Table Of Contento¢37-T JYSA-22 D3e/3[WB7-FS
Science and
Engineering
Degrees, by
Race/Ethnicity
of Recipients:
1989-95
Detailed Statistical Tables
COMPLETED
Division of Science Resources Studies
Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences
National Science Foundation NSF 97-334 j
NE TF -COPrULKE
Science and
Engineering
Degrees, by
Race/Ethnicity
of Recipients:
Detailed Statistical Tables
Susan T. Hill Author
Division of Science Resources Studies
Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences
National Science Foundation NSF 97-334
L
Suggested Citation
National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources
Studies, Science and Engineering Degrees, by Race/Ethnicity of
Recipients, 1989-95, NSF 97-334, by Susan T. Hill (Arlington,
VA, 1997).
Availability of Publications
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Contributors
Tabulations and charts were prepared by Quantum Research
Corp. for the National Science Foundation. The author for this
report was Susan T. Hill.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The preparation of Science and Engineering Pollack, and Eleanor Thomas. Anne Houghton and
Degrees, by Race/Ethnicity of Recipients: 1989-95, Julia Harriston provided copyediting, processing, and
was overseen by Susan T. Hill, Analyst, Science and final composition for this report. Quantum Research
Engineering Education and Human Resources Program Corp. (QRC) of Bethesda, MD, prepared the tables
(EDU), National Science Foundation (NSF), under the and report copy for printing under NSF contract
overall direction of Mary J. Golladay, Program Direc- number SRS-9423167. QRC staff members who
tor, EDU, and Jeanne E. Griffith, Director, Division of worked on this project were Heidi L. Clark, Teresa L.
Science Resources Studies (SRS), NSF. NSF reviewers Grimes, George J. Nozicka, Elizabeth H. Peto, and
included Rolf Lehming, Myles Boylan, Melissa Jennifer D. Ranwez.
CONTENTS
Section Page
RSET SEES Ea ee al ROR ROL eee ne ee ema eee ii
I a a
we Oh a eT 3
I i 7
a OR 13
SECTION D. DETAILED STATISTICAL TABLES ............cccccccecescsecececceccecccecceccees 25
SECTION E. CLASSIFICATION OF PROGRAMS. ........cccccecccccccecceececcececcceccecececes 97
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GENERAL NOTES
This publication is based on data obtained from two include field. normally not included. There ts one
surveys. Bachelor’s and master’s degree data were instance where this difference has a large impact—the
collected by the National Center for Education Statis- broad field of “Social Sciences.” The U.S. Department
tics, U.S. Department of Education, from all accredited of Education includes the field of history in this broad
institutions of higher education. Data on doctorates are category, so when it collected the racial/ethnic data up
from Survey of Earned Doctorates, a universe survey until 1995, this field is included.
of individual doctorate recipients that is sponsored by
the National Science Foundation (NSF) and four other Before 1985, the broad category of “Engineering”
Federal agencies. included engineering technologies. This report excludes
engineering technologies so that trend data by race/
These data cover earned degrees conferred in the ethnicity are more consistent with the definition of
aggregate United States, which includes the 50 States, science and engineering used in other NSF reports. If
the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Territories and the reader is interested in earlier data for science fields
Outlying Areas (American Samoa, the former Canal (that are consistent from 1977-93), please request
Zone, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Science and Engineering Degrees, by Race/
U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Trust Territory of the Ethnicity of Recipients: 1977-91, NSF 94-306.
Pacific Islands). Degree data are compiled for a
12-month period, July of one year through June of the For more information, please contact the NSF
following year. For convenience, degrees for such a principal author—
given 12-month period will be referred to by the year in
which the period ended, e.g., 1995 means the 12-month Susan T. Hill
period ending June 1995. Division of Science Resources Studies
National Science Foundation
There were two types of changes in the way data 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 965
were collected during the period covered in this report. Arlington, VA 22230
Because racial/ethnic data were collected by broad
fields of study only (until 1995), the definition of science Telephone: (703) 306-1774, ext. 6915
and engineering used by NSF for this trend report must Internet: [email protected]
SECTION A.
