average phd graduate age

Society ›

Education & Science

Industry-specific and extensively researched technical data (partially from exclusive partnerships). A paid subscription is required for full access.

Age distribution of doctorate recipients U.S. 2021

Distribution of doctorate recipients in the united states in 2021, by age group.

Immediate access to 1m+ statistics
Incl. source references
Download as PNG, PDF, XLS, PPT

Additional Information

Show sources information Show publisher information Use Ask Statista Research Service

October 2022

United States

Statistics on " Colleges and universities in the U.S. "

Degrees earned in higher education U.S. 1950-2032
U.S. - higher education institutions 2020/2021, by state
Educational attainment in the U.S. 2022
Forbes ranking of the best U.S. colleges 2024, by debt and median 10-year salary
Undergraduate enrollment in U.S. universities 2011-2023
Undergraduate enrollment numbers U.S. 1976-2022, by ethnicity
Undergraduate enrollment in the U.S. 1970-2031, by attendance
Post-baccalaureate enrollment numbers U.S. 1976-2031, by gender
Post-baccalaureate enrollment numbers U.S. 1976-2021, by ethnicity
Post-baccalaureate enrollment U.S. 1976-2031, by attendance type
Revenue of public degree-granting postsecondary institutions U.S. 2021/22
Federal funds for postsecondary education in the U.S. 2022, by department
Federal funds for research at U.S. universities 2021, by department
Net revenue per student at U.S. public doctoral institutions 2010-2021
Net revenue per student at U.S. private doctoral institutions 2010-2021
Net revenue per student at U.S. private bachelor's institutions 2010-2021
Net revenue per student at U.S. public associate institutions 2010-2021
U.S. - forecast for higher education outlays 2022-2033
Expenditure of public and private colleges and universities U.S. 1970-2020
Education expenditure per student at U.S. private bachelor's institutions 2020-2021
Education expenditure per student at U.S. private doctoral institutions 2010-2021
Education expenditure per student at U.S. public doctoral institutions 2010-2021
Education expenditure per student at U.S. public associate institutions 2010-2021
Average annual charges for higher education in the U.S. 1970-2023
Attendance costs when studying in-state at U.S. universities, by state 2018/19
University tuition costs and fees U.S. 2000-2022
Annual tuition and fees at leading universities U.S. 2023/24
Average annual costs of attending a 4-year university U.S. 2000-2023
Average cost to attend a U.S. university 2013-2024, by institution type
Room and board cost per year at U.S. universities 2000-2019

Other statistics that may interest you Colleges and universities in the U.S.

Basic Statistic Degrees earned in higher education U.S. 1950-2032
Premium Statistic U.S. - higher education institutions 2020/2021, by state
Basic Statistic Educational attainment in the U.S. 1960-2022
Basic Statistic Educational attainment in the U.S. 2022
Basic Statistic Forbes ranking of the best U.S. colleges 2024, by debt and median 10-year salary

Enrollment Figures

Basic Statistic Undergraduate enrollment in U.S. universities 2011-2023
Premium Statistic Undergraduate enrollment in the U.S. 1970-2031, by gender
Basic Statistic Undergraduate enrollment numbers U.S. 1976-2022, by ethnicity
Premium Statistic Undergraduate enrollment in the U.S. 1970-2031, by attendance
Basic Statistic College enrollment in public and private institutions in the U.S. 1965-2031
Basic Statistic Post-baccalaureate enrollment numbers U.S. 1976-2031, by gender
Basic Statistic Post-baccalaureate enrollment numbers U.S. 1976-2021, by ethnicity
Basic Statistic Post-baccalaureate enrollment U.S. 1976-2031, by attendance type
Basic Statistic Revenue of public degree-granting postsecondary institutions U.S. 2021/22
Basic Statistic Federal funds for postsecondary education in the U.S. 2022, by department
Basic Statistic Federal funds for research at U.S. universities 2021, by department
Basic Statistic U.S. 20 richest colleges in the U.S. FY 2023
Premium Statistic Net revenue per student at U.S. public doctoral institutions 2010-2021
Premium Statistic Net revenue per student at U.S. private doctoral institutions 2010-2021
Basic Statistic Net revenue per student at U.S. private bachelor's institutions 2010-2021
Premium Statistic Net revenue per student at U.S. public associate institutions 2010-2021

Expenditure

Basic Statistic U.S. - forecast for higher education outlays 2022-2033
Basic Statistic Expenditure of public and private colleges and universities U.S. 1970-2020
Premium Statistic Education expenditure per student at U.S. private bachelor's institutions 2020-2021
Premium Statistic Education expenditure per student at U.S. private doctoral institutions 2010-2021
Premium Statistic Education expenditure per student at U.S. public doctoral institutions 2010-2021
Premium Statistic Education expenditure per student at U.S. public associate institutions 2010-2021

Attendance Costs

Basic Statistic Average annual charges for higher education in the U.S. 1970-2023
Basic Statistic Attendance costs when studying in-state at U.S. universities, by state 2018/19
Basic Statistic University tuition costs and fees U.S. 2000-2022
Premium Statistic Annual tuition and fees at leading universities U.S. 2023/24
Basic Statistic Average annual costs of attending a 4-year university U.S. 2000-2023
Basic Statistic Average cost to attend a U.S. university 2013-2024, by institution type
Basic Statistic Room and board cost per year at U.S. universities 2000-2019

Further related statistics

Basic Statistic Highest earning increase from obtaining a graduate degree in the U.S. 2013
Basic Statistic Post-baccalaureate enrollment numbers in the U.S., by institution type 1976-2010
Premium Statistic HR managers' evalations of online vs on-campus colleges in the U.S. in 2011
Premium Statistic Median income of communications and journalism majors by study focus in the U.S. 2013
Premium Statistic Median income of psychology and social work majors by study focus in the U.S. 2013
Premium Statistic Median income of arts majors by study focus in the U.S. 2013
Basic Statistic Percentage of U.S. population groups with a bachelor's degree, by ethnicity 2010
Basic Statistic African-American undergraduate enrollment numbers, by gender 1976 to 2011
Basic Statistic U.S. student loan borrowers' debt levels, private four-year colleges 2006-2022
Premium Statistic Students' evaluation of online vs on-campus colleges in the U.S. in 2011

Further Content: You might find this interesting as well

Highest earning increase from obtaining a graduate degree in the U.S. 2013
Post-baccalaureate enrollment numbers in the U.S., by institution type 1976-2010
HR managers' evalations of online vs on-campus colleges in the U.S. in 2011
Median income of communications and journalism majors by study focus in the U.S. 2013
Median income of psychology and social work majors by study focus in the U.S. 2013
Median income of arts majors by study focus in the U.S. 2013
Percentage of U.S. population groups with a bachelor's degree, by ethnicity 2010
African-American undergraduate enrollment numbers, by gender 1976 to 2011
U.S. student loan borrowers' debt levels, private four-year colleges 2006-2022
Students' evaluation of online vs on-campus colleges in the U.S. in 2011

Want to Get your Dissertation Accepted?

Discover how we've helped doctoral students complete their dissertations and advance their academic careers!

Join 200+ Graduated Students

Get Your Dissertation Accepted On Your Next Submission

Get customized coaching for:.

Crafting your proposal,
Collecting and analyzing your data, or
Preparing your defense.

Trapped in dissertation revisions?

Average age of a phd student: when is it too late, published by steve tippins on june 16, 2022 june 16, 2022.

Last Updated on: 2nd February 2024, 02:36 am

In 2020, the average age of a graduate from a PhD program in the United States was 33. However, 6% of the graduates were over 45.

When people ask what the average age of a PhD student is, many times they’re really asking, “Am I too old to get a PhD?” The answer is almost always no. Let’s explore some different scenarios.

When Is It Too Late to Get a PhD?

As an academic career coach, I’ve been asked by more than a few people if it’s too late for them to get a PhD. Some of these people were even in their twenties, worried that working for two years after their undergraduate degree had inexorably barred them from the halls of academia.

Others were past middle age, looking for a career change. In either case, the answer is ultimately no, it’s not too late to get a PhD . However, there are some important things to keep in mind if this is something you’re considering.

Getting a PhD for Your Career

woman studying in her home office filled with plants

Let’s say you want to get a PhD to pursue a career in academia or elsewhere. You enter a PhD program at 25 or even 30, the average PhD duration takes six to eight years. That means you will finish when you are around 30 to 37. The normal retirement age to get Social Security in the United States is 67, so that’s at least 30 years ahead of you – lots of time for your career. If you look around academia, there’s a lot of people older than 67.

You have a chance for a very long career, even if you’re 42 and finish your PhD at 50. That’s still over 15 years before retirement age. These days, very few people stay at a job for 15 years. Rest assured that you have ample opportunity to have a meaningful career.

Over 50% of doctoral candidates don’t finish their dissertations.

Student Loan Debt Considerations

If you’re 61 and taking loans out, it will be a while before you pay those off. Debt is something to think about before getting a PhD. If you can get into a PhD program that pays your tuition or even provides you a stipend, you may be able to graduate with a much smaller student loan debt. That assistance could allow you to consider a PhD later in life.

