2026_STEM（科学_技术_工程和数学）人才_教育_培训与劳动力报告_94页_2mb

> **来源：[研报客](https://pc.yanbaoke.cn)** Labor Force # STEM Talent: Education, Training, and Workforce NSB-2026-1 | February 12, 2026 # Table Of Contents # Executive Summary 5 U.S. STEM Workforce Scale and Composition 5 U.S. STEM Workforce Growth and Economic Impact 5 K-12 STEM Education Performance and Challenges 6 Higher Education STEM Pipeline and International Competitiveness 6 # Introduction 7 # STEM Labor 8 U.S. STEM Workforce: Size, Demographic Characteristics, and Labor Market Outcomes 8 Geographic Distribution of STEM Workers 16 Growth of the STEM Workforce 18 Foreign-Born STEM Workers in the United States 22 Pathways to STEM Occupations 24 STEM Workers in the Economy 29 # Path to STEM Employment 35 K-12 STEM Education 35 STEM Degrees 42 # Persistence and Attrition in STEM Education and Training 63 Postsecondary Enrollment in STEM 63 Transition to Employment for Research Doctorate Recipients 65 # International Comparisons and Global Competitiveness 70 K-12 STEM Education 70 STEM Doctoral Degrees, Stay Rates, and Internationally Mobile Students 75 # Conclusion 83 # Glossary 84 Definitions 84 Key to Acronyms and Abbreviations 84 # References 86 # Notes 89 # Acknowledgments and Citation 93 Acknowledgments 93 Citation 93 # Contact Us 94 Contact Us 94 NCSES 94 # List of Tables TAL-1 Workforce, occupational groups, and examples 8 TAL-2 Median earnings of full-time, year-round workers, by educational attainment and occupational group: 2023 15 TAL-3 Share of STEM workforce, by state: 2013-23 19 TAL-4 Workers, by region of birth and occupational group: 2023 22 TAL-5 Foreign-born workers, by selected region, country, or economy of origin and occupational group: 2023 23 TAL-6 Citizenship status of foreign-born STEM workers, by selected region, country, or economy of origin: 2023 24 TAL-7 Measures of population with a bachelor's or an advanced degree, by field of study: 2023 26 TAL-8 Workers in major industries, by occupational group: 2023 29 TAL-9 STEM workforce and the educational attainment, citizenship status, and country or economy of the foreign-born STEM 31 workforce, by major industry: 2023 TAL-10 Average scores of students in grades 4, 8, and 12 on the main NAEP mathematics assessment, by race or ethnicity: 38 2024 TAL-11 S&E-related degrees awarded, by degree level and field: 2013 and 2023 47 TAL-12 Recent recipients of their first bachelor's degrees who reported attending community college, by timing of attendance 60 and broad field area: 2023 TAL-13 Degrees awarded by HBCUs and TCCUs, by degree level and field area: 2023 61 TAL-14 Among fall 2009 ninth graders who started as a STEM major and completed a postsecondary degree by 2021, percentage who completed a STEM degree, by student characteristics TAL-15 S&E doctorate recipients with definite postgraduation commitments, by location of commitments, citizenship status, and field of doctorate: 2023 TAL-16 Average CIL and CT scores of U.S. students in grade 8, by race or ethnicity and school poverty level: 2023 74 TAL-17 Postgraduation plans of U.S. S&E doctorates on temporary resident visas to stay in the United States, by broad field of 78 doctorate and country or economy of origin: 2012-23 TAL-18 U.S. stay rates for S&E doctorates holding temporary U.S. visas at doctoral graduation, by key characteristics: 2023 80 TAL-19 Internationally mobile students enrolled in tertiary education, by selected country of destination: 2017-23 81 # List of Figures TAL-1 Size of the workforce, by occupational group and education level: 2023 TAL-2 Workforce, by occupational group and sex: 2023 10 TAL-3 Share of workers of each racial or ethnic group employed in STEM occupations, by race or ethnicity: 2023 11 TAL-4 Workforce, by occupational group and educational attainment: 2023 12 TAL-5 Field of study of highest degree and occupational group of S&E, S&E-related, and non-STEM workers with a bachelor's 13 or an advanced degree: 2023 TAL-6 Unemployment rate, by occupational group: 2013-23 14 TAL-7 Workers, by occupational group and rural/urban classification: Five-year sample, 2019-23 16 TAL-8 Workers, by occupational group, rural/urban classification, and educational attainment: Five-year sample, 2019-23 17 TAL-9 Size of the workforce, by occupational group: 2013-23 18 TAL-10 Projected employment size, by occupational group: 2024 and 2034 21 TAL-11 Share of STEM workers with credentials, by credential type and educational attainment: 2024 25 TAL-12 Measures of population with a bachelor's or an advanced degree, by field of study, sex, and race and ethnicity: 2023 27 TAL-13 Share of workers in R&D-intensive industries, by occupational group: 2017 and 2022 32 TAL-14 Share of workers in occupational groups, by R&D intensity: 2022 34 TAL-15 Average scores of students in grades 4 and 8 on the main NAEP mathematics assessment: 1990-2024 35 TAL-16 Average scores of students in grade 8 on the main NAEP mathematics assessment, by percentile: 1990-2024 36 TAL-17 Average scores of students in grades 4 and 8 on the main NAEP mathematics assessment, by sex and socioeconomic status: 2024 37 TAL-18 Average scores of students in grade 8 on the main NAEP mathematics assessment, by teacher characteristics: 2024 39 TAL-19 Average scores of students in grade 8 on the main NAEP mathematics assessment, by state: 2024 40 TAL-20 Public high schools