Digest 2021 Table 318.

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Table 318.20. Bachelor's, master's, and doctor's degrees conferred by postsecondary institutions, by field of study: Selected years, 1970-71 through 2019-20
Number of degrees conferred Percentage distribution of degrees conferred

Natural Natural
sciences Health sciences Health
Social and profess- Social and profess-
sciences mathe- Engi- ions and Other sciences mathe- Engi- ions and Other
Degree and Total Humani- Psy- and matics Computer neering Educa- Busi- related fields Total Humani- Psy- and matics Computer neering Educa- Busi- related fields
year degrees ties\1\ chology history \2\ sciences \3\ tion ness\4\ programs \5\ degrees ties\1\ chology history \2\ sciences \3\ tion ness\4\ programs \5\
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Bachelor's
degrees
1970-71 839,730 143,549 38,187 155,324 81,916 2,388 50,182 176,307 115,396 25,221 51,260 100.0 17.1 4.5 18.5 9.8 0.3 6.0 21.0 13.7 3.0 6.1
1975-76 925,746 150,736 50,278 126,396 91,596 5,652 46,676 154,437 143,171 53,885 102,919 100.0 16.3 5.4 13.7 9.9 0.6 5.0 16.7 15.5 5.8 11.1
1980-81 935,140 134,139 41,068 100,513 78,092 15,121 75,355 108,074 200,521 63,665 118,592 100.0 14.3 4.4 10.7 8.4 1.6 8.1 11.6 21.4 6.8 12.7
1985-86 987,823 132,891 40,628 93,840 76,228 42,337 97,122 87,147 236,700 64,941 115,989 100.0 13.5 4.1 9.5 7.7 4.3 9.8 8.8 24.0 6.6 11.7
1990-91 1,094,538 172,485 58,655 125,107 70,209 25,159 79,751 110,807 249,165 59,636 143,564 100.0 15.8 5.4 11.4 6.4 2.3 7.3 10.1 22.8 5.4 13.1

1995-96 4,782,977 193,404 73,416 126,479 93,443 24,506 77,997 105,384 226,623 85,755 157,785 100.0 16.6 6.3 10.9 8.0 2.1 6.7 9.0 19.5 7.4 13.5
2000-01 1,244,171 214,107 73,645 128,036 89,772 44,142 72,869 105,458 263,515 75,537 177,090 100.0 17.2 5.9 10.3 7.2 3.5 5.9 8.5 21.2 6.1 14.2
2005-06 1,485,104 261,666 88,132 161,468 105,883 47,702 81,406 107,235 318,043 91,528 222,041 100.0 17.6 5.9 10.9 7.1 3.2 5.5 7.2 21.4 6.2 15.0
2010-11 1,716,053 288,446 100,906 177,169 131,871 43,066 93,097 104,008 365,133 142,890 269,467 100.0 16.8 5.9 10.3 7.7 2.5 5.4 6.1 21.3 8.3 15.7
2015-16 1,920,750 274,513 117,447 161,211 167,055 64,402 123,948 87,221 371,690 228,075 325,188 100.0 14.3 6.1 8.4 8.7 3.4 6.5 4.5 19.4 11.9 16.9

2016-17 1,956,114 270,931 116,859 159,097 172,115 71,416 133,790 85,130 381,109 236,931 328,736 100.0 13.9 6.0 8.1 8.8 3.7 6.8 4.4 19.5 12.1 16.8
2017-18 1,980,665 268,551 116,436 159,962 175,456 79,597 140,681 82,599 386,240 243,876 327,267 100.0 13.6 5.9 8.1 8.9 4.0 7.1 4.2 19.5 12.3 16.5
2018-19 2,013,086 269,990 116,550 160,678 178,543 88,638 146,312 83,952 390,490 250,650 327,283 100.0 13.4 5.8 8.0 8.9 4.4 7.3 4.2 19.4 12.5 16.3
2019-20 2,038,431 271,109 119,968 161,164 184,544 97,047 148,120 85,057 387,851 257,282 326,289 100.0 13.3 5.9 7.9 9.1 4.8 7.3 4.2 19.0 12.6 16.0

