News, Views and Careers for All of Higher Education
Nov. 28, 2005
Amid a sea of statistics and dire warnings suggesting the decline of American science, a new National Science Foundation report offers some hopeful signs. The number of doctorates awarded in scientific and technical fields by universities in the United States rose in 2004, representing the second straight annual increase after several years of decline. And the increases were spread across many different disciplines, with fields such as mathematics, computer sciences and most engineering fields seeing significant growth.
The NSF report is drawn from the forthcoming Survey of Earned Doctorates for the 2004 academic year, an annual review conducted by the foundation’s Division of Science Resources Statistics and five other federal agencies.
Over all, according to the NSF report, the number of doctorates awarded by American universities increased to 42,155 in 2004, up by 3.4 percent from the 40,770 given out in 2003. Of the 2004 doctorates, 26,275 were in science and engineering fields, up 3.9 percent from 2003 and the largest number of science doctorates awarded since 1998. The 15,880 nonscience doctorates awarded in 2004 were the largest number in a decade.
Doctorates Awarded by American Universities, 1995 to 2004
|
Year |
Total doctorates awarded |
Science and engineering doctorates |
Non-science doctorates |
|
1995 |
41,750 |
26,536 |
15,214 |
|
1996 |
42,439 |
27,241 |
15,198 |
|
1997 |
42,541 |
27,232 |
15,309 |
|
1998 |
42,647 |
27,278 |
15,369 |
|
1999 |
41,092 |
25,933 |
15,159 |
|
2000 |
41,365 |
25,966 |
15,399 |
|
2001 |
40,824 |
25,548 |
15,276 |
|
2002 |
39,989 |
24,588 |
15,401 |
|
2003 |
40,770 |
25,289 |
15,481 |
|
2004 |
42,155 |
26,275 |
15,880 |
The pool of those receiving doctorates in 2004 differed in some significant ways from those who received doctorates a decade earlier. In 1995, 61 percent of doctoral recipients were men, 32 percent were citizens of countries other than the United States, and 87 percent were white. In 2004, 55 percent were men, 33 percent were non-U.S. citizens, and 80 percent were white. Members of underrepresented minority groups made up 14 percent of the 2004 cohort, compared to 9 percent in 1995.
The NSF report says that it is too early to be certain that the two-year increase in the number of science doctorates awarded represents a new upward trend. But the statistics are likely to hearten science educators, business leaders, politicians and others nonetheless, given the significant concerns they’ve expressed about the country’s ability to keep pace technologically with other countries.
Doctorates Awarded by American Universities, 2000-4
|
Field |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
|
All fields |
41,365 |
40,824 |
39,989 |
40,770 |
42,155 |
|
Science and engineering |
25,966 |
25,548 |
24,588 |
25,289 |
26,275 |
|
—Science |
20,645 |
20,043 |
19,512 |
20,011 |
20,499 |
|
——Agricultural sciences |
1,038 |
975 |
1,009 |
1,061 |
1,046 |
|
——Biological sciences |
5,854 |
5,691 |
5,690 |
5,697 |
5,937 |
|
——Computer sciences |
859 |
826 |
807 |
865 |
949 |
|
——Earth, atmospheric, and ocean sciences |
663 |
630 |
673 |
646 |
672 |
|
——Mathematics |
1,050 |
1,007 |
918 |
994 |
1,075 |
|
——Physical sciences |
3,407 |
3,394 |
3,212 |
3,325 |
3,353 |
|
———-Astronomy |
185 |
186 |
144 |
168 |
165 |
|
———-Chemistry |
1,989 |
1,981 |
1,923 |
2,041 |
1,987 |
|
———-Physics |
1,204 |
1,197 |
1,127 |
1,080 |
1,186 |
|
———-Other physical sciences |
29 |
30 |
18 |
36 |
15 |
|
——Psychology |
3,618 |
3,442 |
3,199 |
3,281 |
3,336 |
|
——Social sciences |
4,156 |
4,078 |
4,004 |
4,142 |
4,131 |
|
—Engineering |
5,321 |
5,505 |
5,076 |
5,278 |
5,776 |
|
—-Aeronautical/astronautical engineering |
214 |
203 |
209 |
200 |
201 |
|
—-Chemical engineering |
725 |
729 |
705 |
648 |
723 |
|
—-Civil engineering |
556 |
594 |
626 |
674 |
675 |
|
—-Electrical engineering |
1,544 |
1,576 |
1,395 |
1,466 |
1,649 |
|
—-Industrial engineering |
176 |
206 |
230 |
213 |
217 |
|
—-Materials/metallurgical engineering |
451 |
497 |
396 |
474 |
509 |
|
—-Mechanical engineering |
864 |
953 |
827 |
814 |
853 |
|
—-Other engineering |
791 |
747 |
688 |
789 |
949 |
|
Non-science and engineering |
15,399 |
15,276 |
15,401 |
