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Doctoral Scientists and Engineers in the United States
TABLE 26 Reasons for Holding Postdocs for Science and Engineering Ph.D.s, by Field of Doctorate, 1995 (in percent)
Field of Doctorate
All Fields
Computer Sciences
Mathematical Sciences
Chemistry
Physics and Astronomy
Earth/Atmospheric/Marine Sciences
Agricultural/Environmental Sciences
Biological Sciences
Health Sciences
Social Sciences
Psychology
Engineering
Total Ever Holding Postdoc
182,300
*
4,800
29,400
19,600
5,700
5,900
67,900
3,500
8,900
20,800
15,200
Reason for First Postdoc
46.7
*
39.8
43.4
49.0
31.8
42.1
50.0
49.6
33.7
61.8
32.5
14.8
*
9.2
17.7
9.8
5.7
9.8
18.6
16.0
18.1
10.7
9.6
21.3
*
32.2
19.2
22.5
38.9
14.9
20.7
18.2
23.2
15.0
26.1
11.1
*
10.6
14.1
13.6
17.6
26.4
6.2
9.9
10.3
5.0
24.6
6.1
*
8.2
5.5
5.1
5.9
6.7
4.6
6.3
14.7
7.5
7.2
Total with Only One Postdoc
135,900
*
3,500
21,800
14,000
4,800
4,600
45,900
2,900
6,900
17,400
13,600
Reason for First Postdoc
45.8
*
36.1
42.2
47.0
31.3
39.6
49.5
50.4
34.8
63.0
31.8
14.7
*
10.1
17.9
10.6
5.5
10.1
18.9
16.8
18.5
9.5
9.7
21.8
*
35.2
20.5
22.7
38.2
15.6
21.4
16.8
22.6
14.9
25.9
11.7
*
10.8
14.5
15.2
18.3
28.0
6.2
10.1
10.2
4.5
25.1
6.0
*
7.8
4.8
4.5
6.6
6.7
4.1
5.9
14.0
8.1
7.5
Total With More Than One Postdoc
46,400
*
*
7,600
5,600
*
*
22,000
*
2,000
3,400
1,600
Reason for First Postdoc
49.3
*
*
46.9
54.0
*
*
51.1
*
30.1
55.9
38.7
15.3
*
*
17.0
8.0
*
*
18.1
*
16.7
16.7
8.6
19.7
*
*
15.4
21.9
*
*
19.2
*
25.3
15.6
27.7
9.3
*
*
13.1
9.6
*
*
6.2
*
10.6
7.5
20.3
6.5
*
*
7.6
6.5
*
*
5.5
*
17.2
4.4
4.7
Reason for Second Postdoc
34.8
*
*
28.0
34.9
*
*
36.6
*
26.2
51.1
26.3
17.6
*
*
18.9
8.9
*
*
19.8
*
23.6
16.1
15.9
24.9
*
*
21.6
28.5
*
*
24.8
*
27.5
16.5
34.1
14.3
*
*
17.5
20.2
*
*
11.5
*
7.6
11.9
21.2
8.4
*
*
14.0
7.5
*
*
7.3
*
15.2
4.3
2.5
* Too few cases to estimate.
SOURCE: National Research Council/National Science Foundation, Survey of Doctorate Recipients, 1995.
