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Table 69. Statistical profile of postgraduation plans of doctorate recipients in humanities and arts fields, by sex and field of study: 2016

Characteristic All humanities and arts fields Foreign languages and literature History Letters Other humanities and arts
All doctorate recipients (number)a 5,484 599 1,147 1,533 2,205
Postgraduation status (number)b
Definite postgraduation study 516 47 155 113 201
Definite employment 1,870 216 337 586 731
Seeking employment or study 2,133 226 484 549 874
Otherc 239 18 47 63 111
Definite postgraduation study (%)d
Postdoc fellowship 81.6 83.0 89.7 83.2 74.1
Postdoc research associateship 17.2 17.0 10.3 15.9 23.4
Other or unknowne 1.2 0.0 0.0 0.9 2.5
Definite employment (%)f
Academe 76.5 88.4 70.0 84.6 69.5
Government 2.3 0.0 6.8 1.2 1.8
Industry or businessg 5.3 D 6.2 D 6.8
Nonprofit organization 7.5 D 8.3 D 13.4
Other or unknownh 8.3 8.3 8.6 7.8 8.5
Primary activityi
R&D 10.6 7.6 10.4 7.5 14.2
Teaching 71.6 87.4 66.9 78.2 63.3
Management or administration 9.7 3.0 12.0 9.1 11.1
Professional services 5.7 D 6.4 D 8.1
Other 2.5 D 4.3 D 3.3
Secondary activityj
R&D 48.4 60.6 54.2 46.8 43.2
Teaching 12.1 7.6 12.4 11.4 13.9
Management or administration 9.0 8.1 4.0 9.5 11.1
Professional services 6.1 3.0 6.7 6.7 6.2
Other 2.6 5.1 0.7 2.1 3.3
No secondary activity 21.9 15.7 22.1 23.5 22.3
Activity unknown 10.5 8.3 11.3 8.5 12.3
Postgraduation location (%)k
United Statesl 89.0 89.4 89.6 92.7 85.8
New England 9.0 8.4 13.4 7.9 7.7
Middle Atlantic 17.6 18.3 18.7 17.7 16.7
East North Central 12.9 16.0 11.0 13.6 12.6
West North Central 5.1 3.4 5.5 5.0 5.4
South Atlantic 13.9 16.0 13.2 14.2 13.4
East South Central 5.1 5.7 4.3 4.6 5.7
West South Central 8.0 6.5 7.3 11.2 6.4
Mountain 4.7 3.0 4.7 5.4 4.5
Pacific and insular 12.8 12.2 11.6 13.0 13.4
Not in United States 10.9 10.6 10.2 7.3 14.1
Location unknown 0.1 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.1
Male doctorate recipients (number) 2,639 228 621 600 1,190
Postgraduation status (number)b
Definite postgraduation study 254 25 77 43 109
Definite employment 892 83 180 235 394
Seeking employment or study 1,035 86 278 212 459
Otherc 99 5 20 21 53
Definite postgraduation study (%)d
Postdoc fellowship 81.9 D 90.9 D 75.2
Postdoc research associateship 17.7 D 9.1 D 23.9
Other or unknowne 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.9
Definite employment (%)f
Academe 73.0 88.0 67.8 81.7 67.0
Government 3.5 0.0 9.4 D D
Industry or businessg 5.0 D 6.1 D 6.1
Nonprofit organization 9.0 D 6.1 D 15.5
Other or unknownh 9.5 D 10.6 10.2 D
Primary activityi
R&D 11.0 D 8.9 D 13.3
Teaching 70.2 85.3 68.4 78.1 62.7
Management or administration 8.6 0.0 11.4 7.4 9.8
Professional services 7.7 D 7.0 D 11.8
Other 2.6 D 4.4 D 2.3
Secondary activityj
R&D 47.6 61.3 50.0 46.5 44.2
Teaching 11.8 D D 10.7 13.0
Management or administration 9.8 9.3 4.4 8.8 13.0
Professional services 6.3 D D 7.9 5.2
Other 2.4 6.7 1.3 0.0 3.5
No secondary activity 22.0 13.3 22.8 26.0 21.1
Activity unknown 11.0 9.6 12.2 8.5 12.2
Postgraduation location (%)k
United Statesl 87.4 86.1 88.7 92.1 84.5
New England 7.9 8.3 12.1 7.6 5.8
Middle Atlantic 16.7 17.6 16.7 18.0 15.7
East North Central 14.0 19.4 10.5 14.0 14.5
West North Central 6.0 D D 5.8 6.4
South Atlantic 14.7 16.7 16.0 13.7 14.3
East South Central 5.8 D D 5.0 7.0
West South Central 6.6 5.6 7.0 8.3 5.8
Mountain 4.4 D D 5.8 4.8
Pacific and insular 11.3 9.3 11.7 13.7 10.3
