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Research Training in the Biomedical, Behavioral, and Clinical Research Sciences (2011)

Chapter: Appendix F: Characteristics of Doctorates

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Suggested Citation:"Appendix F: Characteristics of Doctorates." National Research Council. 2011. Research Training in the Biomedical, Behavioral, and Clinical Research Sciences. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12983.
×

Appendix F
Characteristics of Doctorates

Suggested Citation:"Appendix F: Characteristics of Doctorates." National Research Council. 2011. Research Training in the Biomedical, Behavioral, and Clinical Research Sciences. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12983.
×

TABLE F-1 Characteristics of Doctorates in the Biomedical Sciences, 1970-2008

 

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

Total Doctorates

2,882

3,132

3,116

3,135

3,013

3,085

3,150

3,050

3,118

3,212

3,396

3,356

3,444

3,338

3,399

3,313

3,369

3,465

3,769

Male

2,420

2,572

2,530

2,474

2,340

2,347

2,424

2,351

2,311

2,351

2,440

2,383

2,417

2,224

2,315

2,192

2,197

2,214

2,377

Female

462

560

586

661

673

738

726

699

807

861

956

973

1,027

1,114

1,084

1,121

1,172

1,251

1,392

Citzens

2,385

2,591

2,573

2,582

2,381

2,556

2,610

2,528

2,628

2,738

2,905

2,898

2,927

2,854

2,868

2,727

2,751

2,670

2,858

Permanent residents

160

198

215

231

209

194

165

169

147

133

147

125

114

108

109

113

118

153

176

Temporary residents

312

266

256

253

283

256

277

261

259

253

273

248

294

291

308

364

343

455

515

Unknown

25

77

72

69

140

79

98

92

84

88

71

85

109

85

114

109

157

187

220

Minorities

N/A

N/A

N/A

80

84

86

80

78

108

79

83

91

94

86

99

104

119

128

123

Postdoctoral training in U.S.

Postdoctoral fellowship

772

739

739

731

607

804

896

911

1034

1048

1079

1036

1057

1025

1096

1086

1122

1196

1285

Postdoctoral research

243

300

295

330

376

402

406

408

402

386

470

474

452

516

451

477

518

495

540

Postdoctoral traineeship

60

74

71

40

29

47

46

66

65

88

87

56

65

65

54

55

51

56

69

Other training

70

67

110

125

139

165

167

114

117

174

175

193

234

201

190

157

160

173

179

Total Postdoctorates

1,145

1,180

1,215

1,226

1,151

1,418

1,515

1,499

1,618

1,696

1,811

1,759

1,808

1,807

1,791

1,775

1,851

1,920

2,073

Percent planning

56.3%

56.6%

59.4%

58.9%

60.1%

68.0%

70.1%

73.4%

75.9%

75.3%

76.1%

76.1%

76.6%

77.2%

78.1%

77.7%

79.5%

80.2%

80.4%

Employment in U.S.

839

854

790

812

719

633

615

525

496

544

546

541

534

514

479

489

457

453

483

Other

48

49

42

44

44

33

31

19

19

12

23

11

19

21

23

20

21

20

22

Ph.D. with plans

2,032

2,083

2,047

2,082

1,914

2,084

2,161

2,043

2,133

2,252

2,380

2,311

2,361

2,342

2,293

2,284

2,329

2,393

2,578

Time to degree

6.00

6.00

6.16

6.17

6.25

6.17

6.17

6.17

6.25

6.25

6.25

6.33

6.50

6.67

6.92

7.00

7.00

7.00

7.00

Age at time of degree

28.92

29.00

29.42

29.58

29.42

29.25

29.25

29.34

29.38

29.41

29.25

29.33

29.59

29.83

30.25

30.42

30.59

30.50

30.83

Suggested Citation:"Appendix F: Characteristics of Doctorates." National Research Council. 2011. Research Training in the Biomedical, Behavioral, and Clinical Research Sciences. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12983.
×

 

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Total Doctorates

3,793

3,992

4,294

4,442

4,794

4,863

5,079

5,366

5,459

5,465

5,340

5,547

5,397

5,375

5,412

5665

6091

6521

6798

7095

Male

2,348

2,477

2,655

2,740

2,864

2,887

2,955

3,102

3,110

3,113

3,074

3,060

2,984

3,015

2,960

3075

3187

3393

3550

3584

Female

1,445

1,515

1,639

1,702

1,930

1,976

2,124

2,264

2,349

2,352

2,266

2,478

2,403

2,358

2,439

2590

2896

3130

3248

3511

Citizens

2,850

2,899

3,050

3,072

3,264

3,203

3,278

3,291

3,451

3,492

3,438

3,620

3,623

3,563

3,534

3728

3849

3972

4140

4339

Permanent Residents

173

183

210

240

296

641

831

801

562

533

477

364

341

315

266

228

253

303

282

271

Temporary Residents

570

814

987

1,078

1,165

980

918

1,173

1,233

1,213

1,224

1,336

1,202

1,222

1,341

1405

1644

1893

1956

2080

Unknown

200

96

62

66

98

57

73

121

243

241

218

227

231

275

366

49

62

45

47

82

Minorities

135

135

159

162

190

223

243

246

261

277

308

315

364

367

358

400

448

474

537

571

Postdoctoral training in U.S.