offering mathematics, science, and computer science courses: 2020-21 41 TAL-21 S&E awards conferred, by award level: 2013-23 42 TAL-22 S&E degrees as a percentage of total degrees awarded: 2013 and 2023 43 TAL-23 S&E undergraduate degrees awarded, by field: 2013 and 2023 44 TAL-24 S&E graduate degrees awarded, by field: 2013 and 2023 45 TAL-25 S&E-related awards conferred, by award level: 2013-23 47 TAL-26 Share of bachelor's degrees awarded in S&E fields, by state: 2023 48 TAL-27 Share of doctoral degrees awarded in S&E fields, by state: 2023 49 TAL-28 S&E and S&E-related degrees awarded, by sex, field, and degree level: 2023 50 TAL-29 S&E doctoral degrees awarded, by sex and field: 2023 53 TAL-30 Race and ethnicity of U.S. resident population, ages 20-34, and U.S. citizen and permanent resident S&E award recipients, by degree level: 2023 TAL-31 Share of S&E degrees awarded to temporary visa holders, by degree level: 2013-23 55 TAL-32 S&E and S&E-related associate's degrees awarded, by institution type: 2013-23 56 TAL-33 Broad field for S&E associate's degrees awarded by community colleges: 2023 58 TAL-34 Broad field for S&E-related associate's degrees awarded by community colleges: 2023 59 TAL-35 Doctorate recipients who earned college credit at a community or 2-year college, by field: 2023 61 TAL-36 Among fall 2009 ninth graders who completed a postsecondary STEM degree by 2021, percentage who completed a bachelor's degree or a certificate or an associate's degree, by select student characteristics TAL-37 S&E doctorate recipients with definite postgraduation commitments in the United States, by citizenship status and field of doctorate: 2023 TAL-38 S&E doctorate recipients with definite postgraduation commitments in the United States, by type of commitment, citizenship status, and major field of doctorate: 2023 TAL-39 Average scores of students in grade 8 on the TIMSS mathematics and science scales among participating advanced economies, by education system: 2023 TAL-40 Average scores of U.S. students in grade 8 on the TIMSS mathematics and science scales: 1995-2023 73 TAL-41 Average scores of U.S. students in grade 8 on the ICILS computer science assessment, by sex: 2023 74 TAL-42 S&E doctoral degrees awarded, by selected country: 2015-22 76 TAL-43 Doctoral degrees awarded, by S&E field and selected country: 2022 77 TAL-44 Stay rates for U.S. S&E doctoral degree recipients with temporary visas at graduation: 2003-23 80 # Executive Summary # U.S. STEM Workforce Scale and Composition The U.S. science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce in 2023 represented about a quarter of all workers in the domestic economy and demonstrated distinct patterns of educational attainment and industry concentration. - In 2023, there were 36 million STEM workers in the United States, accounting for $25\%$ of the total workforce. - In 2023, science and engineering (S&E) workers $(42\%)$ and S&E-related workers $(48\%)$ made up $90\%$ of the STEM workforce with a bachelor's or an advanced degree; workers in STEM middle-skill occupations made up the other $10\%$ . Among STEM workers without a bachelor's degree, $63\%$ were employed in STEM middle-skill occupations. - In 2023, $22\%$ of the U.S. STEM workforce was foreign born. Naturalized U.S. citizens made up $52\%$ of the foreign-born domestic STEM workforce, noncitizens made up $42\%$ , and foreign-born workers who were U.S. citizens by birth (i.e., born abroad to a parent or parents who are U.S. citizens) made up $5\%$ . - In 2022, over a third (36%, or about 6 million) of the workers in research and development (R&D)-intensive industries were employed in STEM occupations. Under a quarter (24%, or 30 million) of the workers in non-R&D-intensive industries were employed in STEM occupations. - Based on the American Community Survey 5-Year File, 2023, comparable proportions of workers in rural (25%) and urban (25%) areas were employed in STEM occupations, but the occupational groups varied by geography. The share of workers in STEM middle-skill occupations in rural areas (13%) was higher than the share in urban areas (9%), whereas the share of S&E workers in urban areas (7%) was higher than the share in rural areas (3%). # U.S. STEM Workforce Growth and Economic Impact Employment in STEM occupations grew at a faster rate than in non-STEM occupations between 2013 and 2023 and provided economic premiums to STEM workers. - Between 2013 and 2023, the STEM workforce grew by $26\%$ , faster than the $9\%$ growth in the non-STEM workforce. - Employment in STEM occupations is projected to grow $6\%$ from 2024 to 2034, faster than the projected $2\%$ growth in employment in non-STEM occupations. - In 2023, full-time, year-round workers in STEM occupations had higher median earnings ($76,000) than workers in non-STEM occupations ($55,000). Within STEM occupations, S&E workers had the highest overall earnings ($100,000), followed by S&E-related workers ($80,000), then by workers in STEM middle-skill occupations (\(58,000). - In 2023, the two largest countries or economies of origin for foreign-born STEM workers in the United States were Mexico (1.3 million) and India (1.0 million), which combined to represent $31\%$ of all foreign-born STEM workers in the United States. Workers from the top 30 countries or economies of origin made up $79\%$ of the foreign-born STEM workers in