Contents

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General Notes

Data Tables

Appendix A. Technical Notes

Appendix B. Classification of Programs

Suggested Citation, Acknowledgments

General Notes

This publication is based on data obtained from two surveys. Bachelor's and master's degree data were obtained from universe institution surveys of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), U.S. Department of Education. Data on doctorates are from the Survey of Earned Doctorates, a universe survey of individual doctorate recipients sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and five other federal agencies.

These data cover earned degrees conferred in the aggregate United States, which comprises the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories and outlying areas (American Samoa, the former Canal Zone, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands). Degree data are compiled for a 12-month period, July through June of the following year. For convenience, degrees in a given July-through-June period are referred to by the year in which the period ended; e.g., 2004 means the 12-month period ending June 2004.

It is difficult to establish a completely consistent series of degree data over a long period of time because of changes in definitions, instructions, and field classifications, including the introduction of new specialties. The data for earlier years are presented as consistently as possible with the classifications used in the Classification of Instructional Programs (1991, NCES: Washington, DC). See appendix A, Technical Notes, for further information on the field classifications used.

The publication focuses on degrees in science and engineering fields, and, where appropriate, the data are reclassified according to NSF field categories. It should be noted that data on engineering technology degrees and degrees in the health/medical sciences are not included in the science and engineering totals here. The time series for this report begins in 1966. Note that detailed national data were not released by NCES for the academic year ending 1999.