Science Masters Degree Trends and Career Outcomes

1
Science Masters Degree Trends and Career Outcomes

• Lisa M. Frehill Shirley Malcom
• Commission on Professionals
  American Association for
• in Science and Technology
  the Advancement of Science

This research was funded by the National Science
Foundation, Science Resource Statistics Division.
The use of NSF data does not imply NSF
endorsement of the research, research methods, or
conclusions contained in this report. The use of
NSF data does not imply NSF endorsement of the
research, research methods, or conclusions
contained in this report.
American Association for the Advancement of
Science ? Chicago, IL ? February 14, 2009
2
Acronyms

• Three categories of U.S. citizens and permanent
  residents
• URM under-represented minorities includes
  African Americans, American Indians/Alaska
  Natives, and Hispanics.
• API Asian/Pacific Islanders
• NHW Non-Hispanic whites
• TR, Temp. Resid. Temporary Residents
• STEM Science, technology, engineering and
  mathematics
• SE Science and engineering
• (Note both of the above include psychology and
  social sciences)

3
Data Sources

• Degree data
• Institutional Postsecondary Education Data System
  (IPEDS) collected by the National Center for
  Education Statistics.
• Accessed via National Science Foundations
  WebCASPAR database system.
• Labor market outcomes data
• Scientists and Engineering Statistical Analysis
  System (SESTAT)
• Composite of three surveys nationally
  representative data
• National Survey of College Graduates
• National Survey of Recent College Graduates
• Survey of Doctorate Recipients
• Multiple years 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2003, and
  2006.
• Analyzed using the Statistics Package for the
  Social Sciences

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Degree Trends
5
As degree level increases, womens and URMs
representation decreases.
6
Womens representation varies greatly across STEM
fields and degree levels.
7
URMs represent 34 of 18-24 year olds but are far
from parity in every STEM field at all levels.
8
Number of masters degrees increased most
dramatically in life, followed by computer,
social sciences and psychology.
9
In contrast to the sciences, the number of
masters degrees in engineering fields did not
greatly increase, with electrical remaining the
largest engineering field.
10
In general, between 1995 and 2006, number of STEM
masers increased with a few notable exceptions
some recent downturns.

• Computer science NHW women peaked in 1986 at
  5,952 and have yet to return to this level (4,648
  in 2006).
• Physical sciences NHW women decrease and slight
  decrease for temp. resid. Women since 1995.
• Mathematics statistics NHW women and men
  decreased 1995-2000/01 and have started an upward
  trend. NHW women peaked at 4,088 masters in 1993
  and were at 3,640 in 2006.
• Psychology decreased for NHW men.
• Social sciences initially decreased and have
  started to rebound for NHW men 1996 peak was
  14,818, in 2006, 14,050 masters.

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More than half of life science MS degrees were
awarded to women . . . mostly U.S. women.
But only 15 of computer science MS degrees were
awarded to U.S. women, and another 12 temp.
resid. women.
12
Social sciences are more diverse than life and
computer sciences with 1 in 3 degrees awarded to
URMs.
13
53 of MS degrees in electrical are awarded to
temp. resid., 8 to U.S. women and 8 to URM men.
Industrial is a little more diverse URMs earned
20 of MS degrees and another 10 to other U.S.
women (API and white).
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Family Statuses and Labor Market Outcomes
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Most masters degree holders are married and many
have children with substantial variations in
children across fields.

• Married
• Women
• Lowest 62.7 in All other engineering
• Highest 79.7 in electrical engineering.
• Men
• Lowest 67.8 in mathematics.
• Highest 79.9 of men in computer science.
• Children ( with at least one lt18)
• Women
• Lowest 32.4 in social sciences.
• Highest 57.6 in both mathematics and computer
  science.
• Men
• Lowest 35.0 in social sciences.
• Highest 53.7 in both mathematics and computer
  science.

Source CPST analysis of SESTAT, 2006 data. The
use of NSF data does not imply NSF endorsement of
the research, research methods, or conclusions
contained in this report.
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Median Salaries of MS degree holders are
generally high.
17
In contrast to other workers, MS holders in
Computer Science have much higher median salaries
regardless of ethnicity and gender.
18
Median salaries of psychology masters degree
holders were often low but even these salaries
are on par or higher than those of the general
U.S. labor force aged 25 and older.
19
A majority of MS engineers are in for-profit
firms. URM women in Civil/architectural and all
other engineering were less likely in the
for-profit sector.
20
Asian/Pacific Islanders are generally more likely
than URMs and whites to work in the for-profit
sector with science masters degrees.
21
URMs are generally less likely to be in the
for-profit sector. People with masters degrees
in psychology are least likely to be in the
for-profit sector.
22
Engineers 1 reason for earning a masters
degree acquire further skills then to further
education and advancement opportunities.
23
Top reasons for scientists earning a masters
degree are similar to engineers.
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Conclusions

• For most fields, we see an upward trend in
  masters degrees awarded between 1995-2006 most
  dramatic in life sciences.
• Most masters degree holders are married and many
  have at least one child.
• Masters degree holders generally sought the
  degree to Acquire skills, Increase
  advancement, and/or further education before a
  career.
• Engineers and computer scientists with masters
  degrees tend to work in the for-profit, private
  sector.
• Masters fields vary in terms of gender,
  race/ethnic, and citizenship status composition.

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Conclusions, contd.

• Masters fields vary in terms of gender,
  race/ethnic, and citizenship status composition.
• Electrical engineering and computer science show
  higher participation by temporary residents,
  especially men.
• Among engineers, industrial engineering is much
  more diverse than other fields.
• Life sciences has a predominance of women.
• Social sciences and psychology are more diverse
  than other fields.

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THANKS!
Contact information Lisa M. Frehill lfrehill_at_cpst
.org 202-326-7080
This research was funded by the National Science
Foundation, Science Resource Statistics Division.
The use of NSF data does not imply NSF
endorsement of the research, research methods, or
conclusions contained in this report. The use of
NSF data does not imply NSF endorsement of the
research, research methods, or conclusions
contained in this report.