Table 59. Statistical profile of postgraduation plans of doctorate recipients in physical sciences and earth sciences fields, by sex and field of study: 2016
Characteristic |
All physical sciences and earth sciences fields |
Chemistry |
Geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences |
Physics and astronomy |
All doctorate recipients (number)a |
6,252 |
2,704 |
1,227 |
2,321 |
Postgraduation status (number)b |
|
|
|
|
Definite postgraduation study |
2,116 |
835 |
473 |
808 |
Definite employment |
1,350 |
601 |
265 |
484 |
Seeking employment or study |
1,988 |
894 |
364 |
730 |
Otherc |
198 |
91 |
37 |
70 |
Definite postgraduation study (%)d |
|
|
|
|
Postdoc fellowship |
38.4 |
38.0 |
42.5 |
36.4 |
Postdoc research associateship |
60.9 |
61.3 |
56.9 |
62.9 |
Other or unknowne |
0.7 |
0.7 |
0.6 |
0.7 |
Definite employment (%)f |
|
|
|
|
Academe |
21.0 |
19.8 |
32.5 |
16.3 |
Government |
9.1 |
4.5 |
22.3 |
7.6 |
Industry or businessg |
64.3 |
72.7 |
38.5 |
68.0 |
Nonprofit organization |
3.2 |
1.5 |
3.8 |
5.0 |
Other or unknownh |
2.4 |
1.5 |
3.0 |
3.1 |
Primary activityi |
|
|
|
|
R&D |
65.3 |
68.7 |
51.7 |
68.6 |
Teaching |
16.6 |
15.5 |
25.6 |
13.1 |
Management or administration |
3.2 |
3.8 |
2.9 |
2.5 |
Professional services |
10.4 |
8.6 |
15.1 |
10.1 |
Other |
4.5 |
3.5 |
4.6 |
5.7 |
Secondary activityj |
|
|
|
|
R&D |
14.3 |
11.5 |
28.2 |
10.3 |
Teaching |
3.2 |
2.0 |
7.6 |
2.3 |
Management or administration |
19.8 |
23.7 |
18.9 |
15.4 |
Professional services |
9.1 |
8.7 |
11.3 |
8.3 |
Other |
2.4 |
2.2 |
1.7 |
3.0 |
No secondary activity |
51.3 |
51.9 |
32.4 |
60.8 |
Activity unknown |
9.4 |
8.7 |
10.2 |
9.9 |
Postgraduation location (%)k |
|
|
|
|
United Statesl |
89.1 |
92.2 |
87.5 |
86.5 |
New England |
9.8 |
11.8 |
6.6 |
9.5 |
Middle Atlantic |
11.9 |
12.6 |
8.8 |
12.8 |
East North Central |
10.9 |
12.5 |
7.3 |
11.2 |
West North Central |
3.5 |
4.9 |
3.7 |
1.9 |
South Atlantic |
13.9 |
14.2 |
15.0 |
12.8 |
East South Central |
2.5 |
3.2 |
1.8 |
2.0 |
West South Central |
6.3 |
6.3 |
10.8 |
3.8 |
Mountain |
7.2 |
4.6 |
10.2 |
8.5 |
Pacific and insular |
22.9 |
21.9 |
23.2 |
23.9 |
Not in United States |
10.9 |
7.8 |
12.5 |
13.4 |
Location unknown |
* |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.1 |
Male doctorate recipients (number) |
4,286 |
1,713 |
716 |
1,857 |
Postgraduation status (number)b |
|
|
|
|
Definite postgraduation study |
1,509 |
575 |
279 |
655 |
Definite employment |
920 |
364 |
164 |
392 |
Seeking employment or study |
1,337 |
550 |
204 |
583 |
Otherc |
119 |
45 |
19 |
55 |
Definite postgraduation study (%)d |
|
|
|
|
Postdoc fellowship |
38.2 |
39.3 |
41.2 |
36.0 |
Postdoc research associateship |
61.4 |
60.2 |
58.4 |
63.7 |
Other or unknowne |
0.4 |
0.5 |
0.4 |
0.3 |
Definite employment (%)f |
|
|
|
|
Academe |
18.4 |
17.6 |
27.4 |
15.3 |
Government |
9.3 |
3.8 |
25.6 |
7.7 |
Industry or businessg |
67.7 |
76.6 |
42.1 |
70.2 |
Nonprofit organization |
2.2 |
D |
D |
3.6 |
Other or unknownh |
2.4 |
D |
D |
3.3 |
Primary activityi |
|
|
|
|
R&D |
67.7 |
71.6 |