What Is the Minimum Age for Getting a PhD?

top view of a woman studying in her home office

To get a PhD, you have to have graduated from undergraduate school. From there, some people can go right into a PhD program. If you graduate at the traditional age of 22, you’d be getting your PhD somewhere around age 25 at a minimum.

There are stories about people who graduate from high school at 12 and college at 16. They could theoretically get their PhD at 19 or 20. However, people like this are quite rare.

Can You Get a PhD by Age 25?

It is possible to get a PhD by age 25, particularly if you graduate from college at 21 or 22. If it takes three or four years to get a PhD, you could graduate by 25.

What Is The Best Age to Get a PhD?

The best age to get a PhD is three years ago. The second best time is now. In reality, the best age to get a PhD is whenever you are able to complete it. The earlier you finish your PhD, the more of a life and career you’ll have with it , but there is no optimal age.

Does Having a Master’s Shorten the Time it Takes to Get a PhD?

blonde woman at a master's graduation in the sunlight

Having a Master’s can shorten the time it takes to get a PhD , depending on your discipline. If PhD programs in your discipline are structured such that they assume you have a Master’s before you enter, then yes, you’re going to finish a PhD faster.

If you enter without a Master’s, you may have to get the Master’s first to be allowed in the PhD program. Otherwise, you may have to take some remedial coursework. If your discipline is not set up in that manner, having a Master’s may not allow you to move faster.

Final Thoughts

As society ages and with employers having problems finding eligible workers, the problem of ageism will become less severe. Getting a PhD at any age is going to be a viable option. If you are interested in a PhD and it’s something you have a burning desire to do, don’t let age stop you.

Are you considering getting your PhD? We’re here to help. Check out our Dissertation Coaching and Academic Career Coaching services.

Steve Tippins

Steve Tippins, PhD, has thrived in academia for over thirty years. He continues to love teaching in addition to coaching recent PhD graduates as well as students writing their dissertations. Learn more about his dissertation coaching and career coaching services. Book a Free Consultation with Steve Tippins

asian phd student researching on laptop in the library

Dissertation

Phd by publication.

PhD by publication, also known as “PhD by portfolio” or “PhD by published works,” is a relatively new route to completing your dissertation requirements for your doctoral degree. In the traditional dissertation route, you have Read more…

What Does Ph.D. Stand For?

“What does Ph.D. stand for?” This is a question that can be answered several different ways. First of all, typically Ph.D. stands for doctor or doctorate in philosophy. I know that can be a little Read more…

A Professor’s Top 3 Pieces of Advice for Ph.D. Students

When it comes to getting a Ph.D., there is no one-size-fits-all approach to ensuring success in graduate school. Every student must find their own path to navigating the most rigorous academic experience that most people Read more…

Data Tables

These tables present detailed data on the demographic characteristics, educational history, sources of financial support, and postgraduation plans of doctorate recipients. The Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) data tables were reorganized and renumbered in 2021; see table B-1 in the " Technical Notes " for a crosswalk of comparable 2020 and 2021 data tables. Explore SED data further via the interactive data tool and the Restricted Data Analysis System . Kelly Kang Survey Manager, SED NCSES

All Formats (.zip 7.9 MB)
PDF (.zip 6.8 MB)
Excel (.zip 1.1 MB)
MORE DOWNLOADS OPTIONS

Trends in research doctorate recipient characteristics

Trends in postgraduation commitments of research doctorate recipients, field and demographic characteristics of research doctorate recipients, financial support and education-related debt of research doctorate recipients, educational and background characteristics of research doctorate recipients, postgraduation commitments and salaries of research doctorate recipients, doctorate institutions, locations, and countries of origins of research doctorate recipients, statistical profiles of research doctorate recipients, postgraduation plans of research doctorate recipients.

Typical Graduate Student Age [Data for Average Age]

Graduate students can come straight from undergraduate study or they can be a little bit older after spending some time in industry. No matter what the subject you’ll find a wide variety of graduate student demographics and ages.

According to the OECD, the average age of master’s students is 24 and the average age of PhD entry is 27. In the US the average age of students studying for a graduate degree is 33 years old with a 22% of the graduates being over 40 years old.

In my experience, there has often been a wide variety of ages in grad school. In both my masters and my PhD years I was working alongside some mature age students. No matter the age, I enjoyed working alongside all students who were able to support each other during their studies.

If you are worried that you are too old to enter grad school and return to school, fear not.

As long as you enter your course with an apprentice mindset, do not look down on those who are younger than you, and work collaboratively you will likely have a fantastic time.

If you’d like to watch my YouTube video about this subject you can check it out in the link below.

In this article, we will look at the average age of graduate students and the data presented for master’s and PhD students by universities.

Grad Student Ages – Average ages?

According to some online sources, the average graduate student today is 33 years old, although students in doctoral programs are a bit older on average.

However, the average graduate student in the United States is typically between 22 and 28 years old. There are often 30’s and 40’s around, as well as super-brilliant under-21’s.

Some people decide to go back to university after some time in their careers because through their work or life experience they realise that they need or want an advanced degree to further their careers.

According to the data provided by Louisiana State University, the average age at which a student achieves a masters degree is of over 430 international student advising centres in more than 80 countries, the average age of a US graduate student is 31 years.

Here are some more graphs that will show you the median age of different students in a variety of institutions.

South-eastern University

Here is the distribution of students from south-eastern University in 2021 .

You’ll notice that there is a bimodal distribution. That is, a number of graduate students are between the ages of 22 and 24 but there is also a peak between 40 and 49.

This is likely due to the fact that the second peak is due to those who have entered a professional career and want a career change or to up-skill in their current role.

The University of British Columbia

The University of British Colombia in Vancouver also presented their 2022 cohort demographic statistics for Masters and PhD students between the ages of 20 and 60.

You can see the results of this in the graph below.

Age at completion of doctoral degree

Lastly, in the table below we have the median age at doctorate for a number of fields and demographic characteristics in the United States of America.

You can see that the average PhD age for completion is 31.5 in the United States. The US has a much older cohort upon completion because their degrees typically take 5 to 7 years because there is a large coursework component at the beginning of their PhD.

I graduated from my PhD when I was 25. I did my undergraduate which included a Masters year. That means my undergraduate was done in four years. Then, I moved to Australia to do a PhD as an international student which meant I needed to be finished in three years.

Therefore I did my undergraduate, masters, PhD in seven years total. That is pretty much as fast as anyone can do it.

However, it is not a race and some people benefit greatly from taking their time, doing part or all of their education part-time, or waiting until they are financially stable before returning to their studies.

Why People Wait to Get Graduate Degrees

There are a number of reasons why people wait to get graduate degrees.

For many, it’s a matter of finishing up their undergraduate degree and taking some time to transition into the workforce before then re-enrolling in a graduate program to improve skills that they can then use to access higher pay scales in their current role.

For others, it’s a question of work experience – they want to be sure they’re making the most of their time and earning potential before going back to school.

And for the majority of students, it’s simply a question of finances. College is expensive, and many students graduate with a lot of debt. Going back to school for a graduate degree can add even more debt to that total.

But there are also plenty of people who go back to school for their graduate degree right after finishing their undergraduate degree. For some, it’s a matter of getting into the program they really want or earning a higher salary. For others, it’s simply a passion for learning. Whatever the reason, there are plenty of people who choose to go back to school immediately after finishing their undergraduate degree.

Will graduate schools care how old you are?

Graduate schools may care about your age if you’re an undergrad student applying to a graduate program. Sometimes a graduate program requires some professional experience so that you can get the most out of your program.

If you have work experience, your age may not be as important to admission committees. However, if you’re exploring a new field or degree, your advisor or the admissions committee may feel that your age puts you at a disadvantage.

In science programs, for example, research experience is often a requirement for admission, and mature students may have an easier time completing this requirement. Some programs also prefer or require that their students be of a certain age range. Your advisor can tell you more about the requirements of specific programs.

Are you too old for a graduate degree?

The answer is no, you are never too old to get a graduate degree. In fact, according to National Center for Education Statistics, the average age of graduate students is 33 years old.

This means that 1 in 5 students is over the age of 40!

So don’t worry, there are plenty of people in your situation.

Just remember that grad school is not for everyone, so make sure you really think about what you want to get out of it before making a decision.

You can be any age and still get a graduate degree. There are many benefits to getting a graduate degree, such as improved job prospects and increased earnings potential. If you are thinking about going back to school, then you should definitely consider getting a graduate degree.

Wrapping up

This article has been through everything you need to know about a typical graduate student age and has presented some data for various institution’s graduate students.

Ultimately, as long as graduate school is something that you see value in and you are willing to spend the time, money, and effort in getting your next qualification it could be a valuable addition to your CV.

Dr Andrew Stapleton has a Masters and PhD in Chemistry from the UK and Australia. He has many years of research experience and has worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Associate at a number of Universities. Although having secured funding for his own research, he left academia to help others with his YouTube channel all about the inner workings of academia and how to make it work for you.

Thank you for visiting Academia Insider.

We are here to help you navigate Academia as painlessly as possible. We are supported by our readers and by visiting you are helping us earn a small amount through ads and affiliate revenue - Thank you!