Master's
degrees
1970-71 235,564 34,510 5,717 16,539 17,152 1,588 16,947 87,666 26,490 5,241 23,714 100.0 14.6 2.4 7.0 7.3 0.7 7.2 37.2 11.2 2.2 10.1
1975-76 317,477 37,079 10,167 15,953 15,742 2,603 16,800 126,061 42,592 12,051 38,429 100.0 11.7 3.2 5.0 5.0 0.8 5.3 39.7 13.4 3.8 12.1
1980-81 302,637 35,130 10,223 11,945 13,579 4,218 17,216 96,713 57,888 16,029 39,696 100.0 11.6 3.4 3.9 4.5 1.4 5.7 32.0 19.1 5.3 13.1
1985-86 295,850 34,834 9,845 10,564 14,055 8,070 22,146 74,816 66,676 18,496 36,348 100.0 11.8 3.3 3.6 4.8 2.7 7.5 25.3 22.5 6.3 12.3
1990-91 342,863 35,984 11,349 12,233 13,664 9,324 25,450 87,352 78,255 21,247 48,005 100.0 10.5 3.3 3.6 4.0 2.7 7.4 25.5 22.8 6.2 14.0

1995-96 412,180 40,795 15,152 15,012 16,154 10,579 28,843 104,936 93,554 33,780 53,375 100.0 9.9 3.7 3.6 3.9 2.6 7.0 25.5 22.7 8.2 12.9
2000-01 473,502 40,625 16,539 13,791 15,360 16,911 27,187 127,829 115,602 43,465 56,193 100.0 8.6 3.5 2.9 3.2 3.6 5.7 27.0 24.4 9.2 11.9
2005-06 599,862 49,590 19,775 17,368 19,575 17,195 33,386 174,622 146,396 51,046 70,909 100.0 8.3 3.3 2.9 3.3 2.9 5.6 29.1 24.4 8.5 11.8
2010-11 730,922 57,160 25,062 21,085 23,576 19,516 43,179 185,127 187,178 75,314 93,725 100.0 7.8 3.4 2.9 3.2 2.7 5.9 25.3 25.6 10.3 12.8
2015-16 785,757 59,067 27,645 19,861 31,299 40,130 57,713 145,792 186,835 109,846 107,569 100.0 7.5 3.5 2.5 4.0 5.1 7.3 18.6 23.8 14.0 13.7

2016-17 804,542 57,895 27,539 20,004 32,500 46,553 60,229 145,624 187,412 118,712 108,074 100.0 7.2 3.4 2.5 4.0 5.8 7.5 18.1 23.3 14.8 13.4
2017-18 820,242 59,119 27,918 19,884 34,819 46,468 58,969 146,368 192,191 125,230 109,276 100.0 7.2 3.4 2.4 4.2 5.7 7.2 17.8 23.4 15.3 13.3
2018-19 833,792 57,962 29,136 20,303 36,595 45,671 55,933 146,429 197,074 131,391 113,298 100.0 7.0 3.5 2.4 4.4 5.5 6.7 17.6 23.6 15.8 13.6
2019-20 843,449 57,197 29,763 19,507 37,791 51,521 53,485 146,975 197,422 135,324 114,464 100.0 6.8 3.5 2.3 4.5 6.1 6.3 17.4 23.4 16.0 13.6

Doctor's
degrees\6\ 7,798,639
1970-71 64,998 4,402 2,144 3,660 9,126 128 3,688 6,041 774 14,690 20,345 100.0 6.8 3.3 5.6 14.0 0.2 5.7 9.3 1.2 22.6 31.3
1975-76 91,007 5,461 3,157 4,157 7,591 244 2,874 7,202 906 23,694 35,721 100.0 6.0 3.5 4.6 8.3 0.3 3.2 7.9 1.0 26.0 39.3
1980-81 98,016 4,827 3,576 3,122 7,473 252 2,608 7,279 808 27,600 40,471 100.0 4.9 3.6 3.2 7.6 0.3 2.7 7.4 0.8 28.2 41.3
1985-86 100,280 4,648 3,593 2,955 7,668 344 3,456 6,610 923 29,551 40,532 100.0 4.6 3.6 2.9 7.6 0.3 3.4 6.6 0.9 29.5 40.4
1990-91 105,547 4,858 3,932 3,012 9,378 676 5,330 6,189 1,185 27,708 43,279 100.0 4.6 3.7 2.9 8.9 0.6 5.0 5.9 1.1 26.3 41.0