Postdoctoral fellowship

1322

1336

1434

1496

1614

1577

1630

1708

1685

1682

1629

1718

1590

1655

1635

1717

1892

1977

1931

1858

Postdoctoral research

511

593

592

629

662

685

684

696

674

743

679

653

645

634

664

731

767

778

986

981

Postdoctoral traineeship

54

58

71

63

76

89

79

87

65

52

63

124

81

82

146

41

33

49

27

35

Other training

229

193

238

247

262

250

271

325

175

224

407

320

346

240

276

387

437

420

174

116

Total Postdoctorates

2,116

2,180

2,335

2,435

2,614

2,601

2,664

2,816

2,599

2,701

2,778

2,815

2,662

2,611

2,721

2,876

3,129

3,224

3,118

2,990

Percent planning

79.4%

81.9%

81.9%

81.4%

81.8%

82.6%

83.7%

83.1%

76.3%

77.4%

80.8%

78.7%

76.9%

76.0%

79.9%

84.1%

83.9%

79.9%

81.7%

79.9%

Employment in U.S.

534

457

489

541

559

532

497

550

730

746

647

743

785

796

661

528

586

791

683

745

Other

16

24

27

14

22

16

23

21

76

41

15

20

15

27

25

14

15

20

16

8

Ph.D. with plans

2,666

2,661

2,851

2,990

3,195

3,149

3,184

3,387

3,405

3,488

3,440

3,578

3,462

3,434

3,407

3,418

3,730

4,035

3,817

3,743

Time to degree

7.00

7.25

7.00

7.25

7.25

7.33

7.33

7.25

7.08

7.00

7.00

7.00

7.00

7.00

6.91

6.58

6.67

6.67

6.67

6.58

Age at time of degree

30.92

31.17

31.08

31.17

31.17

31.17

31.25

31.25

31

30.92

30.83

30.91

30.83

30.67

30.58

30.5

30.41

30.41

30.41

30.41

SOURCE: NSF. 2008. Survey of Earned Doctorates. Washington, DC: NSF.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix F: Characteristics of Doctorates." National Research Council. 2011. Research Training in the Biomedical, Behavioral, and Clinical Research Sciences. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12983.
×

TABLE F-2 Employment Characteristics of Biomedical Doctorates from U.S. Institutions, 1973-2006

 

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

Total employed in S&E

34,367

39,661

43,411

48,591

53,357

56,481

61,810

65,800

 

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

Minority

848

1,124

1,213

1,405

1,594

1,597

1,870

1,973

 

2.5%

2.8%

2.8%

2.9%

3.0%

2.8%

3.0%

3.0%

Citizens and permanent residents

32,095

37,271

40,526

45,010

50,285

53,753

58,840

62,509

 

93.4%

94.0%

93.4%

92.6%

94.2%

95.2%

95.2%

95.0%

Temporary residents

793

777

1,055

1,645

503

331

473

581

 

2.3%

2.0%

2.4%

3.4%

0.9%

0.6%

0.8%

0.9%

Total academics

23,423

27,219

29,889

33,188

36,165

36,797

39,307

41,027

 

68.2%

68.6%

68.9%

68.3%

67.8%

65.1%

63.6%

62.4%

Faculty with rank appointments

20,138

22,898

24,572

26,064

27,868

28,510

30,454

31,280

 

58.6%

57.7%

56.6%

53.6%

52.2%

50.5%

49.3%

47.5%

Tenured faculty

4,567

13,376

14,345

15,636

17,836

18,884

20,114

19,157

 

13.3%

33.7%

33.0%

32.2%

33.4%

33.4%

32.5%

29.1%

Tenure-track faculty (not tenured)

15,571

8,854

9,170

5,952

6,446

5,673

6,644

6,149

 

45.3%

22.3%

21.1%

12.2%

12.1%

10.0%

10.7%

9.3%

Academic postdoctorates

1,713

2,615

3,507

4,358

4,722

4,405

4,450

4,784

 

5.0%

6.6%

8.1%

9.0%

8.8%

7.8%

7.2%

7.3%

Other academic appointments

1,572

1,706

1,810

3,092

3,575

3,882

4,403

4,963

 

4.6%

4.3%

4.2%

6.4%

6.7%

6.9%

7.1%

7.5%

Industry (non-postdoctorate)

4,470

5,273

5,543

6,286

7,881

9,589

11,841

13,366

 

13.0%

13.3%

12.8%

12.9%

14.8%

17.0%

19.2%

20.3%

Industrial postdoctorates

27

53

40

27

70

46

126

222

 

0.1%

0.1%

0.1%

0.1%

0.1%

0.1%

0.2%

0.3%

Government (non-postdoctorate)

3,675

3,785

3,914

4,449

4,545

4,843

5,026

5,725

 

10.7%

9.5%

9.0%

9.2%

8.5%

8.6%

8.1%

8.7%

Government postdoctorates

156

245

336

327

286

444

373

529

 

0.5%

0.6%

0.8%

0.7%

0.5%

0.8%

0.6%

0.8%

Other sectors

2,539

3,055

3,436

4,103

4,303

4,657

5,043

4,847

 

7.4%

7.7%

7.9%

8.4%

8.1%

8.2%

8.2%

7.4%

Doctorates w/ fed. research support

19,841

22,152

23,884

26,183

26,640

29,439

27,377

38,171

 