the United States. # K-12 STEM Education Performance and Challenges Recent assessments reveal concerning trends in U.S. K-12 STEM education, with incomplete recovery from pandemic-related learning losses and declining international competitiveness, particularly in mathematics. In mathematics assessments, students taught by experienced, credentialed teachers outperformed students taught by less-experienced teachers. - A 2024 national assessment of fourth and eighth graders' mathematics performance shows some post-COVID-19 pandemic learning recovery since 2022 for higher-performing students but no recovery for lower-performing students. Other than for fourth-grade students scoring at the 75th and 90th percentiles, student scores have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. - The national mathematics assessment in 2024 shows that students taught by teachers with 6 or more years of experience scored higher than students taught by less-experienced teachers, as did students taught by teachers with traditional certifications rather than teachers with alternative certifications. - Eighth graders from 18 advanced economies participated in an international assessment in 2023. U.S. students scored in the middle of the group in science and in the bottom third in mathematics. - Average mathematics scores for U.S. eighth-grade students who participated in international assessments decreased by 27 points, from 515 of 1,000 possible points in a pre-pandemic 2019 assessment to 488 points in a 2023 assessment. Students' mathematics achievement in high school is associated with postsecondary STEM degree outcomes. Of students who scored in the highest quintile of a mathematics assessment in grade 11 and declared a postsecondary STEM major in college, $71\%$ completed a STEM degree, compared with $34\%$ of students who scored in the lowest quintile. # Higher Education STEM Pipeline and International Competitiveness U.S. higher education institutions continue to expand STEM degree production at all levels, with particularly strong growth in S&E fields. In 2023, the United States maintained its position as a leading destination for international students, despite a slight decline in overall share since 2013 and increasing global competition. - Between 2013 and 2023, the number of S&E degrees awarded by U.S. institutions increased at all levels. At all degree levels, the growth in S&E degree completions during this period was higher than the growth in the college-age population. - Between 2013 and 2023, computer and information sciences degree awards at the bachelor's and master's levels exhibited strong growth, from about 51,500 to 114,100 and from about 22,800 to 77,200, respectively. - In 2023, visa holders continue to be highly represented among advanced degree awardees (master's and doctoral levels) in technologically important fields—computer and information sciences, engineering, and mathematics and statistics. - The United States was the most popular destination for internationally mobile postsecondary students in 2023. However, the number of internationally mobile students enrolled in the United States fell by $3\%$ between 2017 and 2023, while it rose in other countries that are major attractors of this talent. # Introduction Talent is the bedrock of the nation's science and engineering (S&E) enterprise and a key part of U.S. competitiveness. The science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce is integral to the United States' ability to meet persistent and emerging global challenges, including national security, health, economic development, and future research challenges. A globally competitive STEM education system equips Americans with the skills and knowledge needed to participate in the STEM workforce. Indicators of the performance of the domestic S&E enterprise—from STEM education and training to employment and attrition—highlight challenges. The STEM workforce accounts for roughly a quarter of all U.S. workers and includes those who work in traditional S&E occupations and those who work in a wider collection of occupations, including the skilled technical workforce. For all, the path to these occupations starts early and may be complex, with many junctions where an individual may continue to pursue STEM education or employment or choose to follow other paths. However, for those who end up employed in STEM fields, the wage and employment benefits are notable. This report presents available statistics that highlight key persistence and attrition milestones on the path to the STEM workforce. The STEM workforce comprises individuals born in the United States, as well as those born abroad and educated or trained at U.S. or international institutions. Many types of U.S. institutions foster talent development: K-12 schools, community colleges, colleges and universities, and technical training programs. The availability of STEM training varies across schools, districts, and regions, with differences often linked to socioeconomic and geographic factors. Many variables affect the probability of students moving through their education and training and gaining employment in the STEM workforce. Attrition of individuals from the U.S. S&E ecosystem occurs at various points along the pathway to employment in STEM occupations. A recent national assessment shows some recovery in elementary and secondary