2018 Digest

For decades, workers in S&E occupations have almost always had lower unemployment levels than workers in other types of jobs. The unemployment rate for college-graduate workers in S&E occupations is generally lower than it is for college-graduate workers in non-S&E occupations, and it is far lower than the overall unemployment rate. However, S&E workers are not immune to overall business cycles, as the spikes in S&E unemployment in the 2001 and the 2007–09 recessions illustrate.

The skilled technical workforce is a substantial component of an S&E-capable workforce. Comprised of individuals who use S&E expertise in their jobs but who do not have a bachelor’s degree, skilled technical workers face better job market conditions in S&E and S&E-related occupations relative to their non-S&E counterparts. S&E-related workers include those employed in the health industry and those working as S&E technicians, such as computer network managers. In 2015, the median earnings of skilled technical workers in S&E or S&E-related occupations were significantly higher and their unemployment rates were lower than those of workers in non-S&E occupations who also do not have a bachelor’s degree.

Despite accounting for one-half of the college-educated workforce, women in 2015 accounted for less than one-third of S&E employment. Although the number of women in S&E jobs has risen significantly in the past 2 decades (from 755,000 in 1993 to 1,818,000 in 2015), the disparity has narrowed only modestly.

Similarly, underrepresented minorities—blacks, Hispanics, and American Indians or Alaska Natives—have made substantial strides in S&E employment, increasing from 217,000 S&E workers in 1993 to 705,000 in 2015. However, their representation in S&E jobs (11%) remains below their share of the population (27%).

Women’s presence varies widely across S&E occupations, with high concentrations in the life sciences and social and behavioral sciences. For underrepresented minorities, variation among occupations is much less pronounced.

Foreign-born scientists and engineers are a critical part of the U.S. S&E workforce. Among individuals working in S&E occupations, 41% of master’s degree holders and 36% of doctorate holders are foreign born. The presence of foreign-born scientists and engineers is greatest in engineering occupations and in computer sciences and mathematics occupations. More than one-half of doctorate holders in these occupations are foreign born.