Science Masters Degree Trends and Career OutcomesLisa M. Frehill & Shirley MalcomCommission on Professionals American Association forin Science and Technology the Advancement of ScienceAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science Chicago, IL February 14, 2009This research was funded by the National Science Foundation, Science Resource Statistics Division. The use of NSF data does not imply NSF endorsement of the research, research methods, or conclusions contained in this report. The use of NSF data does not imply NSF endorsement of the research, research methods, or conclusions contained in this report. Acronyms Three categories of U.S. citizens and permanent residents: URM = under-represented minorities includes African Americans, American Indians/Alaska Natives, and Hispanics. API = Asian/Pacific Islanders NHW = Non-Hispanic whites TR, Temp. Resid. = Temporary Residents STEM: Science, technology, engineering and mathematics S&E: Science and engineering (Note: both of the above include psychology and social sciences)Data Sources Degree data Institutional Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) collected by the National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed via National Science Foundations WebCASPAR database system. Labor market outcomes data Scientists and Engineering Statistical Analysis System (SESTAT) Composite of three surveys nationally representative data National Survey of College Graduates National Survey of Recent College Graduates Survey of Doctorate Recipients Multiple years: 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2003, and 2006. Analyzed using the Statistics Package for the Social SciencesDegree TrendsAs degree level increases, womens and URMs representation decreases.Womens representation varies greatly across STEM fields and degree levels.URMs represent 34% of 18-24 year olds but are far from parity in every STEM field at all levels. Number of masters degrees increased most dramatically in life, followed by computer, social sciences and psychology. In contrast to the sciences, the number of masters degrees in engineering fields did not greatly increase, with electrical remaining the largest engineering field.In general, between 1995 and 2006, number of STEM masers increased with a few notable exceptions & some recent downturns. Computer science: NHW women peaked in 1986 at 5,952 and have yet to return to this level (4,648 in 2006). Physical sciences: NHW women decrease and slight decrease for temp. resid. Women since 1995. Mathematics & statistics: NHW women and men decreased 1995-2000/01 and have started an upward trend. NHW women peaked at 4,088 masters in 1993 and were at 3,640 in 2006. Psychology: decreased for NHW men. Social sciences: initially decreased and have started to rebound for NHW men 1996 peak was 14,818, in 2006, 14,050 masters.More than half of life science MS degrees were awarded to women . . . mostly U.S. women.But only 15% of computer science MS degrees were awarded to U.S. women, and another 12% temp. resid. women.Social sciences are more diverse than life and computer sciences with 1 in 3 degrees awarded to URMs.53% of MS degrees in electrical are awarded to temp. resid., 8% to U.S. women and 8% to URM men.Industrial is a little more diverse: URMs earned 20% of MS degrees and another 10% to other U.S. women (API and white). Family Statuses and Labor Market OutcomesMost masters degree holders are married and many have children with substantial variations in children across fields.Married: Women: Lowest: 62.7% in “All other engineering” Highest: 79.7% in electrical engineering. Men: Lowest: 67.8% in mathematics. Highest: 79.9% of men in computer science. Children (% with at least one 18): Women: Lowest: 32.4% in social sciences. Highest: 57.6% in both mathematics and computer science. Men: Lowest: 35.0% in social sciences. Highest: 53.7% in both mathematics and computer science.Source: CPST analysis of SESTAT, 2006 data. The use of NSF data does not imply NSF endorsement of the research, research methods, or conclusions contained in this report.Median Salaries of MS degree holders are generally high. In contrast to other workers, MS holders in Computer Science have much higher median salaries regardless of ethnicity and gender.Median salaries of psychology masters degree holders were often low but even these salaries are on par or higher than those of the general U.S. labor force aged 25 and older.A majority of MS engineers are in for-profit firms. URM women in Civil/architectural and “all other” engineering were less likely in the for-profit sector.Asian/Pacific Islanders are generally more likely than URMs and whites to work in the for-profit sector with science masters degrees.URMs are generally less likely to be in the for- profit sector. People with