15,481 |
15,880 |
|
—Education |
6,430 |
6,337 |
6,487 |
6,632 |
6,635 |
|
—Health |
1,592 |
1,622 |
1,653 |
1,636 |
1,730 |
|
—Humanities |
5,213 |
5,161 |
5,010 |
5,015 |
5,017 |
|
—Professional/other |
2,164 |
2,156 |
2,251 |
2,198 |
2,498 |
Source: National Science Foundation
If the NSF report hints at some positive developments for American science, it also contains some data certain to trouble those concerned about the country’s standing vis a vis other countries. It shows that in several key fields — computer sciences, mathematics, physics and engineering — more than half of the doctorates awarded in 2004 were given to non-U.S. citizens. The proportion was above 40 percent in agricultural sciences, chemistry, the physical sciences as a whole, and total science and engineering doctorates.
Doctorates Awarded to non-U.S. Citizens by Field of Study, 2004
|
Field |
Percent |
|
All fields |
33.2% |
|
Science and engineering |
40.7% |
|
Science |
34.0% |
|
Agricultural sciences |
46.0% |
|
Biological sciences |
30.0% |
|
Computer sciences |
56.1% |
|
Earth, atmospheric, and ocean sciences |
37.4% |
|
Mathematics |
56.1% |
|
Physical sciences |
45.6% |
|
Astronomy |
30.2% |
|
Chemistry |
41.6% |
|
Physics |
54.7% |
|
Other physical sciences |
33.3% |
|
Psychology |
8.5% |
|
Social sciences |
35.1% |
|
Engineering |
64.6% |
|
Non-science and engineering |
20.4% |
|
Professional/other/unknown |
38.0% |
|
Humanities |
20.1% |
|
Health |
26.8% |
|
Education |
12.2% |
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I like to think Mr. Smith is just trying to be devil rouser to start a long debate about “native-born” versus foreign students. This is a dangerous protectionist path which benefits no one. I am appalled by his characterization of foreign students working for Bin Laden. Mr. Smith will do himself and the country a lot of good by realizing that the reason this wonderful country is great is its welcoming attitudes toward outsiders who have unlimited energy to contribute. He is well advised to remember when there was a drop in foreign students application post 9/11 many science and engineering programs had ringed alarm bells for a very good reason. Mr. Smith should also remember that not too long ago his ancestors were also “foreigners” and were probably shunned by the likes of Mr. Smith. Also, remember the cliché: he is an American by luck and immigrants that he is picking on are here by choice and will contribute (they already are) to his grandparents’ welfare.Peace on earth ..
Alex, at 10:43 am EST on December 13, 2005
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Foreign students what is really going on
Professionally educated people in an international labor market are fungible quantities since whom they choose to work for is a matter of personal choice. It is a mystery to me why we bring foreign students here, finance their education at taxpayer subsidized expense, accomodate their politics and cultural idiosyncrasies, and subject ourselves to possible physical attack and intimidation. Sure the top cohort of foreign students maybe the best in the world, but who are they going to work for when they graduate? Al Queda and Usama bin Laden or Uncle Sam? Can we take the chance? Domestic students know the tuition bill is rising and in the 80’s it was financed by the middle class to help train these foreign students and we sacrificed a generation of our own domestic students in the process because we all know undergraduate studies is poor in the united states. We hate American academic administraters for their incompetence and vanity. The British provide a better example. They starve (the politicians) their academics and actually got more out of them. Look at British, Canadian, and Australian education websites today in higher education and they talk about improving quality and competing in international markets. American colleges and universities moan about the lack of funding. Now what? Well you might improve undergraduate education and offer scholarships to native born american students since you have spent the last thirty years screwing them. Remember that they are going to be financing the nursing home where you are ultimately going to end up.
Gordon Smith, at 9:38 pm EST on December 5, 2005