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

报告摘要

Summary of STEM Talent: Education, Training, and Workforce

Core Content

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the U.S. STEM workforce, its size, composition, growth, and economic impact, as well as insights into K-12 STEM education performance, higher education STEM pipeline, and international competitiveness. It highlights the importance of STEM talent in driving economic growth, innovation, and national competitiveness.

Main Points

U.S. STEM Workforce Scale and Composition

In 2023, the U.S. STEM workforce comprised 36 million workers, representing 25% of the total U.S. workforce.
Science and Engineering (S&E) and S&E-related workers made up 90% of the STEM workforce, with S&E workers at 42% and S&E-related workers at 48%.
STEM middle-skill occupations accounted for the remaining 10% of the STEM workforce.
63% of STEM workers without a bachelor’s degree were in STEM middle-skill occupations.
22% of the U.S. STEM workforce was foreign born, with 52% being naturalized U.S. citizens, 42% noncitizens, and 5% U.S. citizens born abroad.
R&D-intensive industries employed 36% of workers in STEM occupations in 2022, while non-R&D-intensive industries had 24% of their workforce in STEM.

U.S. STEM Workforce Growth and Economic Impact

The STEM workforce grew by 26% from 2013 to 2023, outpacing the 9% growth in the non-STEM workforce.
From 2024 to 2034, STEM employment is expected to grow by 6%, faster than the 2% projected for non-STEM employment.
In 2023, STEM workers had higher median earnings than non-STEM workers:
- $76,000 for STEM workers
- $55,000 for non-STEM workers
S&E workers had the highest median earnings at $100,000, followed by S&E-related workers at $80,000, and STEM middle-skill workers at $58,000.
The two largest countries of origin for foreign-born STEM workers were Mexico (1.3 million) and India (1.0 million), together representing 31% of the foreign-born STEM workforce.
The top 30 countries of origin accounted for 79% of all foreign-born STEM workers in the U.S.

K-12 STEM Education Performance and Challenges

Post-pandemic recovery in K-12 STEM education is incomplete, with lower-performing students still below pre-pandemic levels.
In 2024, higher-performing students showed some recovery in mathematics, but lower-performing students did not.
Experienced, credentialed teachers led to better performance in mathematics.
U.S. students scored middle of the pack in science and bottom third in mathematics in international assessments (TIMSS).
Eighth-grade U.S. students saw a 27-point drop in mathematics scores from 2019 to 2023, from 515 to 488.
Students who scored in the highest quintile in mathematics were 71% more likely to complete a STEM degree, compared to 34% for those in the lowest quintile.

Higher Education STEM Pipeline and International Competitiveness

U.S. institutions continued to expand S&E degree production, outpacing the growth of the college-age population.
Computer and information sciences degrees at the bachelor’s and master’s levels showed strong growth from 51,500 to 114,100 and 22,800 to 77,200, respectively.
Visa holders are highly represented in advanced S&E degrees, especially in computer and information sciences, engineering, and mathematics and statistics.
The U.S. remained the most popular destination for international students in 2023, but the number of internationally mobile students declined by 3% between 2017 and 2023.
International students who stay in the U.S. after graduation contribute significantly to the domestic demand for STEM workers.

Key Information

Demographic Characteristics

STEM workforce is predominantly male, with 65% of the 36 million workers being men.
Women were the majority in S&E-related occupations at 65%, compared to 73% for men in S&E and 89% for men in STEM middle-skill occupations.
Asian workers had the highest share (38%) of STEM employment, followed by White workers (27%).
Black, Hispanic, AIAN, and NHOPI workers had roughly 20% STEM employment in 2023.

Educational Attainment

62% of STEM workers had a postsecondary degree in 2023.
50% had a bachelor’s or advanced degree, while 12% had an associate’s degree.
S&E workers were most likely to have a bachelor’s degree (45%) or advanced degree (32%).
STEM middle-skill workers were mostly without postsecondary degrees (75%).

Labor Market Outcomes

STEM workers had lower unemployment rates than non-STEM workers from 2013 to 2023.
S&E and S&E-related workers consistently had lower unemployment than STEM middle-skill workers.
Unemployment rates for STEM middle-skill workers were closer to non-STEM than to S&E workers.
From 2017 onward, non-STEM unemployment exceeded that of STEM middle-skill workers.

International Comparisons

U.S. students scored middle of the pack in science and bottom third in mathematics in international assessments.
International mobility of students is a key factor in the global competitiveness of the U.S. STEM workforce.
Stay rates for S&E doctoral degree recipients on temporary visas declined over time, with a 3% drop in the number of internationally mobile students between 2017 and 2023.

Conclusion

The U.S. STEM workforce is a vital component of the economy, with strong growth and high earnings for STEM workers. However, challenges persist in K-12 STEM education, demographic representation, and international competitiveness. The higher education pipeline continues to expand, especially in S&E fields, but the decline in international student enrollment could affect future STEM talent supply. Ensuring equitable access to STEM education and training, as well as improving foundational skills and teacher quality, is essential to maintaining a robust and competitive STEM workforce.