Table 57. Statistical profile of postgraduation plans 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 |
Postgraduation status (number)b |
|
|
|
|
Definite postgraduation study |
4,106 |
302 |
3,396 |
408 |
Definite employment |
2,554 |
408 |
1,320 |
826 |
Seeking employment or study |
3,910 |
483 |
2,759 |
668 |
Otherc |
813 |
47 |
653 |
113 |
Definite postgraduation study (%)d |
|
|
|
|
Postdoc fellowship |
56.0 |
35.4 |
57.6 |
57.8 |
Postdoc research associateship |
39.3 |
62.6 |
38.4 |
29.4 |
Other or unknowne |
4.7 |
2.0 |
4.0 |
12.7 |
Definite employment (%)f |
|
|
|
|
Academe |
39.8 |
37.5 |
32.3 |
52.8 |
Government |
10.8 |
15.7 |
10.5 |
9.1 |
Industry or businessg |
35.8 |
36.3 |
45.5 |
20.0 |
Nonprofit organization |
9.0 |
7.1 |
7.4 |
12.6 |
Other or unknownh |
4.5 |
3.4 |
4.2 |
5.6 |
Primary activityi |
|
|
|
|
R&D |
46.0 |
56.8 |
51.7 |
31.8 |
Teaching |
24.7 |
19.6 |
17.6 |
38.5 |
Management or administration |
11.1 |
10.6 |
10.2 |
12.7 |
Professional services |
14.5 |
10.3 |
15.0 |
16.0 |
Other |
3.6 |
2.7 |
5.6 |
1.1 |
Secondary activityj |
|
|
|
|
R&D |
25.8 |
25.8 |
19.4 |
35.7 |
Teaching |
11.3 |
16.3 |
7.4 |
15.0 |
Management or administration |
18.7 |
17.4 |
21.1 |
15.7 |
Professional services |
9.6 |
11.1 |
9.5 |
9.1 |
Other |
1.8 |
1.6 |
2.1 |
1.3 |
No secondary activity |
32.7 |
27.7 |
40.4 |
23.2 |
Activity unknown |
10.6 |
9.8 |
11.4 |
9.7 |
Postgraduation location (%)k |
|
|
|
|
United Statesl |
92.3 |
83.2 |
93.6 |
92.6 |
New England |
10.8 |
4.6 |
12.6 |
7.7 |
Middle Atlantic |
11.8 |
6.6 |
12.7 |
11.5 |
East North Central |
10.3 |
12.7 |
9.9 |
10.4 |
West North Central |
6.7 |
11.0 |
5.6 |
8.2 |
South Atlantic |
18.2 |
17.7 |
17.3 |
22.0 |
East South Central |
3.7 |
3.4 |
3.5 |
4.9 |
West South Central |
7.3 |
7.7 |
6.9 |
8.6 |
Mountain |
4.9 |
5.2 |
4.9 |
4.7 |
Pacific and insular |
18.5 |
13.9 |
20.1 |
14.7 |
Not in United States |
7.6 |
16.6 |
6.3 |
7.3 |
Location unknown |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
Male doctorate recipients (number) |
5,643 |
760 |
4,163 |
720 |
Postgraduation status (number)b |
|
|
|
|
Definite postgraduation study |
1,982 |
161 |
1,675 |
146 |
Definite employment |
1,096 |
246 |
608 |
242 |
Seeking employment or study |
1,631 |
246 |
1,189 |
196 |
Otherc |
397 |
24 |
334 |
39 |
Definite postgraduation study (%)d |
|
|
|
|
Postdoc fellowship |
54.1 |
34.8 |
56.4 |
50.0 |
Postdoc research associateship |
40.8 |
63.4 |
39.3 |
32.2 |
Other or unknowne |
5.1 |
1.9 |
4.3 |
17.8 |
Definite employment (%)f |
|
|
|
|
Academe |
37.0 |
37.4 |
30.9 |
52.1 |
Government |
10.9 |
16.7 |
10.0 |
7.0 |
Industry or businessg |
40.5 |
35.4 |
47.5 |
28.1 |
Nonprofit organization |
7.6 |
6.9 |
7.6 |
8.3 |
Other or unknownh |
4.0 |
3.7 |
3.9 |
4.5 |
Primary activityi |
|
|
|
|
R&D |
54.6 |
59.2 |
58.0 |
41.2 |
Teaching |
20.6 |
17.0 |
16.6 |
34.3 |
Management or administration |
9.2 |
11.2 |
7.7 |
10.6 |