57.7%

55.9%

55.0%

53.9%

49.9%

52.1%

44.3%

58.0%

Suggested Citation:"Appendix F: Characteristics of Doctorates." National Research Council. 2011. Research Training in the Biomedical, Behavioral, and Clinical Research Sciences. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12983.
×

 

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2006

Total employed in S&E

70,593

71,962

76,449

79,077

88,481

95,780

100,224

97,903

104,585

 

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

Minority

2,379

2,833

2,945

3,352

3,904

4,721

5,345

3,338

3,787

 

3.4%

3.9%

3.9%

4.2%

4.4%

4.9%

5.3%

3.4%

3.6%

Citizens and permanent residents

66,944

68,184

71,599

72,948

80,826

85,107

97,126

94,589

100,350

 

94.8%

94.8%

93.7%

92.2%

91.3%

88.9%

96.9%

96.6%

96.0%

Temporary residents

884

945

1,410

1,251

1,376

2,680

3,098

3,314

4,235

 

1.3%

1.3%

1.8%

1.6%

1.6%

2.8%

3.1%

3.4%

4.0%

Total academics

43,572

40,581

45,258

48,622

53,026

55,682

57,227

59,150

61,745

 

61.7%

56.4%

59.2%

61.5%

59.9%

58.1%

57.1%

60.4%

59.0%

Faculty with rank appointments

31,862

28,672

32,180

33,496

36,122

36,987

38,299

40,027

40,223

 

45.1%

39.8%

42.1%

42.4%

40.8%

38.6%

38.2%

40.9%

38.5%

Tenured faculty

19,755

17,106

19,070

19,516

20,326

21,535

21,695

21,208

21,106

 

28.0%

23.8%

24.9%

24.7%

23.0%

22.5%

21.6%

21.7%

20.2%

Tenure-track faculty (not tenured)

5,872

7,556

7,722

8,259

8,974

8,909

8,784

9,518

9,612

 

8.3%

10.5%

10.1%

10.4%

10.1%

9.3%

8.8%

9.7%

9.2%

Academic postdoctorates

5,993

4,819

6,431

7,701

9,620

10,145

9,692

8,777

11,244

 

8.5%

6.7%

8.4%

9.7%

10.9%

10.6%

9.7%

9.0%

10.8%

Other academic appointments

5,717

7,090

6,647

7,436

7,296

8,550

9,236

11,623

11,778

 

8.1%

9.9%

8.7%

9.4%

8.2%

8.9%

9.2%

11.9%

11.3%

Industry (non-postdoctorate)

15,376

18,309

19,538

18,949

21,643

26,216

28,935

25,869

28,297

 

21.8%

25.4%

25.6%

24.0%

24.5%

27.4%

28.9%

26.4%

27.1%

Industrial postdoctorates

206

204

376

531

561

591

293

702

1582

 

0.3%

0.3%

0.5%

0.7%

0.6%

0.6%

0.3%

0.7%

1.5%

Government (non-postdoctorate)

5,776

6,157

6,143

6,074

7,212

7,240

7,886

7,649

8,034

 

8.2%

8.6%

8.0%

7.7%

8.2%

7.6%

7.9%

7.8%

7.7%

Government postdoctorates

514

432

1,057

1,111

1,437

1,180

1,050

766

1,151

 

0.7%

0.6%

1.4%

1.4%

1.6%

1.2%

1.0%

0.8%

1.1%

Other sectors

5,034

5,984

4,077

3,790

4,602

4,871

4,213

3,759

3,776

 

7.1%

8.3%

5.3%

4.8%

5.2%

5.1%

4.2%

3.8%

3.6%

Doctorates w/ fed. research support

40,655

38,490

-

31,513

34,678

41,707

42,012

43,113

46,428

 

57.6%

53.5%

0.0%

39.9%

39.2%

43.5%

41.9%

44.0%

44.4%

SOURCE: NSF. Survey of Doctorate Recipients, 1973-2006. Washington, DC: NSF.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix F: Characteristics of Doctorates." National Research Council. 2011. Research Training in the Biomedical, Behavioral, and Clinical Research Sciences. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12983.
×

TABLE F-3 Characteristics of Doctorates in the Behavioral and Social Sciences, 1970-2008

 

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

Total doctorates

2,683

3,094

3,220

3,433

3,661

3,835

4,047

4,098

4,082

4,120

4,015

4,339

4,023

4,263

4,141

3,964

3,979

3,988

3,844

Male

2,079

2,352

2,391

2,452

2,549

2,611

2,733

2,634

2,554

2,445

2,315

2,461

2,240

2,265

2,087

1,993

1,962

1,912

1,749

Female

604

742

829

981

1,112

1,224

1,314

1,464

1,528

1,675

1,700

1,878

1,783

1,998

2,054

1,971

2,017

2,076

2,095

Citizens

2,458

2,812

2,928

3,128

3,231

3,461

3,722

3,724

3,676

3,728

3,630

3,935

3,600

3,799

3,662

3,487

3,426

3,352

3,232

Permanent residents

78

88

96

89

85

92

85

92

95

92

98

85

82

90

75

91

108

111

107

Temporary residents

121

150

140

157

165

214

183

167

152

161

152

173

151

182

190

179

185

180

194

Unknown

26

44

56

59

180

68

57

115

159

139

135

146

190

192

214

207

260

345

312

Minorities

N/A

N/A

N/A

84

115

172

202

234

235

266

244

256

269

271

272

261

278

255

266

Postdoctoral training in U.S.