2024 © Academia Insider

All previous cycle years

The SED is an annual census of research doctorate recipients from U.S. academic institutions that collects information on educational history, demographic characteristics, graduate funding sources and educational debts, and postgraduation plans.

Survey Info

tag for use when URL is provided --> Methodology
tag for use when URL is provided --> Data
tag for use when URL is provided --> Analysis

The Survey of Earned Doctorates is an annual census conducted since academic year 1958 of all individuals receiving a research doctorate from an accredited U.S. institution in a given academic year. The SED is sponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and by three other federal agencies: the National Institutes of Health, Department of Education, and National Endowment for the Humanities. The SED collects information on the doctoral recipient’s educational history, demographic characteristics, and postgraduation plans. Results are used to assess characteristics of the doctoral population and trends in doctoral education and degrees.

Areas of Interest

STEM Education
Science and Engineering Workforce

Survey Administration

The 2023 survey was conducted by RTI International under contract to NCSES.

Survey Details

Survey Description (PDF 268 KB)
Data Tables (PDF 5.9 MB)

Featured Survey Analysis

SED Overview

Sed restricted data analysis system (rdas), methodology, survey description, survey overview (2023 survey cycle).

The Survey of Earned Doctorates ( SED ) collects data on the number and characteristics of individuals receiving research doctoral degrees from U.S. academic institutions.

Data collection authority

The information collected by the SED is solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended, and the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010. The Office of Management and Budget control number is 3145-0019, expiration date 20 April 2024. The disclosure review number is NCSES-DRN24-046.

Survey contractor

RTI International.

Major changes to recent survey cycle

Key survey information, initial survey year.

Academic year 1958.

Reference period

Academic year 2023 (1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023).

Response unit

Individuals.

Sample or census

Population size, sample size.

Not applicable.

Key variables

Key variables of interest are listed below.

Academic institution of doctorate
Baccalaureate-origin institution (U.S. and foreign)
Citizenship status at graduation
Country of birth and citizenship
Disability status
Educational attainment of parents
Educational history in college
Field of each degree earned
Graduate and undergraduate educational debt
Marital status, as well as the number and age of dependents
Postgraduation plans (e.g., work, postdoc, other study or training)
Primary and secondary work activities
Source and type of financial support for postdoctoral study or research
Type and location of employer
Basic annual salary
Race and ethnicity
Sources of financial support during graduate school
Type of academic institution (e.g., historically Black colleges and universities, Carnegie codes, public or private) awarding the doctorate

Survey Design

Target population.

The population for the 202 3 SED consists of all individuals receiving a research doctorate from a U.S. academic institution in the 12-month period beginning 1 July 202 2 and ending 30 June 202 3 . A research doctorate is a doctoral degree that (1) requires completion of an original intellectual contribution in the form of a dissertation or an equivalent culminating project (e.g., musical composition) and (2) is not primarily intended as a degree for the practice of a profession. The most common research doctoral degree is the PhD. Recipients of professional doctoral degrees, such as MD, DDS, DVM, JD, DPharm, DMin, and PsyD, are not included in the SED.

Sampling frame

The sampling frame of doctorate recipients is created by first identifying all institutions that confer research doctorates and then identifying all individuals receiving a research doctorate from those institutions in the 12-month period ending 30 June 202 3 . The list of institutions is based principally on the institutions in the prior survey cycle augmented by any new institutions on the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and other higher education resource databases. The list of doctorate recipients is created from administrative sources such as commencement lists from the institutions and commercial databases of doctorate dissertations. The sampling frame of the 202 3 SED included 57, 862 persons from 45 9 institutions that conferred research doctorates.

Sample design

The SED is a census survey of all recipients of U.S. research doctoral degrees in the sampling frame.

Data Collection and Processing

Data collection.

Two modes of data collection are used in the SED: self-administered Web survey and computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI). The self-administered Web survey is the primary mode of SED completion. The proportion of SED completions using the Web has increased steadily since it was introduced in 2001, and it reached 98. 7 % in 202 3 .

Nonrespondents are contacted by e-mail, mail, and text messages to complete the Web survey. If the series of follow-up e-mails, mailings, and text messages is unsuccessful, the survey contractor attempts to reach nonrespondents to complete an abbreviated survey by CATI. Approximately 1. 3 % of SED completions were from CATI in 202 3 . At the end of the data collection phase, institutional coordinators were contacted to obtain information on a small number of critical SED data items for nonrespondents from their institution.

Data processing

The data collected in the SED are subject to editing and coding procedures. Imputation is not performed for missing survey data items except for the month value used in the calculation of the age at doctorate and time to degree variables.

Estimation techniques

The survey is a census, which does not require any sampling; weighting is not used to adjust for nonresponse.

Survey Quality Measures

Sampling error.

Not applicable because the SED is a census.

Coverage error

Due to the availability of comprehensive lists of doctorate-granting institutions, coverage error of institutions is minimal. Because the graduate schools identify degree recipients at the time of doctorate completion, coverage error for individual doctorate recipients is also minimal. In 202 3 , 11 doctorate-granting institutions declined to fully enumerate their doctorate recipients for academic year 202 3 . Information on the graduates for all of these institutions was found from other sources, such as ProQuest. Comparisons of the institutions with research doctorate recipients covered by the SED that also report to the IPEDS Completions Survey confirm that there is minimal coverage error.

Nonresponse error

Unit nonresponse. Of the 57, 862 individuals granted a research doctorate in 202 3 , 91. 2 % completed the survey. A limited number of SED critical data items (doctoral institution, year of doctorate, field of doctorate, type of doctorate, and, if available, baccalaureate institution, master’s degree institution, and sex) are constructed for nonrespondents from commencement programs, graduation lists, and other similar public records. Nonresponse was concentrated in a small number of institutions, with 1 7 institutions accounting for 50% of the total unit nonresponse.

Item nonresponse. Among the 57, 862 individuals who received a research doctorate in 202 3 , item nonresponse rates for the five key SED demographic variables—sex, citizenship, country of citizenship, race and ethnicity, and location after graduation—range from 0.0% for sex to 8. 4 % for location after graduation.

Measurement and data processing error

Measurement error in the SED is attributable to several sources, including errors in respondent reporting and errors that occur during data collection or processing. Errors in the 2023 web instrument led to increases in missing responses for a few variables. See the “ Technical Notes ” for more detailed information on measurement error.

Data Availability and Comparability

Data availability.

Each year’s survey data are added to the Doctorate Records File (DRF), which includes cumulative SED data dating back to 1958; more limited information (sex, institution, field, and year of doctorate) is contained on the DRF for PhDs who graduated in 1920–56.

Data comparability

Because of procedural changes implemented during the 1990 survey cycle to improve the completeness of race, ethnicity, and citizenship data, the data from 1990 and later years are not directly comparable to data before 1990.

In 2021, the education history section was changed to a table format in which respondents can select all the postsecondary degrees received, up to nine degrees. Based on the degrees reported, follow-up questions asked about each type of degree, including any professional doctorate being earned.

Beginning in 2021, field of study and doctorate dissertation field data have been collected using a modified version of the 2020 Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes. Therefore, the field of study data prior to the 2021 survey cycles may not be comparable to the data in subsequent years; see the working paper Survey of Earned Doctorates Field of Study Taxonomy Changes in 2021 and Impact on Trend Data for more information.

Data Products

Publications.

The data from this survey are published annually with the report series Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities . Other survey products are also available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/earned-doctorates . Information from the survey is also included in Science and Engineering Indicators and in Diversity and STEM: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities .

Electronic access

Access to tabular data on selected variables from 1958 onward is available in an NCSES interactive data tool . Users can create custom tables of the number of doctorate recipients by academic discipline and institutional characteristics of either the doctorate-granting institution or the baccalaureate-granting institution of doctorate recipients. A limited set of demographic characteristics is available to create custom tables by academic discipline. A more comprehensive set of analysis variables is available in the SED Restricted Data Analysis System (RDAS) for the data user to generate custom data tables in a secured platform.

Restricted access

Access to restricted data for researchers interested in analyzing microdata can be arranged through a licensing agreement. For more information, see the NCSES Licensing Page .

Technical Notes

Purpose. The Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) collects data on the number and characteristics of individuals receiving research doctoral degrees from U.S. academic institutions.

Data collection authority. The information collected by the SED is solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended, and the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010. The Office of Management and Budget control number is 3145-0019, expiration date 20 April 2024. The disclosure review number is NCSES-DRN24-046.

Survey contractor. RTI International.

Survey sponsors. The SED is sponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and by three other federal agencies: the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Education (ED), and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

Frequency. Annual.

Initial survey year. Academic year 1958.

Reference period. Academic year 2023 (1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023).

Response unit. Individuals.

Sample or census. Census.

Population size. 57,862.

Sample size. Not applicable.

Target population. The population for the 2023 SED consists of all individuals receiving a research doctorate from a U.S. academic institution in the 12-month period beginning 1 July 2022 and ending 30 June 2023. A research doctorate is a doctoral degree that (1) requires completion of an original intellectual contribution in the form of a dissertation or an equivalent culminating project (e.g., musical composition) and (2) is not primarily intended as a degree for the practice of a profession.