student mathematics performance since the COVID-19 pandemic, but only the scores for fourth-grade students at the 75th and 90th percentiles have returned to prepandemic levels. This highlights potential gaps in foundational knowledge that domestic students progressing through STEM education and training may have, with potential downstream consequences for the adequacy and robustness of the domestic STEM workforce. International students play a significant role in the U.S. higher education system, which awards a large percentage of S&E degrees in certain fields to individuals studying in the United States on temporary visas, especially at the doctoral level and in some critical and emerging technological fields. International students who earned their degrees in the United States and stay in this country (on employment visas, as permanent residents, or as naturalized citizens) after graduating contribute to meeting the domestic demand for STEM workers. # STEM Labor # U.S. STEM Workforce: Size, Demographic Characteristics, and Labor Market Outcomes STEM workers play an important role in the economic vitality, health, and security of the United States. They contribute to cutting-edge research and development (R&D), the application and maintenance of technologies in all sectors of the economy, and the provision of services that contribute to the well-being of every citizen. The United States relies on STEM workers to build its scientific and technical capacity and maintain the global competitiveness of its industries. The STEM workforce is defined as those currently employed in S&E, S&E-related, or STEM middle-skill occupations (see the Glossary section). STEM middle-skill occupations are those occupations that require technical knowledge but are not classified as S&E or S&E-related and do not require a bachelor's degree (Table TAL-1). Table TAL-1. Workforce, occupational groups, and examples (Workforce, occupational group, and example) Workforce Occupational groups Examples of occupations STEM S&E Computer support specialists, engineers, industrial engineers, including health and safety, software developers S&E-related Licensed nurses, pharmacy technicians, physicians, registered nurses STEM middle skill Carpenters, electricians, farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers, industrial production managers Non-STEM Non-STEM Counselors, food preparation workers, police officers, general and operations managers STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. # Note(s): Please see https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsb20212/ for the expanded definition of STEM occupations; https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsb20212/table/SLBR-1 for the classification of STEM occupations; and https://ncses.nsf.gov/136/assets/0/files/ncses_workforcestatistics_onepager.pdf for an overview. # Source(s): National Science Board, National Science Foundation, 2021, The STEM Labor Force of Today: Scientists, Engineers and Skilled Technical Workers, Science and Engineering Indicators 2022, NSB-2021-2, available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsb20212/; National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, 2022, Workforce Statistics, NCSES 2022-203, available at https://ncses.nsf.gov/136/assets/0/files/ncses_workforcestatistics_onepager.pdf. Science and Engineering Indicators # Size of the STEM Workforce In 2023, there were 36 million STEM workers in the United States, making up $25\%$ of the total U.S. workforce. Employment and educational attainment patterns varied among S&E, S&E-related, and STEM middle-skill occupations (Figure TAL-1). Among STEM workers, $27\%$ were employed in S&E occupations, $37\%$ in S&E-related occupations, and $36\%$ in STEM middle-skill occupations. Most workers in S&E $(79\%)$ and S&E-related $(65\%)$ occupations had a bachelor's or an advanced degree, whereas $14\%$ of workers in STEM middle-skill occupations did. Of the STEM workers with a bachelor's or an advanced degree, $42\%$ were employed in S&E occupations, $48\%$ were in S&E-related occupations, and $10\%$ were in STEM middle-skill occupations. About half of the workers in the STEM workforce did not have a bachelor's degree; of these workers, $63\%$ were employed in STEM middle-skill occupations. Figure TAL-1. Size of the workforce, by occupational group and education level: 2023 STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. # Note(s): Data include the employed, civilian, noninstitutionalized population ages 25-75 not currently in primary or secondary school. Missing occupations and those who have not worked in the past 5 years or have never worked are not included in the data. STEM includes S&E, S&E-related, and STEM middle-skill occupations. # Source(s): Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), 2023. Science and Engineering Indicators # Demographic Patterns of the STEM Workforce The STEM workforce is predominantly male. Of the 36 million workers in the STEM workforce in 2023, $65\%$ were men (Figure TAL-2). Although men accounted for most workers in S&E $(73\%)$ and STEM middle-skill $(89\%)$ occupations, women accounted for the majority $(65\%)$ of workers in S&E-related occupations. Figure TAL-2. Workforce, by occupational group and sex: 2023 STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. # Note(s): Data include the