Postdoctoral fellowship

150

156

144

149

128

151

205

214

246

225

278

284

232

283

262

279

297

289

289

Postdoctoral research

44

43

48

53

61

64

53

67

77

80

69

96

80

75

64

79

85

112

109

Postdoctoral traineeship

17

33

23

25

34

46

32

45

70

55

67

69

55

66

65

69

70

48

52

Other training

12

21

26

31

43

35

56

50

43

37

39

41

28

42

35

28

43

39

32

Total postdoctoral

223

253

241

258

266

296

346

376

436

397

453

490

395

466

426

455

495

488

482

Percent planning

11.4%

11.3%

10.8%

10.9%

11.1%

11.9%

13.4%

14.9%

18.0%

15.7%

17.8%

17.7%

16.3%

18.5%

17.5%

19.0%

20.1%

20.9%

20.4%

Employment in U.S.

1694

1942

1931

2069

2074

2134

2175

2102

1934

2094

2058

2233

2000

2008

1974

1906

1937

1815

1844

Other

39

43

58

50

52

49

54

43

49

33

36

42

34

45

29

33

30

34

33

Ph.D. with plans

1,956

2,238

2,230

2,377

2,392

2,479

2,575

2,521

2,419

2,524

2,547

2,765

2,429

2,519

2,429

2,394

2,462

2,337

2,359

Time to degree

6.25

6.25

6.50

6.50

6.67

6.75

6.75

6.92

7.00

7.25

7.50

7.91

8.00

8.17

8.50

8.67

8.91

9.00

9.09

Age at time of degree

29.66

29.58

29.75

30.08

30.08

30.25

30.25

30.58

30.59

31.16

31.33

31.92

32.08

32.5

32.75

33.08

33.58

33.75

34.33

Suggested Citation:"Appendix F: Characteristics of Doctorates." National Research Council. 2011. Research Training in the Biomedical, Behavioral, and Clinical Research Sciences. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12983.
×

 

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Total doctorates

3,975

4,064

4,087

4,080

4,289

4,185

4,162

4,224

4,371

4,481

4,466

4,507

4,230

4,064

4,139

4287

4124

4126

4213

4,281

Male

1,796

1,745

1,624

1,745

1,720

1,671

1,606

1,555

1,565

1,595

1,596

1,595

1,475

1,411

1,411

1511

1408

1332

1332

1,403

Female

2,179

2,319

2,463

2,335

2,569

2,514

2,556

2,669

2,806

2,886

2,870

2,908

2,751

2,649

2,724

2777

2716

2793

2881

2,878

Citizens

3,221

3,497

3,560

3,490

3,702

3,623

3,587

3,644

3,608

3,757

3,797

3,821

3,548

3,400

3,426

3441

3370

3374

3360

3,454

Permanent residents

95

107

124

132

146

155

177

170

151

142

119

135

114

113

97

97

116

113

116

124

Temporary residents

244

267

296

334

329

311

303

307

292

315

265

310

276

265

323

332

350

359

376

399

Unknown

415

193

112

133

123

104

101

111

360

285

301

241

292

286

293

27

17

18

25

39

Minorities

267

320

339

321

349

340

394

419

428

494

534

545

537

544

553

551

523

571

543

633

Postdoctoral training in U.S.

Postdoctoral fellowship

304

313

389

386

464

459

491

524

492

608

675

671

694

676

707

721

764

752

802

809

Postdoctoral research

73

96

94

93

97

113

107

122

123

132

129

142

155

132

158

166

155

184

194

204

Postdoctoral traineeship

69

69

45

54

45

55

59

50

39

49

34

55

41

47

56

27

23

11

25

19

Other training

33

25

31

30

44

34

28

47

15

21

56

30

38

30

33

93

96

106

89

93

Total Postdoctorates

479

503

559

563

650

661

685

743

669

810

894

898

928

885

954

1,007

1,038

1,053

1,110

1,125

Percent planning

20.1%

20.6%

22.6%

23.4%

26.6%

27.4%

29.8%

31.2%

29.7%

33.7%

36.0%

33.8%

36.1%

35.9%

38.7%

42.5%

43.1%

41.8%

45.5%

46.1%

Employment in U.S.

