Table 18. Doctorate recipients, by citizenship status and major field of study: 2006–16
Citizenship status and major field of study |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
% change 2006–16 |
All doctorate recipientsa |
45,620 |
48,132 |
48,777 |
49,552 |
48,029 |
48,911 |
50,945 |
52,704 |
53,994 |
54,909 |
54,904 |
20.4 |
Life sciences |
9,703 |
10,702 |
11,086 |
11,403 |
11,319 |
11,535 |
11,964 |
12,208 |
12,484 |
12,503 |
12,568 |
29.5 |
Agricultural sciences and natural resources |
1,146 |
1,321 |
1,198 |
1,283 |
1,100 |
1,206 |
1,255 |
1,324 |
1,338 |
1,434 |
1,385 |
20.9 |
Biological and biomedical sciences |
6,652 |
7,238 |
7,797 |
8,025 |
8,046 |
8,152 |
8,322 |
8,355 |
8,868 |
8,792 |
8,884 |
33.6 |
Health sciences |
1,905 |
2,143 |
2,091 |
2,095 |
2,173 |
2,177 |
2,387 |
2,529 |
2,278 |
2,277 |
2,299 |
20.7 |
Physical sciences and earth sciences |
4,686 |
4,956 |
4,946 |
5,160 |
4,995 |
5,271 |
5,419 |
5,584 |
5,911 |
5,918 |
6,252 |
33.4 |
Chemistry |
2,364 |
2,318 |
2,246 |
2,391 |
2,304 |
2,432 |
2,416 |
2,484 |
2,673 |
2,668 |
2,704 |
14.4 |
Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences |
757 |
875 |
865 |
877 |
862 |
852 |
941 |
989 |
1,099 |
1,057 |
1,227 |
62.1 |
Physics and astronomy |
1,565 |
1,763 |
1,835 |
1,892 |
1,829 |
1,987 |
2,062 |
2,111 |
2,139 |
2,193 |
2,321 |
48.3 |
Mathematics and computer sciences |
2,778 |
3,042 |
3,187 |
3,163 |
3,223 |
3,273 |
3,496 |
3,660 |
3,863 |
3,818 |
3,957 |
42.4 |
Computer and information sciences |
1,453 |
1,654 |
1,787 |
1,610 |
1,633 |
1,667 |
1,793 |
1,843 |
1,989 |
2,003 |
2,085 |
43.5 |
Mathematics and statistics |
1,325 |
1,388 |
1,400 |
1,553 |
1,590 |
1,606 |
1,703 |
1,817 |
1,874 |
1,815 |
1,872 |
41.3 |
Psychology and social sciences |
7,231 |
7,309 |
7,635 |
7,945 |
7,883 |
8,221 |
8,498 |
8,580 |
8,752 |
9,080 |
9,078 |
25.5 |
Psychology |
3,260 |
3,276 |
3,357 |
3,472 |
3,421 |
3,576 |
3,599 |
3,592 |
3,724 |
3,779 |
3,946 |
21.0 |
Anthropology |
472 |
512 |
483 |
503 |
507 |
553 |
547 |
550 |
524 |
492 |
460 |
-2.5 |
Economics |
1,029 |
1,004 |
1,091 |
1,118 |
1,073 |
1,121 |
1,243 |
1,183 |
1,196 |
1,255 |
1,238 |
20.3 |
Political science and government |
616 |
588 |
628 |
682 |
728 |
685 |
724 |
803 |
777 |
859 |
745 |
20.9 |
Sociology |
579 |
576 |
601 |
662 |
639 |
657 |
633 |
636 |
679 |
742 |
615 |
6.2 |
Other social sciences |
1,275 |
1,353 |
1,475 |
1,508 |
1,515 |
1,629 |
1,752 |
1,816 |
1,852 |
1,953 |
2,074 |
62.7 |
Engineering |
7,186 |
7,749 |
7,864 |
7,642 |
7,578 |
8,032 |
8,469 |
9,000 |
9,628 |
9,878 |
9,469 |
31.8 |
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering |
238 |
267 |
266 |
297 |
252 |
262 |
307 |
348 |
386 |
361 |
369 |
55.0 |
Bioengineering and biomedical engineering |
525 |
637 |
762 |
834 |
824 |
898 |
943 |
1,039 |
1,046 |
1,127 |
1,089 |
107.4 |
Chemical engineering |
799 |
817 |
873 |
807 |
822 |
823 |
840 |
824 |
973 |
1,002 |
923 |
15.5 |
Civil engineering |
655 |
