Community College Experience of Research Doctoral Degree Recipients

Overall, 21.2 percent of all 2021 research doctoral degree recipients had ever attended a community college. By race and ethnicity among domestic students, the share of research doctoral degree recipients who had attended a community college ranged from 21.3 percent of Asian students to 55.4 percent of American Indians or Alaska Native students. Only 4.0 percent of international students who earned a research doctoral degree had ever attended a community college.

Percentage of 2021 Research Doctoral Degree Recipients Who Had Ever Attended a Community College, by Race and Ethnicity

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Source

National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Survey of Earned Doctorates, 2021

Notes:
Data for individual racial and ethnic categories include all U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Temporary visa holders are categorized as international students.

“Other Fields” includes other non-science and engineering fields not shown separately.

Percentages based on total number of research doctoral degree recipients.

Data for the following should be interpreted with caution. Ratio of standard error is >50 percent.

Reporting standards not met:

  • American Indian or Alaska Native, Engineering

  • American Indian or Alaska Native, Humanities

  • American Indian or Alaska Native, Arts

  • American Indian or Alaska Native, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources

  • American Indian or Alaska Native, Biological and Biomedical Sciences

  • American Indian or Alaska Native, Physical Science

  • American Indian or Alaska Native, Geosciences, Atmospheric, and Ocean Sciences

  • American Indian or Alaska Native, Psychology

  • American Indian or Alaska Native, Business

  • Asian, Humanities

  • Asian, Arts

  • Black or African American, Engineering

  • Black or African American, Humanities

  • Black or African American, Arts

  • Black or African American, Biological and Biomedical Sciences

  • Black or African American, Physical Science

  • Black or African American, Geosciences, Atmospheric, and Ocean Sciences

  • Black or African American, Psychology

  • Other race or race not reported, Humanities

  • Other race or race not reported, Arts

  • Other race or race not reported, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources

  • Other race or race not reported, Geosciences, Atmospheric, and Ocean Sciences

  • Other race or race not reported, Business