What percentage of S&E degrees do women and racial/ethnic minorities earn?

Since 2000, women’s share of S&E degrees has increased at the master’s and doctoral levels, held steady at the bachelor’s level, and decreased at the associate’s level.

After whites, Hispanics account for the largest numbers of S&E associate’s and bachelor’s degrees, blacks for the largest number of S&E master’s degrees, and Asians/Pacific Islanders for the largest number of S&E doctoral degrees awarded to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Hispanics, blacks, and American Indians/Alaska Natives are underrepresented in S&E relative to their proportions in the U.S. college-age population, while whites and Asians/Pacific Islanders are overrepresented.

• In 2012, women earned 42% of S&E degrees at the associate’s level, just over 50% at the bachelor’s level, 46% at the master’s level, and 41% at the doctoral level. Relative to their 49% share of the U.S. college-age population in 2012, women are slightly overrepresented among S&E degree recipients at the bachelor’s level, but are underrepresented at the associate’s, master’s, and doctoral levels.
• Women’s share of S&E degrees grew faster at the doctoral level than at the master’s level.

• In 2012, Hispanics earned 20% of all S&E associate’s degrees awarded to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Blacks were second among the minority groups, with a 14% share.
• For the first time, Hispanics (58,146) outnumbered Asians/Pacific Islanders (54,739) in S&E bachelor’s degrees earned. Hispanics received 10.3% and Asians/Pacific Islanders received 9.7% of all S&E bachelor’s degrees awarded to U.S. citizens and permanent residents in 2012. Blacks earned nearly 9% of S&E bachelor’s degrees.
• For the second year in a row, blacks outnumbered Asians/Pacific Islanders in the number of S&E master’s degrees earned: 12,069 vs. 10,776 degrees in 2012. Blacks received 10%, Asians/Pacific Islanders received 9%, and Hispanics received 8% of S&E master’s degrees.
• Asians/Pacific Islanders earned almost 10% of the S&E doctoral degrees conferred in 2012, compared to 6% earned by Hispanics and 5% earned by blacks.
• American Indians/Alaska Natives received 1.3% of S&E associate’s degrees and less than 1% of S&E bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees.
• Together, the three groups considered to be underrepresented in S&E (blacks, Hispanics, and American Indians/Alaska Natives) earned 28% of S&E degrees awarded to U.S. citizens and permanent residents in 2012 at the associate’s level, 20% at the bachelor’s level, 18% at the master’s level, and 12% at the doctoral level. Their shares have increased at every degree level since 2000.
• Blacks and Hispanics remain underrepresented at every degree level relative to their proportions in the U.S. college-age population in 2012 (15% and 21%, respectively). American Indians/Alaska Natives are overrepresented among recipients of S&E associate’s degrees compared to their percentage of the college-age population (0.9%), but they remain underrepresented in S&E at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels.
• Asians/Pacific Islanders are overrepresented at every degree level, and their shares of S&E bachelor’s and doctoral degrees are almost double their share of the college-age population (5%).
• Whites are also overrepresented among recipients of S&E bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. At the associate’s level, whites’ share of S&E degrees was 52% in 2012, compared to their 56% share of the 2012 college-age population.