DatTA HIGHLIGHTS
TRENDS IN BACHELOR S$D EGREES Among underrepresented minority groups, the
increases in baccalaureate degrees vary by field of
AWARDED TO RACIAL/ETHNIC
science or engineering. From 1990-95 the percentage
increases in baccalaureates awarded to under-
MINORITIES IN SCIENCE AND
represented groups ranged from a 15-percent increase
ENGINEERING in computer science degrees to an increase of 85 per-
cent in psychology degrees (chart A-1).
The number of bachelor’s degrees in science and
engineering (S&E) fields awarded to underrepresented
minority students showed robust growth in the early
eqrees awarded to
1990s, after a period of relatively slow growth from
ercentage change
1985-90. From 1990-95, the number of baccalaureate
recipients with degrees in S&E increased 51 percent
for blacks, 59 percent for Hispanics, and 67 percent for
American Indians. The percentage increases for
underrepresented minority groups were highes than the
percentage increases found among white recipients
(9 percent) (table A-1). Biological scence [ES
Physical scences (EES
Engneerng
Table A-1. Science and engineering bachelor s degrees, by
race ethnicity of recipients: percentage change, 1985—90 and Mathenatcs
1990-95
Computer scence Fi
Race ethnicity 1985-90 1990-95
White, ron-Hispanics............ — 4% 9% o 0 OH © SD 6 70 8 9 100
Asians or Pacific islanders 46 50 Percentage change
Underrepresented minorities. total 10 55
SOURCE: NSF SRS tabulations of National Center for
Black. non-Hispanics 7 51 Education Statistics Completions Survey data
Hispanics ialiatiatat 16 59
American Indians or Alaskan Natives... -8 67
SOURCE: NSF SRS tabulations of Nationa! Center for Education One-third of all bachelor’s degree recipients of all
Statistics Completions Survey data racial/ethnic groups (except Asians, at 49 percent)
chose S&E fields in 1995. Among those who majored
In 1995 there were similar numbers of black
in S&E fields in 1995. Cne-third of all bachelor’s
bachelor’s degree recipients in S&E (28 thousand)
degree recipients of all racial/ethnic groups (except
and Asian recipients (29 thousand). The number of
Asians, at 49 percent) chose S&E fields in 1995.
Hispanics earning bachelor’s degrees in S&E fields hit
Among those who majored in SKE, however, there are
an all-time high of 22 thousand, as did American
slight differences among racial/ethnic groups.
Indians (more than 2 thousand).
Degree awards have increased more tn the social
Even with this growth, minority students still
sciences, fie'c s in which there ts a slightly higher
comprised 28 percent of the “college-age” population
concentration, of S&E bachelor’s degree recipients
(18-24 years old) in 1995, whereas baccalaureates
among underrepresented minorities (58 percent) than
earned by underrepresented minority students accounted
among whites (53 percent).
for only 13 percent of the total S&E degrees in 1995.
Betore 1995, data were collected by race/ethnicity only for
broad fields of study: in 1995 data were collected by specific fields
of study
Among S&E baccalaureate recipients in 1995, a Although these slight differences exist, the
slightly lower percentage of underrepresented
gaps once found between the S&E field choices of
minorities majored in engineering (13 percent) than underrepresented minorities and whites have virtually
did whites (15 percent), and the natural sciences disappeared.
(29 percent) than did whites (32 percent) (table A-2).
Race ethnicity Engineering | Sciences Sciences
Underrepresented minorities. 13% 29% 58%
Whites.............. 15 32 53
Asians... 23 38 39
SOURCE: NSF/SRS tabulations of National Center for Education Statistics Completions
Survev data
SECTION B.
TECHNICAL NOTES