1876

1902

1892

1810

1758

1717

1574

1601

1546

1553

1555

1713

1607

1548

1488

1336

1352

1444

1305

1296

other

32

37

19

31

39

36

38

40

40

38

34

46

37

31

24

24

18

21

25

19

Ph.D. with plans

2,387

2,442

2,470

2,404

2,447

2,414

2,297

2,384

2,255

2,401

2,483

2,657

2,572

2,464

2,466

2,367

2,408

2,518

2,440

2,440

Time to degree

9.00

9.17

9.00

9.00

8.91

8.59

8.58

8.33

8.00

8.00

8.00

8.00

8.00

8.25

8.17

8.00

8.00

7.96

7.83

7.58

Age at time of degree

34.33

34.42

34.66

34.67

34.58

34.17

34.25

33.83

33.42

33.24

33.00

32.84

32.75

32.75

32.82

33.00

32.83

32.75

32.58

32.42

SOURCE: NSF. 2008. Survey of Earned Doctorates. Washington, DC: NSF.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix F: Characteristics of Doctorates." National Research Council. 2011. Research Training in the Biomedical, Behavioral, and Clinical Research Sciences. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12983.
×

TABLE F-4 Employment Characteristics of Behavioral and Social Sciences Doctorates from U.S. Institutions, 1973-2006

 

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

Total employed in S&E

27,356

34,360

39,237

45,532

51,743

58,458

64,616

68,852

 

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

Minority

544

861

1,088

1,587

2,081

2,553

2,908

3,174

 

2.0%

2.5%

2.8%

3.5%

4.0%

4.4%

4.5%

4.6%

Citizens and permanent residents

26,751

33,692

38,589

44,376

50,593

57,205

63,160

67,473

 

97.8%

98.1%

98.3%

97.5%

97.8%

97.9%

97.7%

98.0%

Temporary residents

107

172

122

369

168

247

156

59

 

0.4%

0.5%

0.3%

0.8%

0.3%

0.4%

0.2%

0.1%

Total academics

18,178

22,333

24,287

26,972

29,995

32,267

34,985

34,911

 

66.4%

65.0%

61.9%

59.2%

58.0%

55.2%

54.1%

50.7%

Faculty with rank appointments

17,095

20,937

22,623

23,888

25,364

27,442

29,079

28,678

 

62.5%

60.9%

57.7%

52.5%

49.0%

46.9%

45.0%

41.7%

Tenured faculty

3,560

11,606

13,139

14,812

16,982

19,302

19,833

18,761

 

13.0%

33.8%

33.5%

32.5%

32.8%

33.0%

30.7%

27.2%

Tenure-track faculty (not tenured)

13,535

8,311

8,244

5,336

5,204

4,963

5,623

4,989

 

49.5%

24.2%

21.0%

11.7%

10.1%

8.5%

8.7%

7.2%

Academic postdoctorates

205

481

594

836

775

798

901

664

 

0.7%

1.4%

1.5%

1.8%

1.5%

1.4%

1.4%

1.0%

Other academic appointments

878

915

1,070

3,141

3,856

4,027

5,005

5,569

 

3.2%

2.7%

2.7%

6.9%

7.5%

6.9%

7.7%

8.1%

Industry (non-postdoctorate)

2,682

3,666

4,883

6,695

9,357

12,891

15,469

17,621

 

9.8%

10.7%

12.4%

14.7%

18.1%

22.1%

23.9%

25.6%

Industrial postdoctorates

0

0

4

0

0

4

80

14

 

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.1%

0.0%

Government (non-postdoctorate)

2,680

2,603

3,216

3,718

3,938

4,627

4,632

5,390

 

9.8%

7.6%

8.2%

8.2%

7.6%

7.9%

7.2%

7.8%

Government postdoctorates

22

15

53

49

88

85

22

51

 

0.1%

0.0%

0.1%

0.1%

0.2%

0.1%

0.0%

0.1%

Other sectors

3,760

5,700

6,582

7,780

8,259

8,500

9,382

10,719

 

13.7%

16.6%

16.8%

17.1%

16.0%

14.5%

14.5%

15.6%

Doctorates w/ fed. research support

10,881

12,965

13,790

15,213

15,689

16,648

13,651

21,864

 

39.8%

37.7%

35.1%

33.4%

30.3%

28.5%

21.1%

31.8%

Suggested Citation:"Appendix F: Characteristics of Doctorates." National Research Council. 2011. Research Training in the Biomedical, Behavioral, and Clinical Research Sciences. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12983.
×

 

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2006

Total employed in S&E

74,570

75,420

81,126

84,408

91,662

95,909

99,154

91,941

95,564

 

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

Minority

3,738

4,561

5,012

5,649

6,561

7,140

8,534

5,447

5,991

 

5.0%

6.0%

6.2%

6.7%

7.2%

7.4%

8.6%

5.9%

6.3%

Citizens and permanent residents

73,054

73,534

79,280

82,526

89,186

93,155

98,725

91,263

94,811

 

98.0%

97.5%

97.7%

97.8%

97.3%

97.1%

99.6%

99.3%

99.2%

Temporary residents

194

164

190

195

329

378

429

678

753

 

0.3%

0.2%

0.2%

0.2%

0.4%

0.4%

0.4%

0.7%

0.8%

Total academics

36,961

33,280

37,617

39,905

43,736

45,402

47,206

44,961

47,153

 

49.6%

44.1%

46.4%

47.3%

47.7%

47.3%

47.6%

48.9%

49.3%

Faculty with rank appointments

30,239

26,852

29,402

30,787

32,941

33,837

34,491

34,352

35,862

 

40.6%

35.6%

36.2%

36.5%

35.9%

35.3%

34.8%

37.4%

37.5%

Tenured faculty

20,041

18,201

19,858

20,720

22,266

22,032

22,196

21,226

20,824

 

26.9%

24.1%

24.5%

24.5%

24.3%

23.0%

22.4%

23.1%

21.8%

Tenure-track faculty (not tenured)