703 |
713 |
707 |
643 |
634 |
495 |
542 |
617 |
632 |
565 |
-13.7 |
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering |
1,786 |
1,967 |
1,888 |
1,693 |
1,778 |
1,886 |
1,938 |
1,897 |
1,953 |
1,998 |
1,827 |
2.3 |
Industrial and manufacturing engineering |
234 |
279 |
280 |
251 |
215 |
258 |
226 |
241 |
298 |
243 |
256 |
9.4 |
Materials science engineering |
583 |
646 |
636 |
625 |
670 |
662 |
743 |
815 |
833 |
871 |
985 |
69.0 |
Mechanical engineering |
1,045 |
1,071 |
1,082 |
1,095 |
983 |
1,084 |
1,220 |
1,277 |
1,331 |
1,466 |
1,299 |
24.3 |
Other engineering |
1,321 |
1,362 |
1,364 |
1,333 |
1,391 |
1,525 |
1,757 |
2,017 |
2,191 |
2,178 |
2,156 |
63.2 |
Education |
6,122 |
6,448 |
6,561 |
6,528 |
5,287 |
4,670 |
4,803 |
4,934 |
4,789 |
5,098 |
5,153 |
-15.8 |
Education administration |
2,051 |
2,161 |
2,238 |
2,146 |
1,439 |
924 |
1,057 |
965 |
893 |
920 |
829 |
-59.6 |
Education research |
2,751 |
2,671 |
2,640 |
2,663 |
2,443 |
2,438 |
2,569 |
2,703 |
2,560 |
2,772 |
2,386 |
-13.3 |
Teacher education |
250 |
297 |
274 |
332 |
245 |
204 |
156 |
109 |
152 |
156 |
181 |
-27.6 |
Teaching fields |
707 |
873 |
912 |
906 |
799 |
805 |
757 |
892 |
915 |
953 |
1,167 |
65.1 |
Other education |
363 |
446 |
497 |
481 |
361 |
299 |
264 |
265 |
269 |
297 |
590 |
62.5 |
Humanities and arts |
5,332 |
5,085 |
4,736 |
4,904 |
5,015 |
5,226 |
5,562 |
5,715 |
5,524 |
5,594 |
5,484 |
2.9 |
Foreign languages and literature |
614 |
607 |
627 |
598 |
601 |
644 |
684 |
701 |
674 |
656 |
599 |
-2.4 |
History |
973 |
937 |
971 |
1,045 |
1,005 |
1,065 |
1,087 |
1,148 |
1,186 |
1,146 |
1,147 |
17.9 |
Letters |
1,457 |
1,340 |
1,420 |
1,413 |
1,516 |
1,513 |
1,638 |
1,606 |
1,551 |
1,583 |
1,533 |
5.2 |
Other humanities and arts |
2,288 |
2,201 |
1,718 |
1,848 |
1,893 |
2,004 |
2,153 |
2,260 |
2,113 |
2,209 |
2,205 |
-3.6 |
Otherb |
2,582 |
2,841 |
2,762 |
2,807 |
2,729 |
2,683 |
2,734 |
3,023 |
3,043 |
3,020 |
2,943 |
14.0 |
Business management and administration |
1,311 |
1,506 |
1,421 |
1,405 |
1,366 |
1,327 |
1,404 |
1,551 |
1,584 |
1,583 |
1,510 |
15.2 |
Communication |
510 |
560 |
557 |
627 |
638 |
650 |
595 |
645 |
663 |
667 |
673 |
32.0 |
Non-S&E fields not elsewhere classified |
757 |
772 |
784 |
775 |
725 |
706 |
735 |
827 |
796 |
770 |
760 |
0.4 |
Unknown field |
4 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
-100.0 |
U.S. citizen or permanent resident |
29,028 |
29,501 |
30,844 |
32,327 |
31,602 |
31,726 |
32,982 |
33,965 |
34,006 |
35,086 |
35,719 |
23.1 |
Life sciences |
6,506 |
7,009 |
7,279 |
7,803 |
7,812 |
7,892 |
8,184 |
8,353 |
8,390 |
8,477 |
8,697 |
33.7 |
Agricultural sciences and natural resources |
631 |
686 |
647 |
712 |
618 |
697 |
675 |
737 |
754 |
774 |
773 |
22.5 |
Biological and biomedical sciences |
4,504 |
4,833 |
5,141 |
5,528 |
5,585 |
5,614 |
5,790 |
5,769 |
5,993 |
6,035 |
6,225 |
38.2 |
Health sciences |
1,371 |
1,490 |
1,491 |
1,563 |
1,609 |
1,581 |
1,719 |
1,847 |
1,643 |
1,668 |