The SED recognized 18 distinct types of research doctorates in 2023 ( table A-1 ). Recipients of professional doctoral degrees, such as MD, DDS, DVM, JD, DPharm, DMin, and PsyD, are not included in the SED.

The doctor of philosophy (PhD) constitutes the vast majority of research doctoral degrees. Of the 57,862 new research doctorates granted in 2023, 98.6% were PhDs ( table A-1 ). The next most frequently occurring type of research doctorate was the doctor of education (EdD), which accounted for 0.9% of the total in 2023. No other type of doctoral degree accounted for more than 0.3% of the new research doctorates in 2023.

Sampling frame. The sampling frame of doctorate recipients is created by first identifying all institutions that confer research doctorates and then identifying all individuals receiving a research doctorate from those institutions in the 12-month period ending 30 June 2023. The list of institutions is based principally on the institutions in the prior survey cycle augmented by any new institutions on the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and other higher education resource databases. The list of doctorate recipients is created from administrative sources such as commencement lists from the institutions and commercial databases of doctorate dissertations. For 2023, 469 research doctorate-granting institutions were identified; however, 10 of these institutions reported 0 graduates, and 11 institutions refused to provide lists of graduates. For all 11 refusing institutions, the survey contractor was able to construct graduate lists using secondary data sources. Thus, the sampling frame consisted of 57,862 persons in 459 institutions that conferred research doctorates in 2023.

Sample design. The SED is a census survey of all recipients of U.S. research doctoral degrees in the sampling frame.

Data Collection and Processing Methods

Data collection. SED collects data using two modes: self-administered Web survey and computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI).

The self-administered Web survey is the primary mode of SED completion. When students apply for graduation, institutional coordinators at the universities give students the link to the survey registration website. Students who sign up at the survey registration website receive PIN and password information via e-mail, as well as the URL of the SED Web survey. The proportion of SED completions using the Web has increased steadily since it was introduced in 2001, and it reached 98.7% in 2023.

Nonrespondents are contacted by e-mail, mail, and text messages to complete the Web survey. If the series of follow-up e-mails, mailings, and text messages is unsuccessful, the survey contractor attempts to reach nonrespondents to complete an abbreviated survey by CATI. Approximately 1.3% of SED completions were from CATI in 2023. At the end of the data collection phase, institutional coordinators were contacted to obtain information on a small number of critical SED data items for nonrespondents from their institution.

A small but growing number of research doctoral degrees awarded were part of joint doctoral programs (i.e., a research doctorate recipient studied at more than one institution in pursuit of the doctoral degree). In these instances, the survey contractor relies on information provided by the institutions to appropriately attribute the doctorate to one of the doctorate-granting institutions.

The survey collects complete college education history data. To code U.S. postsecondary degree-granting institutions, the IPEDS institution codes are used. To code the degree-granting institutions of respondents from foreign countries, survey staff maintain a database of foreign institutions, updating it annually to include new entries for foreign institutions reported by SED respondents. About one-third of 2023 U.S. research doctorate recipients received undergraduate degrees from foreign institutions.

Mode. In 2023, 98.7% of survey responses were obtained via the Web survey and 1.3% via CATI.

Response rate. Of the 57,862 individuals who received a research doctorate in 2023, 91.2% completed the survey ( table A-2 ). Additional information on response rate is below, under “Nonresponse error.”

Data editing. Approved automated edits are applied to the SED, a number of which pertain to the education history section.

Imputation. Imputation was performed to support derivation of the following variables in producing the 2023 SED Doctorate Records File (DRF):

Age at doctorate . Months (of birth and doctorate award) were included in the calculation of median age whenever available. If birth month was missing, the month value was randomly imputed.
Time to degree from bachelor’s completion . Months (of bachelor’s completion and doctorate award) were included in the calculation of total time to degree. If month of bachelor’s completion was missing, the month value was logically imputed to the modal value for doctorate recipients who provided month of bachelor’s completion.
Time to degree from graduate school entry . Months (of graduate school entry and doctorate award) were included in the calculation of graduate school time to degree. If month of graduate school entry was missing, the month value was logically imputed to the modal value for doctorate recipients who provided month of graduate entry.
Time to degree from doctoral program entry . Doctoral program entry is based on master’s degree program entry if the master’s degree was at the doctoral institution in the same fine field of study or if it was a prerequisite to the doctorate; otherwise, it is based on doctoral program entry. Months were included in the calculation of doctoral program time to degree. If the month of entry used in the calculation (master’s degree program entry or doctoral program entry) was not reported, the entry month was logically imputed to the modal value for all cases that did report the entry month in the academic year the case was added to the doctoral records file (typically the academic year matching the graduation date of the case).

Weighting. Survey data were not weighted.

Variance estimation. The SED is a census of all research doctorates with no sampling, so survey totals have no sampling variability.

Disclosure protection. To protect against the disclosure of confidential information provided by SED respondents, data values based on counts of respondents that fall below a predetermined threshold are suppressed in the data tables. Secondary or complementary suppressions are applied as needed to prevent reconstruction of the data values from primary suppressions. Beginning in 2021, the detailed fields in the data tables are based on the aggregation of SED Classified Instructional Program (CIP) fields. All suppressed values in the data tables are replaced with “D.”

Sampling error. Not applicable because the SED is a census.

Coverage error. Due to the availability of comprehensive lists of doctorate-granting institutions, coverage error of institutions is minimal. Because the graduate schools identify degree recipients at the time of doctorate completion, coverage error for individual doctorate recipients is also minimal. Comparisons of the institutions with research doctorate recipients covered by the SED that also report to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Completions Survey , collected by the National Center for Education Statistics , confirm that there is minimal coverage error.

Institutions that begin to confer research doctorates are invited to join the SED. If a university that confers research doctorates does not wish to participate in the SED, slight undercounts may result. Graduation lists provided by institutions serve as the primary frame to determine eligible doctorate recipients. In 2023, 11 doctorate-granting universities declined to fully enumerate their doctorate recipients for academic year 2023. Information on the graduates for all of these institutions was found from other sources, such as ProQuest. Differences in counts of research doctorate recipients between SED and IPEDS are minimal.

Nonresponse error.

Unit nonresponse. Of the 57,862 individuals who received a research doctorate in 2023, 91.2% completed the survey ( table A-2 ). This percentage is referred to as the self-report rate. Skeletal records for nonrespondents appear on the data file and contain a limited number of SED critical data items (doctoral institution, year of doctorate, field of doctorate, type of doctorate, and, if available, baccalaureate institution, master’s degree institution, and sex) that are constructed for nonrespondents from administrative records of the university, such as commencement programs, graduation lists, and other public records.

Unit nonresponse was concentrated in a small number of institutions: 6 of the 459 doctorate-granting institutions accounted for 25% of the total nonrespondents; an additional 11 institutions accounted for an additional 25% of the total nonrespondents.

Item nonresponse. Due to data collected as part of nonrespondent skeletal records, item missing rates for the five key SED variables—sex, citizenship, country of citizenship, race and ethnicity, and location after graduation—were lower than the unit nonresponse rate and ranged from 0.0% for sex to 8.4% for location after graduation in 2023. Table A-3 shows item response rates for all research doctorate recipients from 2017–23 for all variables used in the data tables (see clarifying notes in the table). For most items, all doctorate recipients are in the universe eligible to answer the item. Item response rate calculations for other items were updated to use the American Association for Public Research Association (AAPOR) Response Rate 3 (RR3). This is calculated as the number of doctorates who responded to an item divided by the estimated number of doctorates eligible to answer the item. Eligibility was estimated by imputing missing values for the variables used to determine eligibility. For most items, all doctorate recipients are in the universe eligible to answer the item. Item response rate calculations for other items were updated to use the American Association for Public Research Association (AAPOR) Response Rate 3 (RR3). This is calculated as the number of doctorates who responded to an item divided by the estimated number of doctorates eligible to answer the item. Eligibility was estimated by imputing missing values for the variables used to determine eligibility. For most items, all doctorate recipients are in the universe eligible to answer the item. Item response rate calculations for other items were updated to use the American Association for Public Research Association (AAPOR) Response Rate 3 (RR3). This is calculated as the number of doctorates who responded to an item divided by the estimated number of doctorates eligible to answer the item. Eligibility was estimated by imputing missing values for the variables used to determine eligibility.

Measurement error. The primary source of measurement error in the SED is attributable to incomplete or updated information provided by respondents or degree-granting institutions and for educational history provided by respondents. Another source is errors in the programming of the web instrument, described further below.

Counts of doctorate recipients for previous years are corrected by the addition of data from surveys received after the close of data collection for a given year. Updates and corrections to graduation dates can also change the overall counts for prior years. The published tables reflect these changes.

For field of degree, some respondents (or institutions) fail to provide a degree code and instead provide a text string that must be manually coded by the survey contractor. Similarly, some aspects of the educational history timeline—including the field of study or institution for earned associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degrees—require manual coding. When manual coding is required, a pair of trained reviewers independently code each text entry, and any discrepancies between the two coders are resolved by a third, more expert reviewer. All manual coding is subject to a final review by NCSES. Generally, the percentage of responses in these data requiring manual coding is low. In 2023, 0.4% of doctorate fields of study reported by respondents were manually coded, as well as 0.6% of associate’s degree fields, 0.3% of bachelor’s degree fields, and 0.4% of master’s degree fields.