5,379

5,400

5,956

5,991

6,032

6,364

6,510

6,713

7,684

 

7.2%

7.2%

7.3%

7.1%

6.6%

6.6%

6.6%

7.3%

8.0%

Academic postdoctorates

993

416

534

1,329

1,641

1,458

1,543

1,064

1,868

 

1.3%

0.6%

0.7%

1.6%

1.8%

1.5%

1.6%

1.2%

2.0%

Other academic appointments

5,729

6,012

7,681

7,789

9,154

10,136

11,194

10,853

10,576

 

7.7%

8.0%

9.5%

9.2%

10.0%

10.6%

11.3%

11.8%

11.1%

Industry (non-postdoctorate)

19,998

23,995

27,236

27,348

28,735

31,318

32,561

31,457

32,494

 

26.8%

31.8%

33.6%

32.4%

31.3%

32.7%

32.8%

34.2%

34.0%

Industrial postdoctorates

5

20

50

151

462

211

201

458

297

 

0.0%

0.0%

0.1%

0.2%

0.5%

0.2%

0.2%

0.5%

0.3%

Government (non-postdoctorate)

5,557

5,565

8,867

9,310

9,692

9,696

9,877

8,588

8,558

 

7.5%

7.4%

10.9%

11.0%

10.6%

10.1%

10.0%

9.3%

9.0%

Government postdoctorates

11

84

147

176

267

210

165

252

139

 

0.0%

0.1%

0.2%

0.2%

0.3%

0.2%

0.2%

0.3%

0.1%

Other sectors

11,863

11,931

7,209

7,518

8,770

9,072

8,960

6,050

6,923

 

15.9%

15.8%

8.9%

8.9%

9.6%

9.5%

9.0%

6.6%

7.2%

Doctorates w/ fed. research support

23,831

20,902

-

15,385

16,308

20,487

22,549

20,643

22,372

 

32.0%

27.7%

0.0%

18.2%

17.8%

21.4%

22.7%

22.5%

23.4%

SOURCE: NSF. Survey of Doctorate Recipients, 1973-2006. Washington, DC: NSF.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix F: Characteristics of Doctorates." National Research Council. 2011. Research Training in the Biomedical, Behavioral, and Clinical Research Sciences. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12983.
×

TABLE F-5 Characteristics of Doctorates in the Clinical Sciences, 1970-2008

 

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

Total Doctorates

273

329

306

323

339

340

357

385

387

432

464

524

575

526

621

619

677

699

788

Male

218

271

245

249

252

233

248

266

256

271

273

303

319

249

262

244

259

290

302

Female

55

58

61

74

87

107

109

119

131

161

191

221

256

277

359

375

418

409

486

Citizens

210

263

219

250

239

258

273

296

305

339

370

429

457

401

492

458

489

527

573

Permanent residents

19

20

40

34

37

35

32

41

26

39

32

33

33

30

36

32

30

33

38

Temporary residents

37

30

29

31

33

35

40

42

38

37

53

48

64

70

66

85

93

84

108

Unknown

7

16

18

8

30

12

12

6

18

17

9

14

21

25

27

44

65

55

69

Minorities

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

22

N/A

22

N/A

19

30

23

34

31

32

38

50

Postdoctoral training in U.S.

Postdoctoral fellowship

16

17

26

19

10

24

26

34

24

37

37

35

34

25

47

34

35

48

40

Postdoctoral research

2

4

11

16

21

11

6

16

15

16

11

16

20

12

13

17

18

17

26

Postdoctoral traineeship

1

2

1

.

1

1

1

3

3

3

3

5

3

3

4

1

4

4

6

Other training

7

4

6

11

6

4

5

7

6

10

15

13

4

3

8

1

9

11

10

Total postdoctoral

26

27

44

46

38

40

38

60

48

66

66

69

61

43

72

53

66

80

82

Percent planning

15.5%

13.2%

23.8%

22.2%

 

17.4%

16.5%

 

20.4%

23.6%

20.6%

19.6%

17.0%

13.6%

18.6%

14.1%

16.8%

18.1%

17.5%

Employment in U.S.

137

170

135

153

153

183

185

172

185

204

250

277

287

264

306

321

319

349

375

Other

5

8

6

8

8

7

7

3

2

10

5

6

11

10

10

3

7

13

11

Ph.D. with plans

168

205

185

207

199

230

230

235

235

280

321

352

359

317

388

377

392

442

468

Time to degree

7.59

7.00

7.00

7.00

7.92

7.79

7.75

7.50

7.67

7.75

7.92

8.50

8.79

9.41

9.29

10.08

10.25

10.09

10.58

Age at time of degree

31.21

29.96

30.33

30.59

30.67

31.83

31.58

30.75

31.67

31.75

32.00

32.37

32.87

34.08

34.33

35.58

35.92

35.92

36.42

Suggested Citation:"Appendix F: Characteristics of Doctorates." National Research Council. 2011. Research Training in the Biomedical, Behavioral, and Clinical Research Sciences. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12983.
×

 

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Total doctorates

881

840

950

1022

1100

1208

1225

1237

1354

1425

1338

1527

1558

1579

1574

1642

1727

1810

2036

2002

Male

313

322

333

363

396

420

456

435

469

474

480

518

566

510

528

520

563

598

644

638

Female

568

518

617

659

704

788

769

802

885

951

858

1007

981

1069

1039

1122

1161

1209

1382

1364

Citizens

656

630

706

739

803

897

857

865

911

1003

925

1070

1036

1058

1115

1133

1153

1182

1319

1299

Permanent residents

29

34

58

48

63

91

102

87

77

85

81

74

76

63

60

68

81

86

83

102

Temporary residents

118

145

161

213

202

214

236

253

256

266

250

275

293

300

299

335

374

388

427

425

Unknown

78

31

29

30

44

15

41

41

126

77

92

108

153

158

100

19

29

21

33

36

Minorities

38

41

56

49

79

70

90

83

85

97

105

116

112

106

137

165

177

169

192

172

Postdoctoral training in U.S.