employed, civilian, noninstitutionalized population ages 25-75 not currently in primary or secondary school. Missing occupations and those who have not worked in the past 5 years or have never worked are not included in the data. STEM includes S&E, S&E-related, and STEM middle-skill occupations. # Source(s): Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), 2023. Science and Engineering Indicators A greater share of the total male workforce of the United States was employed in STEM occupations than their female counterparts in 2023: $31\%$ of the total male workforce was employed in STEM occupations, compared to $19\%$ of the total female workforce (Figure TAL-2). However, a different pattern emerged by STEM occupational group. Greater shares of the total male workforce were employed in S&E $(9\%)$ and middle-skill $(16\%)$ occupations than their female counterparts $(4\%$ and $2\%$ , respectively), whereas a greater share $(13\%)$ of the total female workforce was employed in S&E-related occupations than their male counterparts $(6\%)$ . Participation in the STEM workforce varied by racial and ethnic group. In 2023, $38\%$ of all Asian workers were employed in STEM occupations, the highest share of any racial or ethnic group, followed by White workers at $27\%$ (Figure TAL-3; Table STAL-1). Roughly $20\%$ of Black or African American (Black), Hispanic or Latino (Hispanic), American Indian or Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander workers were employed in STEM occupations. Figure TAL-3. Share of workers of each racial or ethnic group employed in STEM occupations, by race or ethnicity: 2023 Race or ethnicity AIAN = American Indian or Alaska Native; NHOPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. # Note(s): Data include the employed, civilian, noninstitutionalized population ages 25-75 not currently in primary or secondary school. Missing occupations and those who have not worked in the past 5 years or have never worked are not included in the data. Hispanic or Latino may be any race; race categories exclude Hispanic origin. STEM includes S&E, S&E-related, and STEM middle-skill occupations. # Source(s): Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), 2023. Science and Engineering Indicators # Educational Attainment of the STEM Workforce Postsecondary education is a common educational pathway to STEM occupations. In 2023, $62\%$ of STEM workers had earned a postsecondary degree, with $50\%$ having earned a bachelor's or an advanced degree and another $12\%$ having earned an associate's degree (Figure TAL-4; Table STAL-1). STEM workers had higher shares of each level of postsecondary degree (associate's through doctoral degrees) than non-STEM workers. The majority of workers in S&E occupations had a bachelor's or an advanced degree $(79\%)$ , higher than the shares of these degrees among workers in S&E-related $(65\%)$ , STEM middle-skill $(14\%)$ , and non-STEM $(40\%)$ occupations. A bachelor's degree was the most common degree among workers in S&E $(45\%)$ and S&E-related $(32\%)$ occupations. For workers in STEM middle-skill occupations, $75\%$ did not have a postsecondary degree. Figure TAL-4. Workforce, by occupational group and educational attainment: 2023 Up to high school Some college, no degree Associate's degree Bachelor's degree Master's or professional degree Doctoral degree STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. # Note(s): Data include the employed, civilian, noninstitutionalized population ages 25-75 not currently in primary or secondary school. Missing occupations and those who have not worked in the past 5 years or have never worked are not included in the data. STEM includes S&E, S&E-related, and STEM middle-skill occupations. # Source(s): Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), 2023. Science and Engineering Indicators # Relationship between Field of Study and Occupational Group Workers in STEM occupations have diverse educational backgrounds, although most earned their degrees in STEM fields. Based on the National Survey of College Graduates (NSCG), 24 million college-educated workers had their highest degree in a STEM field in 2023, comprising $46\%$ of the college-educated workforce (Figure TAL-5). Of those with their highest degree in a STEM field, about two-thirds (16.2 million) received their highest degree in an S&E field, and the other third (8.1 million) received S&E-related degrees. The college-educated workforce had 19 million workers in S&E and S&E-related occupations, with 8 million in S&E and 11 million in S&E-related occupations. Most S&E (80%) and S&E-related (81%) workers received STEM degrees. About a quarter of S&E workers (26%) did not receive their highest degree in an S&E field, and close to half (45%) of S&E-related workers did not receive their highest degree in an S&E-related field. Figure TAL-5. Field of study of highest degree and occupational group of S&E, S&E-related, and non-STEM workers with a bachelor's or an advanced degree: 2023 Number STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. # Note(s): Data include employed civilians 25-75 years old. Highest degree is derived from first major of highest degree. STEM middle-skill occupations are included in nonS&E occupations for the college-educated workforce in the National Survey of College Graduates (NSCG). # Source(s): National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, NSCG, 