Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering
The Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering is an annual census of all U.S. academic institutions granting research-based master's degrees or doctorates in science, engineering, and selected health fields as of the fall of the survey year. The survey, sponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the National Science Foundation and by the National Institutes of Health, collects the total number of master's and doctoral students, postdoctoral appointees, and doctorate-level nonfaculty researchers by demographic and other characteristics, such as source of financial support.
Survey Description
Questionnaires
- Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering: Fall 2021
Data Tables | NSF 23-312 | January 17, 2023 - Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering: Fall 2020
Data Tables | NSF 22-319 | April 5, 2022 - Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering: Fall 2019
Data Tables | NSF 21-318 | March 31, 2021 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering: Fall 2018
Data Tables | March 2, 2020 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering: Fall 2017
Data Tables | May 21, 2019 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering: Fall 2016
Data Tables | February 21, 2018 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering, Fall 2014
Data Tables | March 29, 2016 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering: Fall 2013
Data Tables | April 14, 2015 - Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering, Fall 2012
Data Tables | July 30, 2014 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering: Fall 2011
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 13-331 | September 4, 2013 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering: Fall 2010
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 13-314 | April 23, 2013 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering: Fall 2009(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 12-300 | December 27, 2011 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering: Fall 2008(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 11-311 | July 13, 2011 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering: Fall 2007(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 10-307 | June 9, 2010 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering: Fall 2006(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 08-306 | April 10, 2008 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering: Fall 2005(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 07-321 | May 31, 2007 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering: Fall 2004(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 06-325 | August 31, 2006 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering: Fall 2003(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 06-307 | March 9, 2006 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in S&E: Fall 2002(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 05-310 | March 18, 2005 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in S&E: Fall 2001(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 03-320 | June 11, 2003 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in S&E: Fall 2000(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 02-314 | April 23, 2002 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in S&E: Fall 1999 Supplemental Tables(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 01-324 | May 1, 2001 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in S&E: Fall 1999(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 01-315 | March 1, 2001 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in S&E: Fall 1998 Supplemental Tables(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 01-302 | November 1, 2000 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in S&E: Fall 1998(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 00-322 | May 19, 2000 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in S&E: Fall 1997(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 99-325 | February 25, 1999 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in S&E: Fall 1997 Supplemental Tables(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 99-324 | February 8, 1999 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in S&E: Fall 1996 Supplemental Tables(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 98-330 | August 13, 1998 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in S&E: Fall 1996(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 98-307 | June 2, 1998 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in S&E: Fall 1995(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | NSF 97-312 | November 21, 1997 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in S&E: Supplemental Tables, Fall 1995(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | SRS 95-408 | September 1, 1995 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in S&E: Fall 1994(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | SRS 94-404 | September 1, 1994 - Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in S&E: Supplemental Tables, Fall 1994(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | SRS 94-406 | September 1, 1994 - Selected Data on Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in S&E: Fall 1994(A)
Detailed Statistical Tables | SRS 94-405 | September 1, 1994 - See more in Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in S&E →
- Science and Engineering State Profiles
- State Profiles is an interactive website providing access to state-level data on science and engineering (S&E) personnel and finances and state rankings. State Profiles displays up to 7 state profiles of the user’s choice. Data are available from surveys sponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the National Science Foundation on employed science, engineering, or health (SEH) doctorate holders; S&E doctorates awarded, including by major S&E fields; SEH graduate students and postdoctorates; federal research and development obligations by agency and performer; state government agency R&D expenditures; total and business R&D performance; and higher education R&D performance, including by major S&E fields. Data available from other sources include population, civilian labor force, per capita personal income, federal expenditures, patents, small business innovation research awards, and gross domestic product. All data are available for download. Data cover 2003 to present.
Because of the time it takes to produce and post the Science and Engineering State Profiles data set, some source data may have been updated since these profiles were created. See the source data for the most up-to-date information.