Postdoctoral fellowship

39

52

50

69

62

97

76

97

88

93

88

95

142

147

154

182

177

201

212

215

Postdoctoral research

21

35

23

34

27

21

37

39

47

38

38

38

45

45

57

55

56

70

88

102

Postdoctoral traineeship

4

6

2

10

5

5

6

4

6

6

12

12

6

11

18

9

12

6

7

12

Other training

10

13

10

15

14

9

10

14

7

8

29

17

14

10

21

27

30

33

13

15

Total postdoctoral

116

165

141

192

185

226

236

239

225

230

167

162

207

213

250

273

275

310

320

344

Percent planning

13%

20%

15%

19%

17%

19%

19%

19%

17%

16%

12%

11%

13%

19%

27%

29%

27%

29%

28%

30%

Employment in U.S.

459

373

468

491

525

503

489

531

589

606

591

732

643

733

666

652

719

760

799

782

Other

8

9

11

9

12

11

11

18

17

26

12

17

15

31

19

12

11

15

13

17

Ph.D. with plans

583

547

620

692

722

740

736

788

831

862

770

911

865

977

935

937

1,005

1,085

1,132

1,143

Time to degree

11.00

11.17

11.41

11.67

11.75

11.41

11.25

11.59

11.50

11.50

10.92

11.25

10.09

11.25

10.50

9.58

9.59

9.50

9.50

9.25

Age at time of degree

36.75

37.17

37.83

37.75

38.42

37.79

38.08

38.46

38.58

38.25

37.24

38.33

36.92

38.17

37.08

36.67

36.17

36.24

35.75

35.42

SOURCE: NSF. 2008. Survey of Earned Doctorates. Washington, DC: NSF.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix F: Characteristics of Doctorates." National Research Council. 2011. Research Training in the Biomedical, Behavioral, and Clinical Research Sciences. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12983.
×

TABLE F-6 Employment Characteristics of Clinical Doctorates from U.S. Institutions, 1973-2006

 

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

Total employed in S&E

2,682

3,475

3,748

4,489

5,312

6,003

7,188

7,669

 

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

Minority

105

153

163

203

208

250

307

342

 

3.9%

4.4%

4.3%

4.5%

3.9%

4.2%

4.3%

4.5%

Citizens and permanent residents

2,462

3,236

3,454

4,105

4,914

5,668

6,776

7,614

 

91.8%

93.1%

92.2%

91.4%

92.5%

94.4%

94.3%

99.3%

Temporary residents

69

83

86

133

44

8

79

55

 

2.6%

2.4%

2.3%

3.0%

0.8%

0.1%

1.1%

0.7%

Total academics

1,478

1,856

2,064

2,564

2,963

3,225

3,938

4,164

 

55.1%

53.4%

55.1%

57.1%

55.8%

53.7%

54.8%

54.3%

Faculty with rank appointments

1,359

1,671

1,852

2,259

2,642

2,922

3,413

3,675

 

50.7%

48.1%

49.4%

50.3%

49.7%

48.7%

47.5%

47.9%

Tenured faculty

276

931

1,031

1,271

1,424

1,516

1,968

1,960

 

10.3%

26.8%

27.5%

28.3%

26.8%

25.3%

27.4%

25.6%

Tenure-track faculty (not tenured)

1,083

684

743

565

780

921

1,002

931

 

40.4%

19.7%

19.8%

12.6%

14.7%

15.3%

13.9%

12.1%

Academic postdoctorates

40

107

108

105

139

100

177

90

 

1.5%

3.1%

2.9%

2.3%

2.6%

1.7%

2.5%

1.2%

Other academic appointments

79

78

104

231

182

203

348

399

 

2.9%

2.2%

2.8%

5.1%

3.4%

3.4%

4.8%

5.2%

Industry (non-postdoctorate)

536

739

733

992

1,259

1,485

1,793

1,940

 

20.0%

21.3%

19.6%

22.1%

23.7%

24.7%

24.9%

25.3%

Industrial postdoctorates

0

0

0

0

0

8

5

14

 

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.1%

0.1%

0.2%

Government (non-postdoctorate)

383

491

462

446

527

585

689

745

 

14.3%

14.1%

12.3%

9.9%

9.9%

9.7%

9.6%

9.7%

Government postdoctorates

5

9

8

11

35

34

14

8

 

0.2%

0.3%

0.2%

0.2%

0.7%

0.6%

0.2%

0.1%

Other sectors

280

380

455

436

501

645

749

760

 