1,699 |
23.9 |
Physical sciences and earth sciences |
2,479 |
2,567 |
2,674 |
2,914 |
2,860 |
3,048 |
3,148 |
3,247 |
3,300 |
3,481 |
3,666 |
47.9 |
Chemistry |
1,276 |
1,190 |
1,231 |
1,391 |
1,323 |
1,407 |
1,385 |
1,443 |
1,447 |
1,572 |
1,579 |
23.7 |
Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences |
473 |
551 |
536 |
559 |
573 |
555 |
623 |
654 |
722 |
704 |
802 |
69.6 |
Physics and astronomy |
730 |
826 |
907 |
964 |
964 |
1,086 |
1,140 |
1,150 |
1,131 |
1,205 |
1,285 |
76.0 |
Mathematics and computer sciences |
1,207 |
1,241 |
1,370 |
1,506 |
1,599 |
1,603 |
1,627 |
1,631 |
1,738 |
1,663 |
1,730 |
43.3 |
Computer and information sciences |
588 |
639 |
697 |
734 |
761 |
790 |
785 |
758 |
807 |
774 |
783 |
33.2 |
Mathematics and statistics |
619 |
602 |
673 |
772 |
838 |
813 |
842 |
873 |
931 |
889 |
947 |
53.0 |
Psychology and social sciences |
5,381 |
5,272 |
5,588 |
5,714 |
5,803 |
6,070 |
6,319 |
6,464 |
6,392 |
6,691 |
6,830 |
26.9 |
Psychology |
2,825 |
2,780 |
2,892 |
2,908 |
2,874 |
3,062 |
3,046 |
3,067 |
3,042 |
3,106 |
3,371 |
19.3 |
Anthropology |
404 |
410 |
400 |
403 |
384 |
455 |
445 |
457 |
406 |
397 |
360 |
-10.9 |
Economics |
356 |
327 |
405 |
418 |
459 |
428 |
517 |
505 |
470 |
552 |
521 |
46.3 |
Political science and government |
459 |
425 |
441 |
483 |
522 |
488 |
536 |
593 |
574 |
621 |
579 |
26.1 |
Sociology |
472 |
440 |
463 |
506 |
519 |
511 |
512 |
516 |
545 |
596 |
508 |
7.6 |
Other social sciences |
865 |
890 |
987 |
996 |
1,045 |
1,126 |
1,263 |
1,326 |
1,355 |
1,419 |
1,491 |
72.4 |
Engineering |
2,500 |
2,546 |
2,958 |
3,166 |
3,332 |
3,350 |
3,579 |
3,767 |
4,066 |
4,221 |
4,181 |
67.2 |
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering |
90 |
118 |
122 |
160 |
141 |
145 |
181 |
194 |
246 |
216 |
233 |
158.9 |
Bioengineering and biomedical engineering |
306 |
342 |
469 |
513 |
516 |
564 |
602 |
637 |
674 |
725 |
746 |
143.8 |
Chemical engineering |
359 |
310 |
396 |
411 |
433 |
393 |
377 |
365 |
445 |
488 |
470 |
30.9 |
Civil engineering |
195 |
221 |
207 |
262 |
231 |
216 |
159 |
182 |
229 |
231 |
219 |
12.3 |
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering |
478 |
492 |
558 |
578 |
627 |
617 |
614 |
603 |
575 |
632 |
547 |
14.4 |
Industrial and manufacturing engineering |
69 |
73 |
90 |
70 |
62 |
100 |
75 |
77 |
91 |
65 |
82 |
18.8 |
Materials science engineering |
216 |
251 |
266 |
254 |
313 |
278 |
350 |
349 |
363 |
381 |
456 |
111.1 |
Mechanical engineering |
353 |
332 |
371 |
421 |
403 |
440 |
505 |
547 |
558 |
620 |
585 |
65.7 |
Other engineering |
434 |
407 |
479 |
497 |
606 |
597 |
716 |
813 |
885 |
863 |
843 |
94.2 |
Education |
5,171 |
5,358 |
5,584 |
5,584 |
4,476 |
3,878 |
4,040 |
4,118 |
3,934 |
4,196 |
4,303 |
-16.8 |
Education administration |
1,861 |
1,927 |
2,025 |
1,979 |
1,296 |
833 |
936 |
844 |
763 |
797 |
730 |
-60.8 |
Education research |
2,314 |
2,178 |
2,207 |
2,230 |
2,059 |
1,989 |
2,143 |
2,216 |
2,104 |
2,273 |
1,981 |
-14.4 |
Teacher education |
198 |
238 |
236 |
260 |
203 |
156 |
134 |
90 |
132 |
134 |
159 |
-19.7 |
Teaching fields |
531 |
675 |
721 |
743 |
646 |
679 |
613 |
741 |
732 |
762 |
949 |
78.7 |
Other education |
267 |
340 |
395 |
372 |
272 |
221 |
214 |
227 |
203 |
230 |
484 |
81.3 |
Humanities and arts |
4,240 |
3,894 |
3,744 |
3,893 |
4,029 |
4,192 |
4,435 |
4,535 |
4,361 |
4,478 |
4,447 |
4.9 |
Foreign languages and literature |
413 |
402 |
389 |
385 |
389 |
426 |
472 |
467 |
469 |
463 |
399 |
-3.4 |
History |
845 |
791 |
802 |
880 |
843 |
893 |
890 |
947 |
968 |
944 |
949 |
12.3 |
Letters |
1,234 |
1,086 |
1,199 |
1,169 |
1,287 |
1,289 |
1,383 |
1,354 |
1,304 |
1,353 |
1,314 |
6.5 |
Other humanities and arts |
1,748 |
1,615 |
1,354 |
1,459 |
1,510 |
1,584 |
1,690 |
1,767 |
1,620 |
1,718 |
1,785 |
2.1 |
Otherb |
1,544 |
1,614 |
1,647 |
1,747 |
1,691 |
1,693 |
1,650 |
1,850 |
1,825 |
1,879 |
1,865 |
20.8 |
Business management and administration |
673 |
743 |
703 |
780 |
746 |
755 |
736 |
831 |
849 |
892 |
845 |
25.6 |
Communication |
360 |
382 |
402 |
443 |
468 |
473 |
426 |
471 |
473 |
479 |
472 |
31.1 |
Non-S&E fields not elsewhere classified |
511 |
489 |
542 |
524 |
477 |
465 |
488 |
548 |
503 |
508 |
548 |
7.2 |
Unknown field |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
- |
Temporary visa holder |
14,198 |
15,123 |
15,261 |
14,736 |
13,636 |
14,235 |
14,784 |
15,674 |
15,841 |
16,132 |
16,498 |
16.2 |
Life sciences |
2,723 |
3,039 |
3,252 |
3,097 |
2,926 |
3,029 |
3,197 |
3,177 |
3,169 |
3,265 |
3,362 |
23.5 |
Agricultural sciences and natural resources |
463 |
538 |
492 |
509 |
412 |
472 |
529 |
516 |
504 |
555 |
564 |
21.8 |
Biological and biomedical sciences |
1,857 |
2,030 |
2,302 |
2,190 |
2,084 |
2,124 |
2,166 |
2,154 |
2,229 |
2,267 |
2,311 |
24.4 |
Health sciences |
403 |
471 |
458 |
398 |
430 |
433 |
502 |
507 |
436 |
443 |
487 |
20.8 |
Physical sciences and earth sciences |
1,976 |
2,059 |
2,027 |
2,028 |
1,884 |
1,955 |
1,959 |
2,032 |
2,196 |
2,100 |
2,313 |
17.1 |
Chemistry |
956 |
951 |
879 |
889 |
847 |
907 |
880 |
888 |
1,000 |
930 |
1,000 |
4.6 |
Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences |
244 |
283 |
293 |
295 |
251 |
246 |
281 |
290 |
326 |
307 |
390 |
59.8 |
Physics and astronomy |
776 |
825 |
855 |
844 |
786 |
802 |
798 |
854 |
870 |
863 |
923 |
18.9 |
Mathematics and computer sciences |
1,462 |
1,591 |
1,656 |
1,504 |
1,446 |
1,449 |
1,617 |
1,833 |
1,851 |
1,917 |
2,054 |
40.5 |
Computer and information sciences |
797 |
897 |
1,005 |
791 |
760 |
759 |
870 |
990 |
1,030 |
1,094 |
1,204 |
51.1 |
Mathematics and statistics |
665 |
694 |
651 |
713 |
686 |
690 |
747 |
843 |
821 |
823 |
850 |
27.8 |
Psychology and social sciences |
1,485 |
1,482 |
1,618 |
1,720 |
1,553 |
1,588 |
1,601 |
1,634 |
1,549 |
1,622 |
1,756 |
18.2 |
Psychology |
247 |
233 |
249 |
258 |
270 |
238 |
254 |
282 |
249 |
260 |
306 |
23.9 |
Anthropology |
43 |
68 |
63 |
81 |
88 |
73 |
74 |
76 |
86 |
68 |
76 |
76.7 |
Economics |
612 |
600 |
621 |
656 |
556 |
623 |
656 |
615 |
627 |
606 |
658 |
7.5 |
Political science and government |
135 |
127 |
160 |
178 |
162 |
150 |
150 |
163 |
145 |
178 |
128 |
-5.2 |
Sociology |
96 |
95 |
119 |
139 |
95 |
113 |
85 |
92 |
90 |
101 |
89 |
-7.3 |
Other social sciences |
352 |
359 |
406 |
408 |
382 |
391 |
382 |
406 |
352 |
409 |
499 |
41.8 |
Engineering |
4,295 |
4,591 |
4,492 |
4,221 |
3,866 |
4,164 |
4,355 |
4,759 |
4,962 |
5,109 |
4,848 |
12.9 |
Aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering |
117 |
118 |
127 |
126 |
99 |
100 |
107 |
138 |
124 |
132 |
119 |
1.7 |
Bioengineering and biomedical engineering |
200 |
257 |
265 |
280 |
290 |
291 |
292 |
352 |
318 |
348 |
300 |
50.0 |
Chemical engineering |
400 |
449 |
439 |
383 |
359 |
379 |
414 |
409 |
482 |
461 |
403 |
0.8 |
Civil engineering |
416 |
437 |
468 |
419 |
378 |
373 |
303 |
333 |
339 |
359 |
308 |
-26.0 |
Electrical, electronics, and communications engineering |
1,222 |
1,298 |
1,219 |
1,050 |
1,040 |
1,109 |
1,181 |
1,160 |
1,217 |
1,238 |
1,164 |
-4.7 |
Industrial and manufacturing engineering |
144 |
171 |
175 |
175 |
142 |
152 |
140 |
156 |
185 |
161 |
164 |
13.9 |
Materials science engineering |
335 |
361 |
339 |
352 |
326 |
350 |
334 |
435 |
420 |
448 |
496 |
48.1 |
Mechanical engineering |
649 |
671 |
651 |
646 |
519 |
568 |
631 |
664 |
686 |
783 |
652 |
0.5 |
Other engineering |
812 |
829 |
809 |
790 |
713 |
842 |
953 |
1,112 |
1,191 |
1,179 |
1,242 |
53.0 |
Education |
611 |
601 |
567 |
567 |
478 |
497 |
460 |
515 |
478 |
539 |
563 |
-7.9 |
Education administration |
74 |
63 |
61 |
47 |
35 |
41 |
46 |
44 |
39 |
35 |
32 |
-56.8 |
Education research |
335 |
321 |
303 |
315 |
277 |
294 |
278 |
319 |
265 |
327 |
280 |
-16.4 |
Teacher education |
32 |
27 |
27 |
32 |
19 |
26 |
13 |
17 |
14 |
13 |
13 |
-59.4 |
Teaching fields |
123 |
151 |
136 |
119 |
112 |
96 |
101 |
116 |
134 |
145 |
181 |
47.2 |
Other education |
47 |
39 |
40 |
54 |
35 |
40 |
22 |
19 |
26 |
19 |
57 |
21.3 |
Humanities and arts |
796 |
797 |
723 |
729 |
667 |
767 |
761 |
779 |
731 |
713 |
712 |
-10.6 |
Foreign languages and literature |
175 |
170 |
190 |
183 |
179 |
180 |
160 |
179 |
142 |
151 |
164 |
-6.3 |
History |
97 |
101 |
122 |
131 |
113 |
131 |
136 |
134 |
147 |
131 |
142 |
46.4 |
Letters |
160 |
153 |
145 |
158 |
134 |
157 |
141 |
150 |
140 |
122 |
126 |
-21.3 |
Other humanities and arts |
364 |
373 |
266 |
257 |
241 |
299 |
324 |
316 |
302 |
309 |
280 |
-23.1 |
Otherb |
850 |
963 |
926 |
870 |
816 |
786 |
834 |
945 |
905 |
867 |
890 |
4.7 |
Business management and administration |
537 |
634 |
619 |
530 |
499 |
477 |
542 |
600 |
589 |
546 |
553 |
3.0 |
Communication |
125 |
135 |
116 |
145 |
131 |
132 |
107 |
133 |
137 |
137 |
160 |
28.0 |
Non-S&E fields not elsewhere classified |
188 |
194 |
191 |
195 |
186 |
177 |
185 |
212 |
179 |
184 |
177 |
-5.9 |
Unknown field |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
- |