1995-96 115,507 6,356 4,141 3,760 10,997 869 6,354 6,246 1,366 30,437 44,981 100.0 5.5 3.6 3.3 9.5 0.8 5.5 5.4 1.2 26.4 38.9
2000-01 119,585 6,466 5,091 3,930 10,190 768 5,547 6,284 1,180 36,663 43,466 100.0 5.4 4.3 3.3 8.5 0.6 4.6 5.3 1.0 30.7 36.3
2005-06 138,056 6,628 4,921 3,914 12,097 1,416 7,318 7,584 1,711 43,071 49,396 100.0 4.8 3.6 2.8 8.8 1.0 5.3 5.5 1.2 31.2 35.8
2010-11 163,827 8,359 5,851 4,390 14,574 1,588 8,425 9,642 2,286 57,439 51,273 100.0 5.1 3.6 2.7 8.9 1.0 5.1 5.9 1.4 35.1 31.3
2015-16 178,134 8,324 6,540 4,706 15,851 1,989 10,398 11,838 3,325 70,380 44,783 100.0 4.7 3.7 2.6 8.9 1.1 5.8 6.6 1.9 39.5 25.1

2016-17 181,357 8,120 6,702 4,706 16,039 1,982 10,523 12,692 3,328 74,454 42,811 100.0 4.5 3.7 2.6 8.8 1.1 5.8 7.0 1.8 41.1 23.6
2017-18 183,734 8,337 6,275 4,676 16,409 2,017 11,029 12,780 3,338 76,672 42,201 100.0 4.5 3.4 2.5 8.9 1.1 6.0 7.0 1.8 41.7 23.0
2018-19 187,577 8,359 6,215 4,544 16,279 2,224 11,351 13,020 3,640 79,556 42,389 100.0 4.5 3.3 2.4 8.7 1.2 6.1 6.9 1.9 42.4 22.6
2019-20 190,178 8,276 6,346 4,436 15,873 2,414 11,284 13,051 3,443 82,492 42,563 100.0 4.4 3.3 2.3 8.3 1.3 5.9 6.9 1.8 43.4 22.4
\1\Includes degrees in Area, ethnic, cultural, gender, and group studies; English language and literature/letters; Foreign languages, literatures, and linguistics; Liberal arts and sciences, general
studies, and humanities; Multi/interdisciplinary studies; Philosophy and religious studies; Theology and religious vocations; and Visual and performing arts.
\2\Includes Biological and biomedical sciences; Mathematics and statistics; and Physical sciences and science technologies.
\3\Includes Engineering; Engineering technologies and engineering-related fields; Construction trades; and Mechanic and repair technologies/technicians.
\4\Includes Business, management, marketing, and related support services; and Culinary, entertainment, and personal services.

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 Digest 2021 Table 318.20

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\5\Includes Agricultural, animal, plant, veterinary science, and related fields; Architecture and related services; Communication, journalism, and related programs; Communications technologies; Family
and consumer sciences/human sciences; Homeland security, law enforcement, and firefighting; Legal professions and studies; Library science; Military technologies and applied sciences; Natural resources
and conservation; Parks, recreation, leisure, fitness, and kinesiology; Precision production; Public administration and social services; Transportation and materials moving; and Not classified by field
of study.
\6\Includes Ph.D., Ed.D., and comparable degrees at the doctoral level. Includes most degrees that were classified as first-professional prior to 2010-11, such as M.D., D.D.S., and law degrees.
NOTE: Data in this table represent the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Data through 1994-95 are for institutions of higher education, while later data are for degree-granting institutions. Data
are for postsecondary institutions participating in Title IV federal financial aid programs. Data in this table are based on the 2010 Classification of Instructional Programs. The figures for earlier
years have been reclassified when necessary to make them conform to the new taxonomy. To facilitate trend comparisons, certain aggregations have been made of the degree fields as reported in the
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Some data have been revised from previously published figures.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Higher Education General Information Survey (HEGIS), "Degrees and Other Formal Awards Conferred" surveys, 1970-71 through
1985-86; Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), "Completions Survey" (IPEDS-C:91-96); and IPEDS Fall 2001 through Fall 2020, Completions component. (This table was prepared October
2021.)

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