Errors in the 2023 web instrument related to testing of minor wording modification in question response options (described in the “Changes in questionnaire” section below) led to increases in missing responses for a few variables.

For the parent’s education question, responses to the first parent’s education level were not captured by the web instrument for the first 5 months of the 2023 data collection. To remediate this error, a follow-up email was sent to the 17,408 doctorate recipients affected by this error with a link to the SED web survey that contained just the parental education items. Across non-missing responses, the distributions of parent’s education level in 2023 were similar to prior year distributions and within 1.0 percentage points of the 2022 distribution for all response categories. This variation is typical of the year-to-year distributional changes.
For the primary work activity question, the response option “management or administration” was inadvertently not shown, and the response options displayed for the secondary work activity, which were dependent on the primary work activity response, were not properly presented. Data were remediated in data processing by back-coding responses in the “other” response option that said “management” or “administration” to the “management or administration” response option. After remediation, the distributions of both primary and secondary work responses were similar to those in 2022 (within 1.6 percentage points for all primary work activities and within 3.3% percentage points for all secondary activities). The proportion of missing data increased nominally for the primary work activity item but more significantly for the secondary work activity item, as shown in table A-3 .

Data Comparability

Changes in survey coverage and population . For the 2023 cycle, seven institutions were added to the SED universe.

Changes in questionnaire . The following changes were made to the questionnaire in 2023:

New questions .

Changed question response options.

Several question response options were modified to evaluate minor wording changes in the response options intended to improve question clarity. The table below lists the items in two versions, with the existing response items in version A.

In the 2023 web instrument, half of the respondents received the wording that had been used in previous years (version A) and half received the version with modified wording (version B). Based on the results of the collected data, the version B wording was recommended for future data cycles as it produced lower item nonresponse rates, and improved clarity.

Due to these changes, trend data in these variables should be used with caution. Additionally, due to the web instrument errors described in the “Measurement error” section above, the primary and secondary work activity and parental education data may not be comparable with prior years’ data.

Changes in reporting procedures or classification .

Carnegie Classification . Starting in 2023, the 2021 Carnegie classifications of the doctoral institutions are used in the data tables.
Field of study . Beginning in 2021, field of study and doctorate dissertation field data were collected using a modified version of the 2020 Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes maintained by the National Center of Education Statistics (NCES). All data are now reported using the new SED-CIP taxonomy ( table A-4 ). The SED-CIP modifications are as follows:
Over 50 degree fields collected in SED prior to 2021 but not in the 2020 CIP were added. These SED-CIP codes are noted in table A-5 and table A-6 with a letter suffix other than “a.”
An additional 37 SED-CIP codes were added in 2022 from the emerging doctorate field review based on doctorate field data collected in prior years. These 37 codes had not been incorporated in 2021 due to timing.
The exclusion of CIP fields that are not eligible for the SED, which are CIP 28 (Military science, leadership, and operational art), 32 (Basic skills and development/remedial education), 33 (Citizenship activities), 34 (Health-related knowledge and skills), 35 (Interpersonal and social skills), 36 (Leisure and recreational activities), 37 (Personal awareness and self-improvements), and 53 (High school/secondary diplomas and certificates) series codes.
The limitation of the CIP 12 (Culinary, entertainment, and personal services), 46 (Construction trade), 47 (Mechanic and repair technology/ technicians), and 48 (Precision production) series codes to associate’s degree fields only.
The conversion of the CIP 60 (Health professions residency/fellowship) and 61 (Medical residency/fellowship) series codes to SED-CIP 70 and 71 series codes, respectively, to capture the research fields for doctorate dissertation fields only.

The SED-CIP code list includes over 1,650 fields for the field of study reporting, compared to the 334 field codes collected prior to 2021. The SED-CIP codes are aggregated into 306 detailed fields, 68 major fields, and 16 broad fields, which are used for reporting in the data tables ( table A-4 ). In 2023, minor revisions were made to the major and detailed field taxonomy to improve data utility and alignment with the new trend taxonomy. Specifically, 2 new major fields (“biological and biomedical sciences, general” and “aerospace, aeronautical, astronautical, and space engineering”) were added by moving 4 detailed fields and 1 new detailed field was added ( table A-5 ).

This SED-CIP taxonomy includes multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary sciences and multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary studies to capture and track emerging fields and is aligned to the NCSES Taxonomy of Disciplines for comparison with other NCSES surveys. The complete SED-CIP list with corresponding detailed, major, and broad fields is in table A-5 . All single-year data tables ( table 3-1 through table 9-18 ) use the new SED-CIP taxonomy.

To facilitate the trend data comparison with prior years, a crosswalk was created of the SED-CIP codes to the historical SED field of study (SED-FOS) codes, which were aggregated into the new trend broad and major fields (see table A-6 ). The new trend field taxonomy used in the 2023 data tables replaced the historical field taxonomy introduced in the 2021 data tables to align more closely with the new SED-CIP based broad and major fields. In total, the new trend taxonomy aggregates fields into 14 trend broad fields and 62 trend major fields as compared with 8 broad and 35 major fields in the historical field taxonomy.

As an example, the historical field taxonomy previously reported “mathematics and computer sciences” as a single broad field. In the new trend field taxonomy, “computer and information sciences” and “mathematics and statistics” are separately reported as two broad fields, with 2 major fields delineated under computer and information sciences and 4 major fields under mathematics and statistics. In the trend field taxonomy, detailed field “veterinary sciences,” previously reported under major field “health sciences,” is reported under major field “agricultural sciences” to better align with the new field taxonomy.

This results in generally comparable historical broad and major fields with some limitations. Specifically, each SED-CIP code mapped to a historical SED-FOS code might not be the code the respondent would have chosen from the previously used historical SED-FOS list. For example, it is not known how respondents who reported the new SED-CIP field of “electrical engineering and computer science” in 2022 would have chosen their field under the historical SED-FOS list that includes two separate fields “electrical engineering” and “computer science.” For more information, see the working paper Survey of Earned Doctorates Field of Study Taxonomy Changes in 2021 and Impact on Trend Data .

The trend broad and major fields are available from 1958 to the present. The alignment of the historical fine field codes to the new trend broad and major fields is shown in table A-6 . A comparison of the historical, trend, and new field taxonomies is shown in table B-2 .

Salary . Median salary is calculated from exact salary values when provided by the respondent. Salary imputation was dropped as of 2015 due to the increase in exact salary response rate. From 2011 to 2014, if a respondent selected a salary range instead of providing an exact salary value, exact salary values were imputed for median salary calculation purposes by applying hot-deck imputation based on salary range and other relevant respondent characteristics. Prior to 2011, median salary was calculated directly from the salary range values via interpolation methods, and exact salary values were not used in the calculation of median salary. Only salary data from doctorate recipients reporting definite commitments for employment or for a postdoc position in the United States are included in median salary calculations.
Functional limitations (previously “ disability ” ) . Beginning in 2012, the functional limitations items assess both the presence and severity of functional limitations in each of several domains, which do not precisely overlap with the domains in prior surveys.
Debt . Since 2001, respondents have been asked to indicate the amount of education-related debt they owe, with separate response categories for graduate and undergraduate education. To estimate overall debt, the midpoint of the chosen range for undergraduate and for graduate debt was selected and summed to yield a total debt amount. Where median debt levels are presented in this report (i.e., table 4-4 and table 4-5 ), the individual values for debt are assigned as the midpoint of the chosen range for graduate and undergraduate debt. Doctorate recipients who chose the lowest debt category (no debt) were assigned a value of $0 for the computation of median debt levels. Doctorate recipients who chose the uppermost category available prior to 2019 ($90,001 or more) were assigned a value of $95,000 for the computation of median debt levels. In 2019, additional response options were added at the upper range for graduate debt with the highest being $160,001 or more. Doctorate recipients who choose this uppermost category are assigned a value of $165,000 for the computation of median debt levels. All valid responses, including “no debt," are included in the computation of all median debt data in the data tables.
Citizenship . The citizenship status variable is used to identify the appropriate citizenship category of respondents, including the citizenship category of respondents who did not respond to the citizenship status survey item. The code framework for the citizenship status variable is outlined below.

Respondents who indicated a U.S. birthplace, regardless of what they reported for citizenship status, were assigned code 0.

In 1999, code 4 (non-U.S., visa status unknown) was introduced, and data were back-coded through 1997. Respondents who designated a non-U.S. country for the country of citizenship item but did not respond to the citizenship status item were assigned code 4 for citizenship status. From 1997 to 2003, non-U.S.-born respondents who did not indicate their country of citizenship or citizenship status were assigned to code 4 if three out of four geographic variables—place of birth, place of high school, place of college entry, and postgraduation location—were non-U.S. locations. Beginning with the 2004 SED, the variable “place of baccalaureate institution” replaced “place of college entry” in the assignment of a citizenship code for respondents who did not indicate citizenship status.

