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Table 71. Statistical profile of postgraduation plans of doctorate recipients in other fields, by sex and field of study: 2016

Characteristic All other fieldsa Business management and administration Communication Non-S&E fields not elsewhere classified
All doctorate recipients (number)b 2,943 1,510 673 760
Postgraduation status (number)c
Definite postgraduation study 130 29 46 55
Definite employment 1,520 894 300 326
Seeking employment or study 673 250 191 232
Otherd 132 70 27 35
Definite postgraduation study (%)e
Postdoc fellowship 66.2 51.7 71.7 69.1
Postdoc research associateship 31.5 41.4 28.3 29.1
Other or unknownf 2.3 6.9 0.0 1.8
Definite employment (%)g
Academe 76.6 80.9 80.7 61.0
Government 5.4 4.1 2.0 12.0
Industry or businessh 10.7 11.4 8.3 11.0
Nonprofit organization 3.6 1.1 4.0 10.1
Other or unknowni 3.7 2.5 5.0 5.8
Primary activityj
R&D 37.8 47.2 23.7 24.4
Teaching 46.0 42.2 63.0 41.4
Management or administration 9.3 6.3 8.6 18.0
Professional services 6.1 3.7 3.5 14.9
Other 0.9 0.6 1.2 1.4
Secondary activityk
R&D 41.4 38.1 54.5 39.0
Teaching 33.4 41.7 19.5 22.7
Management or administration 6.7 4.3 7.0 12.9
Professional services 4.4 2.5 6.2 8.1
Other 1.5 1.4 2.3 1.4
No secondary activity 12.6 12.0 10.5 15.9
Activity unknown 10.5 9.6 14.3 9.5
Postgraduation location (%)l
United Statesm 87.8 85.5 91.6 90.0
New England 6.2 7.0 4.0 6.0
Middle Atlantic 12.9 11.8 15.6 13.1
East North Central 14.4 14.6 14.7 13.4
West North Central 7.0 5.9 8.7 8.1
South Atlantic 17.2 16.9 17.1 17.8
East South Central 4.7 4.7 4.6 5.0
West South Central 8.5 8.2 8.7 8.9
Mountain 6.1 5.0 9.0 6.0
Pacific and insular 10.8 11.4 9.2 11.0
Not in United States 12.1 14.3 8.4 10.0
Location unknown 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.0
Male doctorate recipients (number) 1,474 933 261 280
Postgraduation status (number)c
Definite postgraduation study 50 17 16 17
Definite employment 811 568 124 119
Seeking employment or study 318 158 74 86
Otherd 50 35 6 9
Definite postgraduation study (%)e
Postdoc fellowship 66.0 D 62.5 D
Postdoc research associateship 34.0 D 37.5 D
Other or unknownf
Definite employment (%)g
Academe 78.7 80.5 79.8 68.9
Government 5.4 D D 14.3
Industry or businessh 11.1 11.6 11.3 8.4
Nonprofit organization 2.2 D D 5.0
Other or unknowni 2.6 2.5 2.4 3.4
Primary activityj
R&D 39.7 48.5 16.7 20.7
Teaching 46.6 41.0 69.4 50.5
Management or administration 8.4 6.4 9.3 17.1
Professional services 4.8 D D 9.9
Other 0.5 D D 1.8
Secondary activityk
R&D 43.1 38.7 55.6 51.4
Teaching 34.4 42.0 14.8 18.0
Management or administration 6.7 5.0 9.3 11.7
Professional services 3.4 2.1 8.3 4.5
Other 1.2 1.4 0.9 0.9
No secondary activity 11.3 10.8 11.1 13.5
Activity unknown 9.2 9.0 12.9 6.7
Postgraduation location (%)l
United Statesm 85.6 84.4 91.4 84.6
New England 6.6 7.4 3.6 6.6
Middle Atlantic 12.0 10.4 17.1 13.2
East North Central 14.3 15.4 15.0 8.8
West North Central 6.5 6.3 6.4 7.4
South Atlantic 16.6 15.6 20.7 16.9
East South Central 4.5 4.6 5.0 3.7
West South Central 8.1 8.7 7.1 6.6
Mountain 5.7 5.1 7.1 6.6
Pacific and insular 11.3 10.9 9.3 14.7
Not in United States 14.3 15.4 8.6 15.4
Location unknown 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.0
Female doctorate recipients (number) 1,466 576 410 480
Postgraduation status (number)c
Definite postgraduation study 80 12 30 38
Definite employment 709 326 176 207
Seeking employment or study 355 92 117 146
Otherd 82 35 21 26
Definite postgraduation study (%)e
Postdoc fellowship 66.3 D 76.7 D
Postdoc research associateship 30.0 D 23.3 D
Other or unknownf 3.8 16.7 0.0 2.6
Definite employment (%)g
Academe 74.2 81.6 81.3 56.5
Government 5.4 D D 10.6
Industry or businessh 10.3 11.0 6.3 12.6
Nonprofit organization 5.2 D D 13.0
Other or unknowni 4.9 2.5 6.8 7.2
Primary activityj
R&D 35.6 44.7 28.9 26.6
Teaching 45.2 44.3 58.4 35.9
Management or administration 10.3 6.2 8.1 18.5
Professional services 7.7 D D 17.9
Other 1.3 D D 1.1
Secondary activityk
R&D 39.4 37.1 53.7 31.5
Teaching 32.2 41.2 22.8 25.5
Management or administration 6.7 3.1 5.4 13.6
Professional services 5.6 3.1 4.7 10.3
Other 1.9 1.4 3.4 1.6
No secondary activity 14.1 14.1 10.1 17.4
Activity unknown 12.0 10.7 15.3 11.1
Postgraduation location (%)l
United Statesm 90.2 87.3 91.7 93.1
New England 5.7 6.5 4.4 5.7
Middle Atlantic 13.9 14.2 14.6 13.1
East North Central 14.4 13.3 14.6 15.9
West North Central 7.5 5.0 10.2 8.6
South Atlantic 17.7 19.2 14.6 18.4
East South Central 4.9 4.7 4.4 5.7
West South Central 8.9 7.4 9.7 10.2
Mountain 6.5 4.7 10.2 5.7
Pacific and insular 10.4 12.1 9.2 9.0
Not in United States 9.6 12.4 8.3 6.9
Location unknown 0.1 0.3 0.0 0.0
D = suppressed to avoid disclosure of confidential information.
S&E = science and engineering.
a Non-science and engineering fields.
b Includes respondents who did not report sex.
c Includes only respondents who reported postgraduation status.
d 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.
e Excludes respondents who indicated plans for other full-time degree program. Percentages based on number of doctorate recipients reporting definite postgraduation plans for study.
f "Other" includes respondents who indicated definite postgraduation study plans for traineeship, internship or clinical residency, or other study.
g Percentages based on number of doctorate recipients reporting definite postgraduation plans for employment.
h Includes doctorate recipients who indicated self-employment.
i "Other" is mainly composed of elementary and secondary schools.
j Percentages based on number of doctorate recipients reporting definite postgraduation plans for employment and primary work activity.
k Percentages based on number of doctorate recipients reporting definite postgraduation plans for employment and secondary work activity.
l Percentages based on number of doctorate recipients reporting definite postgraduation plans and type of plans.
m 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.