(A): Archived Publication
- 2021 Graduate Enrollment in Science, Engineering, and Health Fields at All-Time High as Postdocs Continue to Decline
InfoBriefs | NSF 23-311 | January 17, 2023 - Trends for Graduate Student Enrollment and Postdoctoral Appointments in Science, Engineering, and Health Fields at U.S. Academic Institutions between 2017 and 2019
InfoBriefs | NSF 21-317 | March 31, 2021 - Graduate Enrollment in Science, Engineering, and Health Rose 3% in 2018
InfoBriefs | NSF 20-312 | March 19, 2020 - Differences in Master's and Doctoral Enrollment in Science, Engineering, and Health in 2017
InfoBriefs | NSF 19-319 | May 21, 2019 - Defining Postdocs in the Survey of Graduate Students and Postdocs (GSS): Institution Responses to the Postdoc Definitional Questions in the GSS 2010–16
InfoBriefs | NSF 21-327 | May 5, 2021 - Full-Time Graduate Enrollment in Science and Engineering Continues to Grow in 2016 Due to Increased Enrollment by Foreign Students on Temporary Visas
InfoBriefs | NSF 18-307 | February 8, 2018 - Field Composition of Postdocs Shifts as Numbers Decline in Biological Sciences and in Clinical Medicine
InfoBriefs | NSF 17-309 | February 9, 2017 - Full-Time Graduate Enrollment in Science and Engineering Rose in 2013, Fueled by a Large Increase in Foreign Graduate Enrollment
InfoBriefs | NSF 15-318 | April 14, 2015 - Foreign Graduate Enrollment in Science and Engineering Continues to Rise While Overall Graduate Enrollment Remains Flat
InfoBriefs | NSF 14-313 | May 22, 2014 - Part-time Graduate Enrollment in Science and Engineering in 2011 Grew at a Higher Rate than Full-time Enrollment
InfoBriefs | NSF 13-328 | June 20, 2013 - Counts of Postdoctoral Appointees in Science, Engineering, and Health Rise with Reporting Improvements
InfoBriefs | NSF 13-334 | September 23, 2013 - Graduate Enrollment in Science and Engineering Grew Substantially in the Past Decade but Slowed in 2010(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 12-317 | May 31, 2012 - Two Decades of Increasing Diversity More than Doubled the Number of Minority Graduate Students in Science and Engineering(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 11-319 | July 20, 2011 - Jump in Fall 2008 Enrollments of First-Time, Full-Time S&E Graduate Students(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 10-320 | June 2, 2010 - S&E Graduate Enrollments Accelerate in 2007; Enrollments of Foreign Students Reach New High(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 09-314 | June 24, 2009 - First-Time, Full-Time Graduate Student Enrollment in Science and Engineering Increases in 2006, Especially Among Foreign Students(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 08-302 | January 3, 2008 - First-time S&E Graduate Enrollment of Foreign Students Rebounds in 2005(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 07-312 | February 6, 2007 - First-time S&E Graduate Enrollment of Foreign Students Drops for the Third Straight Year(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 06-321 | July 10, 2006 - Graduate Enrollment in S&E Programs Up in 2003, but Declines for First-Time Foreign Students(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 05-317 | August 10, 2005 - Graduate Enrollment in S&E Fields Reaches New Peak; First-Time Enrollment of Foreign Students Declines(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 04-326 | June 28, 2004 - Graduate Enrollment Increases in S&E Fields, Especially in Engineering and Computer Sciences(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 03-315 | April 7, 2003 - Growth Continued in 2000 in Graduate Enrollment in S&E Fields(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 02-306 | December 27, 2001 - Graduate Enrollment in S&E Increases for the First Time Since 1993(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 01-312 | January 16, 2001 - Graduate Enrollment in S&E Continued to Decline in 1998(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 00-307 | December 20, 1999 - Total S&E Graduate Enrollment Falls for Fourth Consecutive Year(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 99-316 | January 5, 1999 - Graduate Enrollment of Women and Minorities in S&E Continues to Rise(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 98-302 | February 23, 1998 - Graduate Enrollment Drops for the Second Year in a Row(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 97-303 | February 1, 1997 - Graduate Enrollment in S&E Decreased by 1 Percent in 1994(A)
InfoBriefs | NSF 96-312 | December 3, 1996 - See more in Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in S&E →
- Publications Output: U.S. Trends and International Comparisons
Special Reports | NSB 2021-4 | October 28, 2021 - Science and Technology: Public Perceptions, Awareness, and Information Sources
Special Reports | NSB 2022-7 | May 4, 2022 - The STEM Labor Force of Today: Scientists, Engineers, and Skilled Technical Workers
Special Reports | NSB 2021-2 | August 31, 2021 - Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2019
Special Reports | NSF 19-304 | March 8, 2019 - Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2017
Special Reports | NSF 17-310 | January 30, 2017 - Assessing the Impact of Frame Changes on Trend Data from the Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering
Special Reports | NSF 16-314 | September 29, 2016 - Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2015
Special Reports | NSF 15-311 | January 30, 2015 - Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: Data Update
Special Reports | NSF 13-304 | October 31, 2014 - Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: Data Update
Special Reports | NSF 13-304AB | November 14, 2013 - See more in Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in S&E →
- Examining the Reporting of Nonfaculty Doctorate Researchers in the Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering
Working Papers | NCSES 15-201 | August 31, 2015 - See more in Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in S&E →
(A): Archived Publication
- Academic Institution Profiles
- This interactive website provides access to selected data on the number of earned doctorates, number of graduate students and postdoctorates in science and engineering, total federal obligations, and total R&D expenditures by individual U.S. academic institutions. Academic Institution Profiles also includes rankings of institutions by four selected variables. Data come from four NCSES surveys: the Higher Education R&D Survey; the Survey of Earned Doctorates; the Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges and Nonprofit Institutions; and the Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering. Data cover the most recent 10 years and are available for download.
- Science and Engineering Indicators
- This biennial report to Congress provides a broad base of quantitative information about U.S. science, engineering, and technology.
- Science and Engineering State Profiles
- State Profiles is an interactive website providing access to state-level data on science and engineering (S&E) personnel and finances and state rankings. State Profiles displays up to 7 state profiles of the user’s choice. Data are available from surveys sponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the National Science Foundation on employed science, engineering, or health (SEH) doctorate holders; S&E doctorates awarded, including by major S&E fields; SEH graduate students and postdoctorates; federal research and development obligations by agency and performer; state government agency R&D expenditures; total and business R&D performance; and higher education R&D performance, including by major S&E fields. Data available from other sources include population, civilian labor force, per capita personal income, federal expenditures, patents, small business innovation research awards, and gross domestic product. All data are available for download. Data cover 2003 to present.
Because of the time it takes to produce and post the Science and Engineering State Profiles data set, some source data may have been updated since these profiles were created. See the source data for the most up-to-date information.
- Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in S&E
- This series presents trends in the participation of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in science and engineering fields. Topics include higher-education enrollments, degrees, institutions, and financial support and employment status, occupations, sectors, and salaries.
Mike Yamaner
Survey Manager
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
(703) 292-7815
Last Updated: January 2023
