 D 0.0 0.0 2.0 2.5
No secondary activity 53.9 31.6 55.7 59.8 35.7 71.3 38.5 70.0 49.0 43.2
Activity unknown 10.9 13.6 11.4 12.1 17.6 8.7 7.1 13.0 15.0 8.0
Postgraduation location (%)k
United Statesl 90.6 D 95.9 92.5 84.9 90.8 D 89.7 89.8 87.9
New England 8.3 D 14.5 11.9 0.0 D D D 8.0 7.1
Middle Atlantic 12.2 D 18.7 13.2 D 11.5 14.7 11.2 D 11.7
East North Central 10.8 0.0 10.9 15.7 15.1 6.1 17.6 13.8 10.2 8.4
West North Central 3.7 D 6.7 D D D 0.0 D D 3.8
South Atlantic 14.0 26.7 18.7 8.2 18.9 9.2 20.6 7.8 12.5 16.7
East South Central 2.3 D 2.6 D D D D D D 2.1
West South Central 8.3 D 6.2 12.6 15.1 6.1 D 7.8 11.4 6.3
Mountain 5.8 D 2.6 4.4 D 3.8 D 6.0 8.0 8.4
Pacific and insular 25.1 23.3 15.0 20.8 D 48.1 D 32.8 29.5 23.4
Not in United States 8.7 D 4.1 6.9 11.3 8.4 D 8.6 10.2 12.1
Location unknown 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.6 3.8 0.8 2.9 1.7 0.0 0.0
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 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.