2023. Science and Engineering Indicators # Labor Market Outcomes Indicators of labor market conditions, such as unemployment rates and earnings, provide information on the economic value proposition of STEM occupations. STEM workers fare well in the labor market. Each year from 2013 to 2023, the unemployment rate of STEM workers was lower than that of non-STEM workers (Figure TAL-6; Table STAL-2). However, unemployment rates varied among STEM occupational groups. S&E and S&E-related workers consistently had lower unemployment rates than workers in STEM middle-skill occupations. The unemployment rate of workers in STEM middle-skill occupations was much closer to that of non-STEM workers. Between 2013 and 2016, the unemployment rate of workers in STEM middle-skill occupations was comparable to that of non-STEM workers. Since 2017, the unemployment rate of workers in non-STEM occupations exceeded that of STEM middle-skill workers. Figure TAL-6. Unemployment rate, by occupational group: 2013-23 STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. # Note(s): Data include the civilian, noninstitutionalized population ages 25-75 not currently in primary or secondary school. Coding of occupations into STEM categories reflects changes to American Community Survey (ACS) occupation codes following the 2018 update to the Standard Occupational Classification implemented by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data from 2013 to 2017 use occupations from the 2010 occupation list, whereas data from 2018 to 2023 use occupations from the 2018 occupation list. Data for 2020 are not available due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ACS data collection for the survey year. Additional information is available at https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/data/experimental-data/2020-1-year-pums.html. STEM includes S&E, S&E-related, and STEM middle-skill occupations. Unemployment rate is defined as the number of unemployed individuals as a percentage of the number of individuals in the labor force (employed and unemployed). Source(s): Census Bureau, ACS, 2023. Science and Engineering Indicators # Median Earnings in the Workforce Overall, full-time, year-round workers in STEM occupations had higher median earnings ( $76,000) than workers in non-STEM occupations ($ 55,000) in 2023 (Table TAL-2). Among STEM workers, S&E workers had the highest overall median earnings ( $100,000) and the highest median earnings among all STEM occupational groups at each educational attainment level. STEM workers in STEM middle-skill occupations had the lowest overall earnings ($ 58,000) among STEM occupations. But at the educational attainment levels of up to a high school degree or equivalent, some college, and associate's degree, their earnings exceeded the earnings of non-STEM workers. The difference in median earnings from associate's to bachelor's degrees was the smallest among workers in STEM middle-skill occupations, suggesting that workers in STEM middle-skill occupations did not see the same earnings premium for bachelor's degrees that other occupational groups received. For all occupational groups, earnings increased with each degree level. The range in median earnings from up to a high school degree or equivalent to a doctoral degree was the greatest for workers in S&E-related occupations ( $68,000) and was the smallest for workers in STEM middle-skill occupations ($ 40,000). Table TAL-2. Median earnings of full-time, year-round workers, by educational attainment and occupational group: 2023 (Dollars) Education level All occupations STEM occupations S&E occupations S&E-related occupations STEM middle-skill occupations Non-STEM occupations All education levels 60,000 76,000 100,000 80,000 58,000 55,000 Without a bachelor's degree 50,000 60,000 78,000 60,000 55,000 45,000 Up to a high school or an equivalent degree 45,000 52,000 75,000 52,000 50,000 41,000 Some college 52,000 62,000 80,000 60,000 60,000 50,000 Associate's degree 56,000 69,000 80,000 68,000 65,000 50,000 With a bachelor's or an advanced degree 85,000 100,000 109,000 99,000 70,000 78,000 Bachelor's degree 78,000 90,000 100,000 85,000 68,000 70,000 Master's or professional degree 96,000 115,000 120,000 115,000 78,000 87,000 Doctoral degree 110,000 125,000 130,000 120,000 90,000 100,000 STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. # Note(s): Data include the employed, civilian, noninstitutionalized population ages 25-75 not currently in primary or secondary school. Missing occupations and those who have not worked in the past 5 years or have never worked are not included in the workforce data. STEM includes S&E, S&E-related, and STEM middle-skill occupations. # Source(s): Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), 2023. Science and Engineering Indicators # Geographic Distribution of STEM Workers STEM workers are geographically concentrated in a few states. In 2023, the three states with the largest shares of the total working-age population of the United States—California, Texas, and Florida—were also the states with the largest shares of STEM workers (Table STAL-3, Table STAL-4). Together, these three states contributed to about a quarter (26%) of the nation's STEM workforce. Participation in the STEM workforce varied by state. In 2023, between $20\%$ and $30\%$ of