Early Years

A majority of U.S. students aren’t proficient in science and math, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, though there have been gains. Some experts worry that U.S. students are falling behind students in other developed nations.

College

Contrary to conventional wisdom, roughly the same percentage of students who intend to major in a science and engineering (S&E) field end up graduating in one. Likewise, racial and ethnic minorities attain college degrees in S&E fields at roughly the same rate as they attain degrees in all fields.

Workforce

As students graduate and get jobs, many leave the STEM path. Compared with the total U.S. working-age population, women, blacks and Hispanics are underrepresented in S&E jobs.

Key

  • Male
  • Female
  • White
  • Black
  • Hispanic
  • Asian / Pacific Islander
  • American Indian / Alaska Native

% OF U.S. STUDENTS PERFORMING AT OR ABOVE PROFICIENT LEVEL, 2009

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SCIENCE LITERACY SCORES, BY COUNTRY, 2009*

*Average scores for 15-year-olds taking the PISA test. Scores range from 1 to 1,000.

  • 544 Finland
  • 539 Japan
  • 538 Rep. of Korea
  • 529 Canada
  • 520 Germany
  • 514 U.K.
  • 512 Slovenia
  • 502 U.S.
  • 489 Italy
  • 488 Spain
  • 470 Greece
  • 455 Israel
  • 454 Turkey
  • 447 Chile
  • 416 Mexico
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Math proficiency among U.S. eighth graders has more than doubled since 1990.

1990

15%

2009

34%

Gender

Race / Ethnicity

FRESHMEN INTENDING S&E MAJOR, 2009

F

M

49% of female STEM college students say they chose their field because of a desire to make a difference, compared with 34% of male STEM students.

70% of U.S. high school graduates go on to college.

36% of them intend to major in a STEM field.

U.S. BACHELOR’S DEGREES AWARDED, 2009

S&E

31%

69%

Non S&E Fields

1 in 10 students who receive a bachelor’s degree in S&E go on to receive an S&E doctoral degree.

Median annual earnings
in 2010...

for all U.S. employees:$33,840

for S&E employees:$75,820

Only about half of all employees with their highest degree in S&E work in S&E or a related field.

Gender

Race / Ethnicity

S&E DEGREE HOLDERS WORKING IN AN S&E FIELD, 2008

74%

27%

74% of science and engineering employees have a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared with 27% of other employees.

DISTRIBUTION OF U.S. WORKERS, 2008

S&E Jobs

4.6%

95.4%

Non S&E Jobs

Expected growth rate between 2008 and 2018

Science and engineering employment

20.6%

Total employment

10.1%