Not in United States 12.4 13.9 10.9 7.9 15.3
Location unknown 0.2 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.2
Female doctorate recipients (number) 2,843 371 526 933 1,013
Postgraduation status (number)b
Definite postgraduation study 262 22 78 70 92
Definite employment 978 133 157 351 337
Seeking employment or study 1,098 140 206 337 415
Otherc 140 13 27 42 58
Definite postgraduation study (%)d
Postdoc fellowship 81.3 D 88.5 D 72.8
Postdoc research associateship 16.8 D 11.5 D 22.8
Other or unknowne 1.9 0.0 0.0 1.4 4.3
Definite employment (%)f
Academe 79.8 88.7 72.6 86.6 72.4
Government 1.2 0.0 3.8 D D
Industry or businessg 5.6 D 6.4 D 7.7
Nonprofit organization 6.2 D 10.8 D 11.0
Other or unknownh 7.2 D 6.4 6.3 D
Primary activityi
R&D 10.2 D 12.1 D 15.3
Teaching 72.8 88.6 65.2 78.2 64.1
Management or administration 10.7 4.9 12.8 10.3 12.5
Professional services 3.9 D 5.7 D 3.7
Other 2.4 0.0 4.3 0.6 4.4
Secondary activityj
R&D 49.1 60.2 58.9 47.0 42.0
Teaching 12.3 D D 11.8 14.9
Management or administration 8.2 7.3 3.5 10.0 8.8
Professional services 5.9 D D 5.9 7.5
Other 2.8 4.1 0.0 3.4 3.1
No secondary activity 21.7 17.1 21.3 21.8 23.7
Activity unknown 10.0 7.5 10.2 8.5 12.5
Postgraduation location (%)k
United Statesl 90.5 91.6 90.6 93.1 87.4
New England 10.1 8.4 14.9 8.1 10.0
Middle Atlantic 18.5 18.7 20.9 17.6 17.9
East North Central 11.9 13.5 11.5 13.3 10.3
West North Central 4.2 D D 4.5 4.2
South Atlantic 13.1 15.5 10.2 14.5 12.4
East South Central 4.4 D D 4.3 4.2
West South Central 9.3 7.1 7.7 13.1 7.2
Mountain 4.9 D D 5.2 4.2
Pacific and insular 14.1 14.2 11.5 12.6 17.0
Not in United States 9.5 8.4 9.4 6.9 12.6
Location unknown 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
D = suppressed to avoid disclosure of confidential information.
a Includes respondents who did not report sex.
b Includes only respondents who reported postgraduation status.
c Includes respondents who indicated that they did not plan to work or study, respondents who indicated some other type of postgraduation plans, and respondents who indicated definite plans for other full-time degree program.
d Excludes respondents who indicated plans for other full-time degree program. Percentages based on number of doctorate recipients reporting definite postgraduation plans for study.
e "Other" includes respondents who indicated definite postgraduation study plans for traineeship, internship or clinical residency, or other study.
f Percentages based on number of doctorate recipients reporting definite postgraduation plans for employment.
g Includes doctorate recipients who indicated self-employment.
h "Other" is mainly composed of elementary and secondary schools.
i Percentages based on number of doctorate recipients reporting definite postgraduation plans for employment and primary work activity.
j Percentages based on number of doctorate recipients reporting definite postgraduation plans for employment and secondary work activity.
k Percentages based on number of doctorate recipients reporting definite postgraduation plans and type of plans.
l Includes cases with an unknown U.S. region of employment after doctorate; see technical notes for states or territories included in regions.
NOTES: Due to rounding, percentages may not sum to 100. See table A-6 in the technical notes for a listing of major fields and their constituent subfields.
SOURCE: National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Earned Doctorates, 2016.