For tabulations in this report, code 4 was combined with code 3—that is, counts of doctorate recipients in the temporary visa holder category include non-U.S. citizens with unknown visa status. This is consistent with coding procedures in previous data collections. However, the existence of code 4 allows the microdata user to exclude cases for which visa status is unknown. Prospective data users should note, however, that the number of cases in the code 4 group is not sufficient to warrant analysis as a separate citizenship category.

Non-U.S. citizens who did not report a country of citizenship but reported the same non-U.S. country for three out of four geographic variables—place of birth, place of high school, place of baccalaureate institution, and postgraduation location—were assigned that reported country as their country of citizenship.

Median computation . Since 1994, medians have been computed as outlined below. When months are included, they are converted to the number of days corresponding to the first day of the month. In 2017, the method for accounting for leap days changed to reflect the actual number of leap days during the time period specified, rather than the prior method of adding 0.25 days to each year.
Median age . Months (of birth and doctorate award) are included in the calculation of median age whenever available. Beginning in 2015, if birth month is missing, the month value is randomly imputed. Prior to 2015, the missing month value was assigned to the month the doctorate was received.
Time to degree from bachelor’s completion . Months are included in the calculation of total time to degree. If months are missing, month values are assigned to the modal value for doctorate recipients who provide month of bachelor's completion and converted to the number of days corresponding to that month.
Time to degree from graduate school entry . Months are included in the calculation of graduate school time to degree. If months are missing in the calculation of graduate school time to degree, month values are assigned to the modal value for doctorate recipients who provided month of graduate entry. Reports published before 2004 reported a different time-to-degree measure: registered time to degree. Comparisons of graduate school time-to-degree data with pre-2004 registered time-to-degree data should be interpreted cautiously. For an explanation of registered time to degree, see the technical notes of any Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities published before 2004.
Time to degree from doctoral program entry . This variable was first included in 2015. Doctoral program entry is based on master’s degree program entry if the master’s degree was at the doctoral institution in the same fine field of study or if it was a prerequisite to the doctorate; otherwise, it is based on doctoral program entry. Months are included in the calculation of doctoral program time to degree. If the month of entry used in the calculation (master’s degree program entry or doctoral program entry) was not reported, the entry month is assigned to the modal value for all cases that did report the entry month in the academic year the case was added to the doctoral records file (typically the academic year matching the graduation date of the case).

Definitions

Basic annual salary . Annual salary expected to be earned from the doctorate recipient's principal job in the next year after receiving the doctorate, not including bonuses or additional compensation for summertime teaching or research.
Carnegie classification (institution categories). In this report, four types of doctorate-granting institutions identified in the figures and tabulations are defined according to the Carnegie classification scheme as updated in 2021: doctoral very high research, doctoral high research, doctoral/professional universities, and other universities (comprised of all other classifications). Institutions are classified according to their aggregate and per-capita levels of research activity, using indicators of research and development expenditures, staffing (including postdoctoral appointees and other nonfaculty research staff with doctorates), and doctoral conferrals in science and engineering and other fields.
Definite plans to stay in the United States. A respondent is coded as having definite plans to stay in the United States if the reported postgraduation location was in the United States and the reported postgraduation plans for employment or postdoc were coded “definite.”
Definite postgraduation plans. The status of postgraduation plans is coded using the values from item B2 of the survey questionnaire, which indicate whether the doctorate recipient’s postgraduation plans for employment or a postdoc position were definite at the time the survey was completed.
Field of study. The SED collects data on over 1,600 fields of study which are grouped into 306 detailed fields, 68 major fields, and 16 broad fields. See table A-5 for a full listing of the SED-CIP codes and their alignment to the detailed, major, and broad fields of study in 2023. See table A-6 for the SED-CIP to new trend field crosswalk.

Doctorate recipients report their fields of study and doctorate dissertation. Their choices may differ from departmental names. Field groupings may differ from those in other reports published by federal sponsors of the SED. The “general” field categories (e.g., “chemistry, general”) include individuals who either received the doctorate in the general subject area or who did not indicate a particular specialty field. The “nec” or not elsewhere classified field categories (e.g., “chemistry nec”) include individuals whose specified doctoral discipline either did not fit into aggregation within major fields or who reported the “other” CIP code (i.e., “chemistry, other”) ( Table A-4 ).

Median age at doctorate. One-half of the respondents received the doctorate at or before this age. A recipient's age is obtained by subtracting the month and year of birth from the month and year of doctorate.
Percentage with master’s . This variable is the percentage of doctorate recipients in a field who received a master's degree in any field before earning the doctorate.
Research doctorate. A research doctoral degree is oriented toward preparing students to make original intellectual contributions in a field of study and is not primarily intended for the practice of a profession. Research doctorates require the completion of a dissertation or equivalent project.
Time to doctorate. The time it takes to complete a doctoral degree is measured in three ways: (1) the time elapsed from completion of the baccalaureate to completion of the doctorate (total time to degree), (2) the time elapsed from the start of any graduate school program to completion of the doctorate (graduate school time to degree), and (3) the time elapsed from the start of the doctoral program. Time-to-doctorate measures herein are reported as medians. In 2017, the method for accounting for leap days changed to reflect the actual number of leap days during the time period specified, rather than the prior method of adding 0.25 days to each year.
Total time to degree. This variable is the total elapsed time between the baccalaureate and the doctorate, including time not enrolled in school. It can be computed only for individuals whose baccalaureate year is known. Baccalaureate year is often obtained from commencement programs or doctorate institutions when not reported by the recipient.
Graduate school time to degree. This variable is the elapsed time from the initiation of graduate study, in any program or capacity at any university, and the award of the doctorate. This variable can be computed only for individuals who provided the year they started graduate school. If an individual did not respond to this question, which asks for the month and year of first entry into any graduate school, then values for graduate school month and year of entry are imputed from the month and year of entry into the most recent master’s degree program or, if that is missing, the month and year of entry into the doctoral degree program. Months are included in the computation.
Doctoral program time to degree. This variable is either (1) the elapsed time from the master’s degree program entry, if the master’s degree was awarded at the doctoral institution and was in the same fine field as the doctorate or if the master’s degree was a prerequisite to the doctoral program until doctorate completion; otherwise, it is (2) the elapsed time from the doctoral program entry until doctorate completion. This variable is only computed for academic year 2015 and later doctorates.
U.S. regions of employment . This variable is used to classify the location of U.S. employment after award of the doctorate.

Technical Tables

All Formats (ZIP 1.5 MB)
Excel (ZIP 190 KB)
PDF (ZIP 1.3 MB)

Questionnaires

View archived questionnaires, key data tables.

Recommended data tables

Trends in research doctorate recipient characteristics

Trends in postgraduation commitments of research doctorate recipients, financial support and education-related debt of research doctorate recipients, postgraduation commitments and salaries of research doctorate recipients, data tables.

All Formats (ZIP 8.2 MB)
Excel (ZIP 1.1 MB)
PDF (ZIP 7.1 MB)

Field and demographic characteristics of research doctorate recipients

Educational and background characteristics of research doctorate recipients, doctorate institutions, locations, and countries of origins of research doctorate recipients, statistical profiles of research doctorate recipients, postgraduation plans of research doctorate recipients, general notes.

The Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) is an annual census of all individuals receiving a research doctorate from an accredited U.S. institution in a given academic year. The 2023 data tables present detailed data on the educational history, time to degree, sources of financial support, education-related debt, and postgraduation plans of doctorate recipients, such as definite commitments for postdoc and other employment, employment sector, and median salary. The tables also report demographic characteristics of doctorate recipients, such as sex, race, ethnicity, and citizenship.

The SED data tables were reorganized and renumbered in the 2021 cycle; see technical table B-1 for a crosswalk comparing the current data tables with those prior to 2021. Explore SED data further via the interactive data tool and the Restricted Data Analysis System .

The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics has reviewed this product for unauthorized disclosure of confidential information and approved its release (NCSES-DRN24-046).

Acknowledgments and Suggested Citation

Acknowledgments.

The Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) is conducted and sponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and co-sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Education (ED), and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). These federal agencies gratefully acknowledge the support and assistance of graduate deans and their staff, registrars, dissertation officers, and other administrators who participate in the SED effort and contribute to its success. Appreciation is also extended to the new research doctorate recipients who completed the 2023 survey.

Kelly Kang of the NCSES oversaw the preparation of all detailed data tables and technical notes, under the leadership of Emilda B. Rivers, NCSES Director; Christina Freyman, NCSES Deputy Director; John Finamore, NCSES Chief Statistician; and Amber Levanon Seligson, NCSES Program Director. Wan-Ying Chang provided mathematical statistical support, and Shaun Genter (NCSES) provided disclosure reviews. Jock Black (NCSES) reviewed the report.

Under NCSES contract, the RTI International team led by Peter Einaudi and Caren Arbeit compiled the data tables and technical information in this report.

Suggested Citation

National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES). 2024. Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2023 Data Tables. NSF 24-336. Alexandria, VA: U.S. National Science Foundation. Available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/earned-doctorates .

Get e-mail updates from NCSES

NCSES is an official statistical agency. Subscribe below to receive our latest news and announcements.

