Table 56. Statistical profile of doctorate recipients in life sciences fields, by sex and field of study: 2016
Characteristic |
All life sciences fields |
Agricultural sciences and natural resources |
Biological and biomedical sciences |
Health sciences |
All doctorate recipients (number)a |
12,568 |
1,385 |
8,884 |
2,299 |
Sex (%) |
|
|
|
|
Male |
44.9 |
54.9 |
46.9 |
31.3 |
Female |
55.1 |
45.1 |
53.1 |
68.7 |
Unknown |
* |
0.1 |
* |
0.0 |
Citizenship (%) |
|
|
|
|
U.S. citizen or permanent resident |
69.2 |
55.8 |
70.1 |
73.9 |
Temporary visa holder |
26.8 |
40.7 |
26.0 |
21.2 |
Unknown |
4.0 |
3.5 |
3.9 |
4.9 |
Marital status (%) |
|
|
|
|
Never married |
33.1 |
30.4 |
35.9 |
24.2 |
Married |
45.1 |
50.0 |
42.2 |
53.2 |
Marriage-like relationship |
9.6 |
7.4 |
10.8 |
6.3 |
Separated, divorced, widowed |
2.8 |
2.5 |
2.3 |
5.0 |
Unknown |
9.4 |
9.7 |
8.8 |
11.4 |
Bachelor's in same field as doctorate (%)b |
49.7 |
43.1 |
53.2 |
40.3 |
Master's earned (%) |
50.9 |
78.1 |
40.1 |
76.4 |
Age at doctorate (median years) |
30.9 |
32.2 |
30.3 |
34.7 |
Time to doctorate (median years) |
|
|
|
|
From bachelor's |
8.2 |
9.1 |
7.7 |
11.3 |
From graduate school start |
6.7 |
7.3 |
6.4 |
8.7 |
From doctoral program startc |
5.7 |
5.2 |
5.7 |
5.3 |
Male doctorate recipients (number) |
5,643 |
760 |
4,163 |
720 |
Citizenship (%) |
|
|
|
|
U.S. citizen or permanent resident |
65.8 |
54.6 |
68.7 |
61.1 |
Temporary visa holder |
30.2 |
41.4 |
27.5 |
34.2 |
Unknown |
4.0 |
3.9 |
3.9 |
4.7 |
Marital status (%) |
|
|
|
|
Never married |
34.1 |
25.8 |
36.6 |
28.1 |
Married |
45.3 |
55.7 |
42.1 |
52.6 |
Marriage-like relationship |
9.1 |
6.4 |
10.1 |
6.4 |
Separated, divorced, widowed |
2.0 |
1.8 |
2.1 |
1.4 |
Unknown |
9.6 |
10.3 |
9.1 |
11.5 |
Bachelor's in same field as doctorate (%)b |
48.7 |
45.9 |
51.3 |
36.8 |
Master's earned (%) |
49.8 |
79.9 |
40.6 |
71.4 |
Age at doctorate (median years) |
31.0 |
32.7 |
30.6 |
32.9 |
Time to doctorate (median years) |
|
|
|
|
From bachelor's |
8.0 |
9.4 |
7.8 |
9.7 |
From graduate school start |
6.7 |
7.7 |
6.6 |
7.7 |
From doctoral program startc |
5.7 |
5.2 |
5.7 |
5.0 |
Female doctorate recipients (number) |
6,923 |
624 |
4,720 |
1,579 |
Citizenship (%) |
|
|
|
|
U.S. citizen or permanent resident |
72.0 |
57.2 |
71.3 |
79.7 |
Temporary visa holder |
23.9 |
39.9 |
24.7 |
15.3 |
Unknown |
4.1 |
2.9 |
3.9 |
5.0 |
Marital status (%) |
|
|
|
|
Never married |
32.4 |
36.1 |
35.2 |
22.4 |
Married |
44.9 |
43.1 |
42.2 |
53.5 |
Marriage-like relationship |
10.0 |
8.5 |
11.4 |
6.2 |
Separated, divorced, widowed |
3.5 |
3.4 |
2.5 |
6.6 |
Unknown |
9.2 |
9.0 |
8.6 |
11.3 |
Bachelor's in same field as doctorate (%)b |
50.6 |
39.7 |
54.9 |
41.9 |
Master's earned (%) |
51.9 |
76.0 |
39.7 |
78.7 |
Age at doctorate (median years) |
30.9 |
31.6 |
30.1 |
35.7 |
Time to doctorate (median years) |
|
|
|
|
From bachelor's |
8.3 |
8.7 |
7.6 |
12.2 |
From graduate school start |
6.7 |
7.0 |
6.3 |
9.5 |
From doctoral program startc |
5.7 |
5.1 |
5.7 |
5.3 |