the workforce in each state was employed in STEM occupations. North Dakota and New Hampshire had the highest shares (30% each) of STEM workers in their workforce (Table STAL-4, Table STAL-5); the District of Columbia (23%), New York (22%), and Nevada (20%) had the lowest shares. Differences in educational attainment for the STEM workforce existed across states. In 34 states, half or more of STEM workers did not have a bachelor's degree (Table STAL-4, Table STAL-6). Mississippi had the largest share of STEM workers without a bachelor's degree $(64\%)$ . Sixteen states, plus the District of Columbia, had a STEM workforce in which the majority of workers had a bachelor's or an advanced degree. Among these, the District of Columbia had the highest share of STEM workers with a bachelor's or an advanced degree $(88\%)$ , followed by Massachusetts $(64\%)$ . # The STEM Workforce by Rural-Urban Classification Equal proportions of rural and urban workers were employed in STEM occupations (25%), according to the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year File, 2023 (Figure TAL-7; Table STAL-7). Although the overall shares of STEM workers were comparable in rural and urban areas, the distribution of STEM occupational groups differed. In rural areas, STEM workers were concentrated in STEM middle-skill occupations (13%). In urban areas, 9% of the workers were in STEM middle-skill occupations. Workers in rural areas were the least prevalent in S&E occupations, comprising 3% of the overall workforce in rural areas, whereas 7% of the workers in urban areas were in S&E occupations. Figure TAL-7. Workers, by occupational group and rural/urban classification: Five-year sample, 2019-23 STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. # Note(s): Data include the employed, civilian, noninstitutionalized population ages 25-75 not currently in primary or secondary school. Missing occupations and those who have not worked in the past 5 years or have never worked are not included in the data. STEM includes S&E, S&E-related, and STEM middle-skill occupations. For more information on the geographic categories, please see documentation of the METRO variable: https://usa.ipums.org/usa-action/variables/METRO#description_section. # Source(s): Ruggles S, Flood S, Sobek M, Backman D, Cooper G, Rivera Drew JA, Richards S, Rogers R, Schroeder J, Williams KCW, 2025, IPUMS USA: Version 16.0 American Community Survey Five-Year File (2023), https://doi.org/10.18128/D010.V16.0. Science and Engineering Indicators # Educational Attainment of STEM Workers in Rural and Urban Areas The prevalence of rural and urban workers in STEM occupations overall differed by educational attainment. STEM workers without a bachelor's degree were more common in rural areas: $24\%$ of rural workers without a bachelor's degree were in STEM occupations compared to $21\%$ of their counterparts in urban areas. STEM workers with a bachelor's or an advanced degree were more common in urban areas: $30\%$ of urban workers with a bachelor's or an advanced degree were in STEM occupations, compared to $27\%$ of their rural counterparts (Figure TAL-8; Table STAL-7). For each occupational group, however, the pattern between urban and rural areas was consistent across educational attainment groups. The urban workforce had higher shares of S&E workers in each educational attainment group. The pattern was reversed for workers in S&E-related and STEM middle-skill occupations—the rural workforce had higher shares of these workers relative to the urban workforce. Among workers with a bachelor's or an advanced degree, the share of workers in STEM middle-skill occupations in rural areas $(5\%)$ was nearly double the urban share $(3\%)$ . Figure TAL-8. Workers, by occupational group, rural/urban classification, and educational attainment: Five-year sample, 2019-23 S&E occupations Non-STEM occupations S&E-related occupations STEM middle-skill occupations STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. # Note(s): Data include the employed, civilian, noninstitutionalized population ages 25-75 not currently in primary or secondary school. Missing occupations and those who have not worked in the past 5 years or have never worked are not included in the data. STEM includes S&E, S&E-related, and STEM middle-skill occupations. For more information on the geographic categories, please see documentation of the METRO variable: https://usa.ipums.org/usa-action/variables/METRO#description_section. # Source(s): Ruggles S, Flood S, Sobek M, Backman D, Cooper G, Rivera Drew JA, Richards S, Rogers R, Schroeder J, Williams KCW, 2025, IPUMS USA: Version 16.0 American Community Survey Five-Year File (2023), https://doi.org/10.18128/D010.V16.0. Science and Engineering Indicators # Growth of the STEM Workforce Between 2013 and 2023, employment in STEM occupations in the United States grew at a faster rate than non-STEM occupations. During this period, the STEM workforce increased by $26\%$ , from 29 million to 36 million workers, whereas the non-STEM workforce increased by $9\%$ , from 97 million to 106 million workers. The STEM workforce also increased as a share of the total workforce between 2013 $(23\%)$ and 2023 $(25\%)$ . Within STEM occupations, the number of workers employed in S&E occupations increased most $(63\%)$ during this period, followed by S&E-related occupations $(27\%)$ and STEM middle-skill occupations $(7\%)$ (Figure TAL-9). Figure TAL-9. Size of the workforce, by occupational group: 2013-23 STEM = science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. # Note(s): Data include the employed, civilian, noninstitutionalized population ages 25-75 not currently in primary or secondary school. Missing occupations and those who have not worked in the past 5 years or have never worked are not included in the data. Coding of occupations into STEM categories reflects changes to American Community Survey (ACS) occupation codes following the 2018 update to the Standard Occupational Classification implemented by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data from 2013 to 2017 use occupations from the 2010 occupation list, whereas data from 2018 to 2023 use occupations from the 2018 occupation list. Data for 2020 are not available due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ACS data collection for the survey year. Additional information is available at https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/data/experimental-data/2020-1-year-pums.html. STEM includes S&E, S&E-related, and STEM middle-skill occupations. # Source(s): Census Bureau, ACS, 2013-19, 2021-23. Science and Engineering Indicators # Growth of the STEM Workforce by State Between 2013 and 2023, the share of the total workforce in each state and the District of Columbia employed in STEM occupations increased but varied widely among jurisdictions. Among states, the largest increases in the share of STEM workers between 2013 and 2023 were in North Dakota and Washington State (about 5 percentage points)—from $25\%$ to $30\%$ in North Dakota and $25\%$ to $29\%$ in Washington State (Table TAL-3; Table STAL-8). The smallest increase in the share of workers in STEM occupations was in Louisiana: $24\%$ of its workforce was employed in STEM occupations in 2013 and $25\%$ in 2023. Table TAL-3. Share of STEM workforce, by state: 2013-23 (Percent) State 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Alabama 24.1 23.8 24.6 24.5 24.6 25.1 25.1 NA 26.1 26.3 26.8 Alaska 22.4 24.5 22.8 25.9 23.6 23.7 26.1 NA 25.6 25.7 26.6 Arizona 22.4 22.1 22.1 22.2 21.7 22.6 22.9 NA 24.8 24.3 25.0 Arkansas 23.6 24.3 24.1 22.8 24.1 23.9 23.3 NA 25.3 24.8 24.9 California 21.4 21.6 21.7 22.1 22.3 22.4 23.2 NA 24.6 24.1 24.5 Colorado 23.9 24.5 24.9 24.3 25.1 25.3 26.2 NA 27.0 27.0 27.9 Connecticut 22.8 24.0 23.5 23.9 23.6 24.0 24.1 NA 25.3 25.8 25.9 Delaware 23.7 23.7 24.1 24.6 22.9 23.7 25.3 NA 25.0 25.3 25.7 District of Columbia 18.1 17.7 18.5 18.9 19.4 20.0 20.9 NA 20.6 22.0 22.6 Florida 20.0 20.3 20.6 21.0 21.2 21.5 21.8 NA 22.5 22.8 22.8 Georgia 22.0 22.7 22.6 22.7 22.7 22.9 22.9 NA 24.2 24.7 24.3 Hawaii 19.8 21.1 21.3 20.7 19.7 21.2 21.4 NA 22.4 22.8 23.4 Idaho 22.4 23.8 22.9 24.5 24.0 23.8 24.2 NA 24.9 26.1 24.1 Illinois 22.3 22.5 22.8 22.6 22.7 22.8 24.0 NA 24.6 24.6 24.5 Indiana 24.4 24.0 24.6 24.0 25.8 25.0 25.6 NA 26.9 27.2 27.6 Iowa 24.9 25.2 25.0 25.2 25.7 24.7 25.9 NA 26.1 26.7 27.3 Kansas 25.1 24.8 25.8 25.0 26.3 25.9 26.0 NA 26.6 25.9 26.4 Kentucky 23.3 23.6 24.3 25.0 23.4 24.2 26.0 NA 25.2 25.8 25.6 Louisiana 24.1 23.6 23.8 24.1 23.6 24.8 24.0 NA 25.1 25.1 25.0 Maine 23.4 23.1 24.1 23.9 22.9 24.3 25.5 NA 24.9 26.2 25.4 Maryland 24.9 25.8 25.5 25.6 26.2 25.9 27.1 NA 27.7 27.9 27.6 Massachusetts 24.8 25.6 24.8 25.8 25.7 26.1 26.3 NA 27.2 27.7 27.8 Michigan 24.3 24.7 25.2 25.6 25.7 25.6 26.3 NA 27.2 27.3 27.4 Minnesota 24.7 24.5 25.0 25.2 26.0 25.7 26.8 NA 27.4 27.3 27.8 Mississippi 21.7 23.4 23.4 23.7 24.9 24.5 24.4 NA 24.0 23.8 24.6 Missouri 22.6 23.9 23.6 23.8 24.0 24.1 25.2 NA 25.7 26.0 25.5 Montana 24.8 24.6 25.5 24.1 23.8 24.7 27.6 NA 26.2 26.8 27.2 Nebraska 25.3 25.7 24.7 25.1 25.4 24.8 26.3 NA 28.2 28.1 27.6 Nevada 17.7 17.0 17.5 17.9 17.5 18.1 18.2 NA 21.3 20.1 20.3 New Hampshire 26.7 25.9 27.5 26.4 27.0 28.0 28.6 NA 29.4 27.5 29.9 New Jersey 22.4 22.6 22.4 22.8 23.0 23.5 23.4 NA 24.4 25.0 24.3 Table TAL-3. Share of STEM workforce, by state: 2013-23 (Percent) State 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 New Mexico 22.9 22.5 22.6 22.8 23.3 23.3 25.9 NA 25.5 25.8 24.7 New York 19.9 20.0 20.4 20.6 20.5 20.7 21.4 NA 22.5 22.3 22.2 North Carolina 23.8 23.7 24.4 24.3 24.4 24.5 24.8 NA 26.4 25.7 26.1 North Dakota 25.0 27.9 27.3 26.4 25.9 26.6 27.1 NA 27.7 26.9 30.1 Ohio 23.7 24.5 24.4 24.6 24.3 24.8 25.5 NA 25.9 26.3 26.8 Oklahoma 23.9 23.8 22.7 23.7 23.9 23.6 24.8 NA 25.1 25.5 25.5 Oregon 23.2 22.3 23.3 23.3 23.9 24.7 24.3 NA 26.2 26.1 26.9 Pennsylvania 23.9 24.1 24.1 24.2 24.7 24.4 25.3 NA 26.0 26.2 26.1 Rhode Island 23.3 23.3 22.5 24.5 23.2 22.8 24.8 NA 25.2 26.3 25.2 South Carolina 22.2 23.3 23.6 23.0 23.7 23.8 24.2 NA 25.5 25.2 24.4 South Dakota 24.8 24.4 24.1 27.7 25.4 25.9 26.1 NA 27.9 27.7 27.6 Tennessee 23.1 24.1 23.9 23.7 23.8 23.8 24.2 NA 24.6 25.6 25.0 Texas 22.9 23.2 23.2 23.0 23.8 23.6 23.2 NA 24.6 24.6 24.6 Utah 24.2 23.8 24.2 24.0 24.5 25.2 25.5 NA 25.6 25.6 26.3 Vermont 23.6 24.4 25.5 24.1 27.1 24.6 23.3 NA 27.7 28.5 26.5 Virginia 24.2 24.7 24.7 25.1 25.7 25.6 26.4 NA 27.1 27.0 26.8 Washington 24.6 24.6 25.1 25.7 26.0 25.7 27.1 NA 28.4 28.7 29.3 West Virginia 23.9 23.3 25.6 23.0 24.9 24.5 25.0 NA 25.4 25.7 26.1 Wisconsin 24.5 24.7 25.4 25.7 25.4 26.1 25.8 NA 26.9 27.6 28.0 Wyoming 24.7 23.7 23.9 25.4 23.5 25.9 25.4 NA 26.7 26.4 27.4 NA = not available. STEM = science,