So Many Papers, so Little Time

A blog about scientific publishing and academic productivity

Paperpile News
Productivity
Inspiration

Are you ever too old to get a PhD?

We’ve often seen discussions on social media about whether or not you’re ever too old to get a PhD. This question, which we explore in this post, is more complicated than it immediately appears.

The median age of doctoral recipients in the US is 31.5 years.

According to the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics’ 2020 Survey of Earned Doctorates , the median age of doctoral recipients in the US across all fields (including humanities and education) is 31.5 years. Education graduates tend to be the oldest at approximately 39, while PhDs in the physical sciences tend to be around 29.

While these trends reflect the experience of the majority of PhD graduates, several recent reports by major news outlets like The New York Times, the CBC, and NPR have highlighted the stories of PhDs who received their degrees in their 60s—and even as old as 89, in the case of Manfred Steiner .

Doctoral dreams

Manfred Steiner’s circumstances, in particular, highlight the problems with assuming that it’s never too late to receive a PhD. As NPR’s article points out, Steiner had a decades-long career as a successful doctor and professor of hematology at Brown University before starting his PhD in physics.

After he retired from medicine in 2000, he began taking physics courses at MIT. Years later, he completed his physics PhD at Brown. That is, he pursued a PhD after a successful—and likely lucrative—career as a distinguished doctor at the Ivy League institution from which he retired. These facts make his advice to readers (”follow your dream”) seem rather shallow.

Late-stage PhD success stories are prime examples of the elitism of doctoral education.

Likewise, a 2016 New York Times article , chronicling Robert Hevey’s pursuit of a plant biology PhD in his 60s, notes that Hevey fulfilled his doctoral dreams after a 30-year career as a certified public accountant for “accounting firms and businesses ranging from manufacturing to enterprise software and corporate restructuring.”

In both of these instances, the recipients were already successful, high-level professionals who clearly had the time, leisure, and money to pursue a PhD in their later years. The point is that these exemplars of late-stage PhD success are prime examples of the elitism that plagues doctoral education.

Who actually gets a PhD?

Tracy Evans, who wrote about her experience obtaining a PhD at 66 in Science , confessed that she pursued a doctorate because she “needed a change.” Yet, like both Steiner and Hevey, Evans already possessed advanced degrees in other fields.

That is, all three of the highlighted individuals who pursued a PhD at a later age already demonstrated that they could succeed in a graduate program, in spite of the fact that nearly 50% of PhD students in North America drop out of their programs before completing their degrees.

Why do so many PhD students drop out? Is it because of the grueling and competitive nature of the degree? Is it the case that some simply can’t keep up?

Nearly 50% of PhD students in North America drop out of their programs.

While the rigor and intensity of doctoral programs are typically cited as reasons for the high non-completion rates of admitted students, the reality behind the statistic is more complex—a reality that the above examples of late-stage PhD recipients make excessively clear.

According to a 2022 study of the socioeconomic roots of academic faculty , “family socioeconomic status (SES) […] influences graduate school applications and admissions, as well as students’ experience once accepted” (1). The study surveyed 46,692 tenure-track faculty from over 1300 institutions across most major fields. Over 7,000 faculty members provided information about their parents’ level of education.

The authors explain that “individuals with parents who have a doctorate or professional degree are increasingly overrepresented among doctorate and professional degree holders” (2). In fact, “research on social mobility suggests that the association between parents’ SES and their children’s status is larger among post-graduate than bachelor’s degree recipients” (2).

PhD students whose parents have advanced degrees are more likely to become academic faculty.

The results of the study indicate that “across all disciplines, over half (51.8%) of faculty have at least one parent with a master’s degree or PhD” (4). Importantly, there is a strong correlation between parental education and academic support. Ultimately, this means that PhD students whose parents have advanced degrees are more likely to complete their degrees and go on to become academic faculty.

Is a PhD right at any age?

We need to get past the debilitating, unethical narrative that says PhD programs must be utterly grueling.

In the end, one’s success in a PhD program actually has almost nothing to do with age. You are never too old to get a PhD if your family’s (or your own) income or educational background position you to succeed.

The questions we should be asking are: how can we restructure PhD programs so that they provide the maximum academic, financial, and emotional support for all promising students, regardless of family SES or educational background? How can we rethink the PhD pipeline?

And, finally, how can we get past the debilitating, and frankly unethical, narrative that says that PhD programs must be utterly grueling, emotionally draining, and downright nasty at times?

Chappell, B. (2021, November 7). He always wanted a Ph.D. in physics. He finally earned it at 89. NPR . https://www.npr.org/2021/11/07/1052005447/brown-university-89-phd-physics-dream

Employment Opportunities. (2019, November 15). Data snapshot: Graduate students, social class, and academia’s promise . AAUP. https://www.aaup.org/article/data-snapshot-graduate-students-social-class-and-academia%E2%80%99s-promise

Evans, T. (2018, July 12). It’s never too late to stretch your wings: Why I got a Ph.D. at age 66. Science.org . https://www.science.org/content/article/its-never-too-late-stretch-your-wings-why-i-got-phd-age-66

Kang, K. (2021). Survey of Earned Doctorates . https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf22300/data-tables

Litalien, D. (2015, May 12). Improving PhD completion rates: where should we start? Wiley.com. https://www.wiley.com/network/researchers/writing-and-conducting-research/improving-phd-completion-rates-where-should-we-start

Miller, M. (2016, April 15). Taking on the ph.D. later in life. The New York Times . https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/16/your-money/taking-on-the-phd-later-in-life.html

Morgan, A., LaBerge, N., Larremore, D., Galesic, M., Brand, J. E., & Clauset, A. (2021). Socioeconomic roots of academic faculty. In SocArXiv . https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/6wjxc

Oh, B., & Kim, C. (2020). Broken promise of college? New educational sorting mechanisms for intergenerational association in the 21st century. Social Science Research , 86 (102375), 102375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2019.102375

Ziaee, D. (Last Updated: July 22 2019). Aren’t you too old for that? The late life plunge into a PhD. CBC News . https://www.cbc.ca/radio/sunday/the-sunday-edition-october-14-2018-1.4858401/aren-t-you-too-old-for-that-the-late-life-plunge-into-a-phd-1.4858402

Brought to you by the folks at Paperpile.

We love papers so we blog about it.

Graduate Education Statistics

Graduate student demographics, admissions, doctoral time to degree, doctoral completions, and doctoral alumni outcomes.

Average Age of PhD Student: How Old Is Too Old?

Are you considering pursuing a PhD? You may be thinking that you don’t have the average age of PhD students? Well, we’ve all seen those images of fresh-faced twenty-somethings, latte in hand, typing away at their computers and hitting every academic milestone with ease. However, the reality of the situation is that you’re never too old to pursue your dreams – even if it means a PhD!

In this blog post, we’ll explore the average age of PhD student myths – and make light work of busting some persistent myths about older students in academia. So put those stereotypes aside and get ready to chuckle as we take a look at whether or not there is an age limit on success! After all, life’s too short (or long!) to skip out on big goals due to silly fears about getting older!

Debunking Some Average Age of PhD Student Myths

There are several persistent myths regarding older students in academia. One common myth is that older students have difficulty adapting to new technology and concepts, which can make them unable to succeed in a classroom setting. However, this is not true – while it may take some time for an older student to adjust to a new learning environment, they can often become just as successful as any other student once they understand the basics.

Additionally, another myth surrounding older students is that they lack motivation or enthusiasm for their studies. Wrong again! Many mature learners approach their studies with greater focus and commitment than younger students do due to their extensive life experience and knowledge.

Finally, another misguided belief is that older adults cannot keep up with the pace of grad school. This is also untrue – many older students can take on the challenge of a full-time course load and often excel more than their younger peers due to their discipline and determination.

Overall, these myths do not reflect the reality of older students in academia and should be disregarded by anyone. Older students are highly motivated and have a great deal of enthusiasm for learning. By dispelling these myths, we can create an inclusive academic environment where all ages can thrive.

Average Age Of PhD Student Data

That being said, beyond all myths, how old is your run-of-the-mill PhD student? While the average age of PhD students is quite varied depending on the field of study, statistics reveal that in 2021 nearly 45 percent of individuals who received doctorate degrees in the United States were aged between 26 and 30 years old. Additionally, around 31 percent of doctorate recipients fell between the ages of 31 and 35 years old.

Factors That Influence The Age of Applicants to PhD Programs

Factors such as professional experience, personal background, and life goals all come into play in determining the average of PhD students. Many applicants may already have significant work history in their field before applying for a PhD. Alternatively, others may be younger with fewer years of work experience or coming straight out of undergrad. Some applicants may have other commitments outside of research, such as family obligations or jobs that limit their availability for a full-time program of study. Other factors such as finances and personal interests also play a large role in shaping the profile of an incoming PhD cohort.

In addition, it is important to note that competition among applicants can vary depending on the age of those applying. While younger students may have an advantage in terms of their energy and flexibility, they may also lack the professional experience that more established candidates possess. Meanwhile, older students may have successful careers but limited availability due to their career responsibilities.

When Is It Too Late to Get a PhD?