Professional services |
13.3 |
9.4 |
14.7 |
13.9 |
Other |
2.3 |
3.1 |
2.9 |
0.0 |
Secondary activityj |
|
|
|
|
R&D |
24.3 |
24.7 |
19.0 |
37.5 |
Teaching |
12.1 |
18.4 |
8.1 |
15.7 |
Management or administration |
20.4 |
17.5 |
24.5 |
13.0 |
Professional services |
9.5 |
10.8 |
8.5 |
10.6 |
Other |
1.1 |
0.9 |
1.3 |
0.9 |
No secondary activity |
32.6 |
27.8 |
38.7 |
22.2 |
Activity unknown |
10.4 |
9.3 |
10.7 |
10.7 |
Postgraduation location (%)k |
|
|
|
|
United Statesl |
91.3 |
81.6 |
93.3 |
89.7 |
New England |
11.1 |
3.9 |
13.2 |
6.4 |
Middle Atlantic |
11.3 |
6.1 |
12.4 |
10.1 |
East North Central |
10.4 |
11.8 |
9.9 |
11.6 |
West North Central |
7.1 |
11.5 |
6.1 |
8.5 |
South Atlantic |
16.5 |
17.9 |
15.8 |
19.1 |
East South Central |
3.7 |
3.4 |
3.6 |
4.1 |
West South Central |
7.3 |
8.8 |
6.5 |
10.3 |
Mountain |
5.1 |
5.2 |
5.2 |
4.1 |
Pacific and insular |
18.7 |
12.3 |
20.4 |
15.5 |
Not in United States |
8.7 |
18.2 |
6.7 |
10.3 |
Location unknown |
0.1 |
0.2 |
* |
0.0 |
Female doctorate recipients (number) |
6,923 |
624 |
4,720 |
1,579 |
Postgraduation status (number)b |
|
|
|
|
Definite postgraduation study |
2,124 |
141 |
1,721 |
262 |
Definite employment |
1,458 |
162 |
712 |
584 |
Seeking employment or study |
2,279 |
237 |
1,570 |
472 |
Otherc |
416 |
23 |
319 |
74 |
Definite postgraduation study (%)d |
|
|
|
|
Postdoc fellowship |
57.7 |
36.2 |
58.7 |
62.2 |
Postdoc research associateship |
37.9 |
61.7 |
37.5 |
27.9 |
Other or unknowne |
4.4 |
2.1 |
3.7 |
9.9 |
Definite employment (%)f |
|
|
|
|
Academe |
41.8 |
37.7 |
33.6 |
53.1 |
Government |
10.8 |
14.2 |
10.8 |
9.9 |
Industry or businessg |
32.2 |
37.7 |
43.8 |
16.6 |
Nonprofit organization |
10.2 |
7.4 |
7.3 |
14.4 |
Other or unknownh |
4.9 |
3.1 |
4.5 |
6.0 |
Primary activityi |
|
|
|
|
R&D |
39.5 |
53.1 |
46.2 |
27.9 |
Teaching |
27.9 |
23.4 |
18.5 |
40.2 |
Management or administration |
12.5 |
9.7 |
12.3 |
13.6 |
Professional services |
15.4 |
11.7 |
15.2 |
16.8 |
Other |
4.6 |
2.1 |
7.8 |
1.5 |
Secondary activityj |
|
|
|
|
R&D |
26.8 |
27.6 |
19.8 |
34.9 |
Teaching |
10.8 |
13.1 |
6.9 |
14.7 |
Management or administration |
17.5 |
17.2 |
18.2 |
16.8 |
Professional services |
9.8 |
11.7 |
10.4 |
8.5 |
Other |
2.3 |
2.8 |
2.9 |
1.5 |
No secondary activity |
32.8 |
27.6 |
41.9 |
23.6 |
Activity unknown |
10.8 |
10.5 |
12.1 |
9.2 |
Postgraduation location (%)k |
|
|
|
|
United Statesl |
93.2 |
85.5 |
93.9 |
94.0 |
New England |
10.6 |
5.6 |
12.0 |
8.3 |
Middle Atlantic |
12.3 |
7.3 |
12.9 |
12.2 |
East North Central |
10.2 |
13.9 |
9.8 |
9.8 |
West North Central |
6.3 |
10.2 |
5.2 |
8.0 |
South Atlantic |
19.7 |
17.5 |
18.7 |
23.3 |
East South Central |
3.8 |
3.3 |
3.4 |
5.2 |
West South Central |
7.3 |
6.3 |
7.2 |
7.8 |
Mountain |
4.8 |
5.3 |
4.6 |
5.0 |
Pacific and insular |
18.3 |
16.2 |
19.9 |
14.4 |
Not in United States |
6.6 |
14.5 |
5.8 |
5.9 |
Location unknown |
0.2 |
0.0 |
0.2 |
0.1 |