10.4%

10.9%

12.1%

9.7%

9.4%

10.7%

10.4%

9.9%

Doctorates w/ fed. research support

1,416

1,804

1,836

2,041

2,179

2,416

2,307

3,275

 

52.8%

51.9%

49.0%

45.5%

41.0%

40.2%

32.1%

42.7%

Suggested Citation:"Appendix F: Characteristics of Doctorates." National Research Council. 2011. Research Training in the Biomedical, Behavioral, and Clinical Research Sciences. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12983.
×

 

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2006

Total employed in S&E

8,991

9,251

10,748

11,996

14,069

15,268

17,180

16,550

19,750

 

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

100.0%

Minority

533

614

766

899

1,113

1,357

1,497

1,057

1,330

 

5.9%

6.6%

7.1%

7.5%

7.9%

8.9%

8.7%

6.4%

6.7%

Citizens and permanent residents

8,522

8,726

10,142

11,253

13,128

13,930

16,822

16,005

19,036

 

94.8%

94.3%

94.4%

93.8%

93.3%

91.2%

97.9%

96.7%

96.4%

Temporary residents

72

65

175

58

194

335

358

545

714

 

0.8%

0.7%

1.6%

0.5%

1.4%

2.2%

2.1%

3.3%

3.6%

Total academics

4,959

4,706

5,827

6,684

7,609

8,855

9,730

10,037

11,856

 

55.2%

50.9%

54.2%

55.7%

54.1%

58.0%

56.6%

60.6%

60.0%

Faculty with rank appointments

4,371

4,077

5,084

5,705

6,325

7,374

8,124

8,536

10,084

 

48.6%

44.1%

47.3%

47.6%

45.0%

48.3%

47.3%

51.6%

51.1%

Tenured faculty

2,191

1,890

2,341

2,770

3,081

3,507

3,647

3,629

3,989

 

24.4%

20.4%

21.8%

23.1%

21.9%

23.0%

21.2%

21.9%

20.2%

Tenure-track faculty (not tenured)

1,337

1,426

1,784

1,988

1,878

2,138

2,384

2,505

3,371

 

14.9%

15.4%

16.6%

16.6%

13.3%

14.0%

13.9%

15.1%

17.1%

Academic postdoctorates

152

116

144

342

416

324

321

349

516

 

1.7%

1.3%

1.3%

2.9%

3.0%

2.1%

1.9%

2.1%

2.6%

Other academic appointments

436

513

599

637

868

1,157

1,285

1,313

1,514

 

4.8%

5.5%

5.6%

5.3%

6.2%

7.6%

7.5%

7.9%

7.7%

Industry (non-postdoctorate)

2,307

2,564

2,869

2,923

3,568

3,731

4,413

4,258

5,088

 

25.7%

27.7%

26.7%

24.4%

25.4%

24.4%

25.7%

25.7%

25.8%

Industrial postdoctorates

3

4

4

17

49

10

21

27

198

 

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.1%

0.3%

0.1%

0.1%

0.2%

1.0%

Government (non-postdoctorate)

916

1,064

1,144

1,309

1,467

1,250

1,604

1,513

1,917

 

10.2%

11.5%

10.6%

10.9%

10.4%

8.2%

9.3%

9.1%

9.7%

Government postdoctorates

2

16

67

101

47

50

30

74

156

 

0.0%

0.2%

0.6%

0.8%

0.3%

0.3%

0.2%

0.4%

0.8%

Other sectors

778

847

837

962

1,329

1,372

1,339

641

535

 

8.7%

9.2%

7.8%

8.0%

9.4%

9.0%

7.8%

3.9%

2.7%

Doctorates w/ fed. research support

3,951

4,125

3,016

3,323

3,849

5,172

5,822

6,192

7,551

 

43.9%

44.6%

28.1%

27.7%

27.4%

33.9%

33.9%

37.4%

38.2%

SOURCE: NSF. Survey of Doctorate Recipients, 1973-2006. Washington, DC: NSF.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix F: Characteristics of Doctorates." National Research Council. 2011. Research Training in the Biomedical, Behavioral, and Clinical Research Sciences. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12983.
×

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Comprehensive research and a highly-trained workforce are essential for the improvement of health and health care both nationally and internationally. During the past 40 years the National Research Services Award (NRSA) Program has played a large role in training the workforce responsible for dramatic advances in the understanding of various diseases and new insights that have led to more effective and targeted therapies. In spite of this program, the difficulty obtaining jobs after the postdoc period has discouraged many domestic students from pursuing graduate postdoc training. In the United States, more than 50 percent of the postdoc workforce is made up of individuals who obtained their Ph.D.s from other countries. Indeed, one can make a strong argument that the influx of highly trained and creative foreigners has contributed greatly to U.S. science over the past 70 years.

Research Training in the Biomedical, Behavioral, and Clinical Research Sciences discusses a number of important issues, including: the job prospects for postdocs completing their training; questions about the continued supply of international postdocs in an increasingly competitive world; the need for equal, excellent training for all graduate students who receive NIH funding; and the need to increase the diversity of trainees. The book recommends improvements in minority recruiting, more rigorous and extensive training in the responsible conduct of research and ethics, increased emphasis on career development, more attention to outcomes, and the requirement for incorporating more quantitative thinking in the biomedical curriculum.

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