It is never too late to pursue a PhD. Average of PhD student data is only what it is: data! You have the room to be different! Many students take time off between their undergraduate and graduate studies or wait until after they have been in the workforce for some years before pursuing a doctoral degree. There are no age limits on getting a PhD, so it can be done at any stage of life. In fact, those who pursue a doctorate later in life often bring with them valuable experiences from the workplace that can benefit their research and writing projects. Ultimately, when it comes to choosing when to get your PhD, it is an individual decision — one that should be made based on personal and professional goals. With the right motivation and dedication , anyone can pursue a PhD at any age.

There are, however, practical considerations when it comes to taking on such a long-term commitment. If you have already started a family or career, for example, it could be difficult to juggle both your studies and other life responsibilities. Additionally, financial aid is often more limited for older students; therefore, finding alternate sources of funding may be necessary. Still, with proper planning and preparation, getting a PhD later in life is an achievable goal. Regardless of your age or stage in life — if you have the drive and ambition — getting your doctorate is possible.

Can One Be Too Young to Enroll in a PhD Program?

It is never too early to start thinking about getting a PhD, but it may be too early to pursue one. Generally speaking, most students should have at least a bachelor’s degree before beginning doctoral-level work. This means that those who are still in high school or college should not yet focus on obtaining a PhD. Instead, they should concentrate on their current studies and make sure they lay the necessary foundation for doctoral study. Once the appropriate level of undergraduate education has been completed, then it may be time to start considering applying for and pursuing a PhD program .

However, even if you have already completed your undergraduate degree, you may want to take some time off from formal academic study before starting a doctoral program. This will allow you to gain life experience and explore other interests, which can help shape your academic journey. Ultimately, when you have the necessary educational background and are ready to commit yourself to a PhD program, then it may be time to start the process of applying for and pursuing a doctoral degree.

What Is The Best Age to Enroll in a PhD Program?

When it comes to enrolling in a PhD program, the best age to do so depends on a variety of factors. Ideally, someone who is interested in pursuing a PhD would be between 25 and 35 years of age due to the fact that they will likely be more mature and able to better manage the rigors of graduate school. Additionally, those with more life experience may bring different perspectives into the classroom as well as beneficial connections from their previous career experiences. Ultimately, regardless of age there are many successful PhD candidates; therefore applicants need to consider all aspects before making an enrollment decision.

Is Being 30 Too Old to Apply for a PhD ?

At thirty years old, it is not “too old” to apply for a PhD. As seen above, many successful students complete their doctoral studies after the age of 30. As long as you demonstrate strong academic credentials , relevant experience, and research interests that align with an available program, there should be no reason why an individual cannot pursue post-graduate education at any stage in their life.

Age does not necessarily need to be a limiting factor when deciding whether to commit to further study. Achieving academic success requires a combination of dedication and hard work regardless of your age. An appropriate amount of time and effort into studying can easily make the difference between success or failure in any academic venture. So, if you are thirty and considering applying for a PhD, go ahead and give it your best shot!

Is Age a Factor in the Hiring Process in Academia?

You might be wondering if the average age of PhD student data has an influence on hiring trends in academia. As a rule, age is not typically a factor in the hiring process for assistant professor positions in academia. Different universities and colleges have different policies, but generally speaking, age should not be considered when assessing candidates for assistant professor positions. Instead, universities focus on a candidate’s qualifications—academic accomplishments, teaching experience, research abilities, and other skills that could equip them to teach and mentor students. In the US , the average assistant professor is 46 years old. 67% of assistant professors are 40+ years old or older, 21% are between the ages of 30-40 years, and 11% are between 20-30 years old

A More Important Factor Than Average Age of PhD Students: Timing!

Applying to a PhD program is a life decision that should not be taken lightly. It requires careful consideration and planning, as it will significantly shape your future career path and have an important impact on the next few years of your life. Therefore, it is vital to make sure you apply at the right time in your life; when you are both academically and personally prepared for such an endeavor. This could mean waiting until after graduating with a master’s degree or dedicating some time to gain work or other experiences before applying. Whatever route you decide to take, make sure that you are adequately prepared before taking this big step into doctoral studies.

The timing of when to apply for a PhD program is just as important as age in determining one’s ability to be accepted into a program. Applying too early may mean you do not have the requisite experience or knowledge that would make you competitive for admission while applying too late means there may be fewer positions available and more qualified applicants vying for those spots. The ideal time to apply is after having accumulated enough research and professional experience so that you can demonstrate both your aptitude and capability for success in the program.

Putting an End to Ageism in Academia

Ageism in academia is a real issue, with older professors and students facing discrimination due to age. Ageism manifests itself in the form of decreased opportunities for senior faculty members and students, as well as unjustified criticism or negative assumptions about one’s capability based solely on age. This type of discrimination can cause feelings of isolation and exclusion for those affected.

Institutions must do their part to combat ageism by instituting policies that promote diversity and inclusion regardless of age. Additionally, further research should be conducted to better understand how this phenomenon manifests itself in the academic setting and what can be done to address it. Only then will we be able to create an equitable learning environment where all ages are respected and valued.

The key to eliminating ageism in academia is recognizing the unique contributions that each individual has to offer regardless of their age. Everyone should be respected, valued, and given equal access to opportunities without fear of discrimination. Institutions must take the lead in implementing policies that promote diversity and inclusion while also encouraging open dialogue about ageism in the academic setting. With everyone’s collective efforts, we can work towards creating a more equitable learning environment where all ages are welcome and respected.

Parting Words…

It’s easy to understand why a lot of people hold on to the average age of PhD student myths that paint the picture of an ideal PhD student that is at once young and fits a certain mold. Conventional wisdom is entrenched in academic life, and it will take time (and effort) to unseat these misperceptions. The good news? More and more older students are seeing the benefits of seeking out a higher degree later on in life, proving that needing a particular age as an entry requirement for PhD programs is flat-out wrong.

With age comes experience, knowledge — and plenty of motivation– which many programs will find just as valuable as youth in their prospective candidates. If you’re over 30 and want to pursue a doctorate degree – don’t let anyone tell you “you’re too old.” Instead, laugh at their ignorance – because with any luck, your story will become more commonplace over time! So if you’d like help honing in on your PhD application process, whatever your age might be, check out our PhD application services today to get started! Got questions? Sign up for a consultation . It’s FREE!

With a Master’s from McGill University and a Ph.D. from New York University, Dr. Philippe Barr is the founder of The Admit Lab . As a tenure-track professor, Dr. Barr spent a decade teaching and serving on several graduate admission committees at UNC-Chapel Hill before turning to full-time consulting. With more than seven years of experience as a graduate school admissions consultant, Dr. Barr has stewarded the candidate journey across multiple master’s and Ph.D. programs and helped hundreds of students get admitted to top-tier graduate programs all over the world .

Elevate your grad school application—join the Grad Pathway Hub today for exclusive forums, tutorials, templates, workshops, and all the tools you need to succeed! Follow me on YouTube for tips and tricks on navigating the grad school application process .

Age distribution of doctorate recipients U.S. 2021

Other statistics on the topic

Statistics on " Colleges and universities in the U.S. "

Other statistics that may interest you Colleges and universities in the U.S.

Further Content: You might find this interesting as well

Want to Get your Dissertation Accepted?

Join 200+ Graduated Students

Get Your Dissertation Accepted On Your Next Submission

Trapped in dissertation revisions?

When Is It Too Late to Get a PhD?

Getting a PhD for Your Career

Over 50% of doctoral candidates don’t finish their dissertations.

Student Loan Debt Considerations

What Is the Minimum Age for Getting a PhD?

Can You Get a PhD by Age 25?

What Is The Best Age to Get a PhD?

Does Having a Master’s Shorten the Time it Takes to Get a PhD?

Final Thoughts

Steve Tippins

Related Posts

Dissertation

What Does Ph.D. Stand For?

A Professor’s Top 3 Pieces of Advice for Ph.D. Students

Data Tables

Trends in research doctorate recipient characteristics

Typical Graduate Student Age [Data for Average Age]

Grad Student Ages – Average ages?

South-eastern University

The University of British Columbia

Age at completion of doctoral degree

Why People Wait to Get Graduate Degrees

Will graduate schools care how old you are?

Are you too old for a graduate degree?

Wrapping up

Thank you for visiting Academia Insider.

Survey Info

Areas of Interest

Survey Administration

Survey Details

Featured Survey Analysis

SED Overview

Data collection authority

Survey contractor

Major changes to recent survey cycle

Reference period

Response unit

Sample or census

Key variables

Survey Design

Sampling frame

Sample design

Data Collection and Processing

Data processing

Estimation techniques

Survey Quality Measures

Coverage error

Nonresponse error

Measurement and data processing error

Data Availability and Comparability

Data comparability

Data Products

Electronic access

Restricted access

Technical Notes

Data Collection and Processing Methods

Data Comparability

Definitions

Technical Tables

Questionnaires

Trends in research doctorate recipient characteristics

Field and demographic characteristics of research doctorate recipients

Acknowledgments and Suggested Citation

Suggested Citation

Related Content

Get e-mail updates from NCSES

So Many Papers, so Little Time

Are you ever too old to get a PhD?

Doctoral dreams

Who actually gets a PhD?

Is a PhD right at any age?