54.4 |
69.8 |
Teaching |
13.4 |
12.7 |
19.5 |
11.4 |
Management or administration |
2.6 |
2.7 |
D |
D |
Professional services |
11.9 |
10.0 |
18.8 |
10.8 |
Other |
4.3 |
3.0 |
D |
D |
Secondary activityj |
|
|
|
|
R&D |
13.1 |
10.6 |
26.2 |
10.0 |
Teaching |
3.2 |
1.8 |
D |
D |
Management or administration |
20.6 |
26.3 |
18.1 |
16.2 |
Professional services |
8.7 |
7.9 |
11.4 |
8.3 |
Other |
2.4 |
2.1 |
D |
D |
No secondary activity |
52.0 |
51.4 |
33.6 |
60.4 |
Activity unknown |
9.7 |
9.1 |
9.1 |
10.5 |
Postgraduation location (%)k |
|
|
|
|
United Statesl |
88.7 |
91.5 |
86.5 |
87.1 |
New England |
10.0 |
12.9 |
5.4 |
9.4 |
Middle Atlantic |
11.7 |
11.1 |
9.3 |
13.3 |
East North Central |
11.4 |
13.3 |
6.5 |
11.7 |
West North Central |
3.5 |
5.2 |
3.6 |
1.9 |
South Atlantic |
13.1 |
12.9 |
14.7 |
12.5 |
East South Central |
2.4 |
3.3 |
1.6 |
2.0 |
West South Central |
6.5 |
6.2 |
13.3 |
3.8 |
Mountain |
7.7 |
4.9 |
11.5 |
8.6 |
Pacific and insular |
22.4 |
21.5 |
20.5 |
24.0 |
Not in United States |
11.3 |
8.5 |
13.5 |
12.8 |
Location unknown |
* |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.1 |
Female doctorate recipients (number) |
1,963 |
991 |
510 |
462 |
Postgraduation status (number)b |
|
|
|
|
Definite postgraduation study |
607 |
260 |
194 |
153 |
Definite employment |
430 |
237 |
101 |
92 |
Seeking employment or study |
651 |
344 |
160 |
147 |
Otherc |
79 |
46 |
18 |
15 |
Definite postgraduation study (%)d |
|
|
|
|
Postdoc fellowship |
38.7 |
35.0 |
44.3 |
37.9 |
Postdoc research associateship |
59.8 |
63.8 |
54.6 |
59.5 |
Other or unknowne |
1.5 |
1.2 |
1.0 |
2.6 |
Definite employment (%)f |
|
|
|
|
Academe |
26.7 |
23.2 |
40.6 |
20.7 |
Government |
8.6 |
5.5 |
16.8 |
7.6 |
Industry or businessg |
57.0 |
66.7 |
32.7 |
58.7 |
Nonprofit organization |
5.3 |
D |
D |
10.9 |
Other or unknownh |
2.3 |
D |
D |
2.2 |
Primary activityi |
|
|
|
|
R&D |
60.2 |
64.2 |
47.2 |
63.5 |
Teaching |
23.5 |
19.7 |
36.0 |
20.0 |
Management or administration |
4.3 |
5.5 |
D |
D |
Professional services |
7.1 |
6.4 |
9.0 |
7.1 |
Other |
4.8 |
4.1 |
D |
D |
Secondary activityj |
|
|
|
|
R&D |
16.8 |
12.8 |
31.5 |
11.8 |
Teaching |
3.1 |
2.3 |
D |
D |
Management or administration |
18.1 |
19.7 |
20.2 |
11.8 |
Professional services |
9.9 |
10.1 |
11.2 |
8.2 |
Other |
2.3 |
2.3 |
D |
D |
No secondary activity |
49.7 |
52.8 |
30.3 |
62.4 |
Activity unknown |
8.8 |
8.0 |
11.9 |
7.6 |
Postgraduation location (%)k |
|
|
|
|
United Statesl |
90.1 |
93.6 |
89.2 |
84.1 |
New England |
9.5 |
9.7 |
8.5 |
10.2 |
Middle Atlantic |
12.2 |
15.5 |
8.1 |
10.6 |
East North Central |
9.9 |
11.1 |
8.5 |
9.4 |
West North Central |
3.7 |
4.4 |
3.7 |
2.0 |
South Atlantic |
15.8 |
16.7 |
15.6 |
14.3 |
East South Central |
2.5 |
3.0 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
West South Central |
6.1 |
6.6 |
7.1 |
3.7 |
Mountain |
6.2 |
4.0 |
8.1 |
8.2 |
Pacific and insular |
24.1 |
22.5 |
27.1 |
23.7 |
Not in United States |
9.9 |
6.4 |
10.8 |
15.9 |
Location unknown |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |