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| 2021 Tables and Figures | All Years of Tables and Figures | Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest |
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| Table 505.40. | Percentage distribution of recipients of bachelor's degrees in various fields of study 1 year after graduation, by time to completion, enrollment and employment status, and occupation: 2001, 2009, and 2017 |
| [Standard errors appear in parentheses] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time to completion, enrollment and employment status, and occupation | 1999-2000 graduates in 2001, total | 2007-08 graduates in 2009, total | 2015-16 graduates in 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total1 | Engineering | Biological and physical sciences | Mathematics and computer science | Social sciences | History | Humanities | Health professions | Business | Education2 | Psychology | Public administration and human services | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total graduates | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | ||||||||||||||
| Time between initial entry into postsecondary education and degree completion3 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 years or less | 32.7 | (0.83) | 40.3 | (0.64) | 42.6 | (0.46) | 42.3 | (1.93) | 57.4 | (1.86) | 46.0 | (2.28) | 53.6 | (1.93) | 56.2 | (4.50) | 51.1 | (1.88) | 26.8 | (1.23) | 37.8 | (1.20) | 38.1 | (1.76) | 46.7 | (1.99) | 35.7 | (3.29) | ||||||||||||||
| More than 4, up to 5 years | 22.9 | (0.58) | 20.7 | (0.51) | 19.7 | (0.41) | 27.1 | (1.84) | 19.4 | (1.45) | 17.8 | (1.78) | 18.4 | (1.59) | 13.4 | (2.95) | 19.4 | (1.46) | 15.9 | (0.98) | 19.4 | (1.21) | 21.7 | (1.44) | 19.5 | (1.59) | 17.3 | (2.69) | ||||||||||||||
| More than 5, up to 6 years | 10.8 | (0.48) | 9.5 | (0.35) | 9.9 | (0.31) | 11.1 | (1.17) | 8.3 | (1.24) | 7.5 | (0.99) | 7.9 | (1.07) | 8.7 | (2.51) | 9.4 | (1.26) | 9.8 | (0.83) | 10.2 | (0.85) | 10.9 | (1.26) | 7.8 | (1.09) | 12.1 | (2.59) | ||||||||||||||
| More than 6, up to 10 years | 14.8 | (0.59) | 13.4 | (0.42) | 14.3 | (0.38) | 12.0 | (1.34) | 10.0 | (1.09) | 11.7 | (1.34) | 11.9 | (1.59) | 14.0 | (3.86) | 13.8 | (1.25) | 18.9 | (1.22) | 15.6 | (1.07) | 15.7 | (1.52) | 14.5 | (1.51) | 19.2 | (2.86) | ||||||||||||||
| More than 10 years | 18.8 | (0.59) | 16.0 | (0.52) | 13.5 | (0.33) | 7.5 | (1.14) | 5.0 | (0.73) | 17.1 | (1.45) | 8.2 | (1.17) | 7.7 | ! | (2.74) | 6.4 | (0.94) | 28.6 | (1.27) | 17.0 | (0.92) | 13.7 | (1.24) | 11.6 | (1.23) | 15.7 | (2.41) | |||||||||||||
Enrollment status |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Enrolled | 20.8 | (0.51) | 21.7 | (0.47) | 18.6 | (0.37) | 17.4 | (1.51) | 35.2 | (1.52) | 12.8 | (1.50) | 17.8 | (1.37) | 20.7 | (3.29) | 16.9 | (1.44) | 18.8 | (1.21) | 11.5 | (0.85) | 21.5 | (1.76) | 27.6 | (1.85) | 28.0 | (3.11) | ||||||||||||||
| Not enrolled | 79.2 | (0.51) | 78.3 | (0.47) | 81.4 | (0.37) | 82.6 | (1.51) | 64.8 | (1.52) | 87.2 | (1.50) | 82.2 | (1.37) | 79.3 | (3.29) | 83.1 | (1.44) | 81.2 | (1.21) | 88.5 | (0.85) | 78.5 | (1.76) | 72.4 | (1.85) | 72.0 | (3.11) | ||||||||||||||
Employment status |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Employed4 | 87.4 | (0.46) | 83.8 | (0.49) | 85.0 | (0.36) | 88.3 | (1.35) | 85.6 | (1.40) | 83.3 | (1.63) | 81.7 | (1.51) | 89.3 | (2.50) | 82.6 | (1.42) | 88.5 | (0.96) | 86.4 | (0.90) | 89.0 | (1.06) | 83.2 | (1.54) | 80.3 | (3.48) | ||||||||||||||
| Full time | 76.5 | (0.52) | 65.0 | (0.62) | 56.7 | (0.50) | 68.4 | (1.84) | 45.1 | (1.95) | 66.5 | (1.99) | 51.5 | (2.05) | 53.0 | (4.32) | 44.1 | (1.99) | 64.3 | (1.36) | 66.1 | (1.24) | 61.4 | (1.97) | 45.9 | (2.00) | 48.1 | (3.28) | ||||||||||||||
| Part time | 10.9 | (0.40) | 18.8 | (0.48) | 23.1 | (0.39) | 14.9 | (1.31) | 27.8 | (1.60) | 13.8 | (1.65) | 24.1 | (1.63) | 29.5 | (4.33) | 33.9 | (1.88) | 19.9 | (1.09) | 17.6 | (1.16) | 23.1 | (1.61) | 29.9 | (1.89) | 23.0 | (3.03) | ||||||||||||||
| Unemployed5 | 6.1 | (0.33) | 9.2 | (0.38) | 5.8 | (0.24) | 5.2 | (0.89) | 5.8 | (0.95) | 7.2 | (1.14) | 7.1 | (0.95) | 3.2 | ! | (1.33) | 8.2 | (1.08) | 3.0 | (0.45) | 4.9 | (0.59) | 3.4 | (0.55) | 5.6 | (0.89) | 5.9 | ! | (1.78) | ||||||||||||
| Not in labor force6 | 6.4 | (0.35) | 7.0 | (0.31) | 9.2 | (0.30) | 6.5 | (1.03) | 8.6 | (1.11) | 9.5 | (1.44) | 11.2 | (1.25) | 7.5 | (2.18) | 9.2 | (1.06) | 8.5 | (0.81) | 8.6 | (0.79) | 7.6 | (0.95) | 11.2 | (1.31) | 13.8 | (2.84) | ||||||||||||||
Unemployment rate (labor force participants only)7 |
6.5 | (---) | 9.9 | (---) | 6.4 | (0.26) | 5.6 | (0.96) | 6.4 | (1.04) | 8.0 | (1.23) | 8.0 | (1.06) | 3.4 | ! | (1.44) | 9.0 | (1.18) | 3.3 | (0.50) | 5.4 | (0.64) | 3.7 | (0.59) | 6.3 | (1.00) | 6.9 | ! | (2.09) | ||||||||||||
Total employed |
100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | 100.0 | (†) | ||||||||||||||
| Occupation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Administrative/clerical | 4.5 | (0.28) | 2.6 | (0.21) | 2.1 | (0.18) | ‡ | (†) | 2.4 | (0.70) | 0.5 | ! | (0.24) | 3.5 | (0.67) | 3.6 | ! | (1.71) | 3.3 | (0.83) | 1.0 | (0.26) | 2.8 | (0.45) | 1.4 | ! | (0.49) | 2.5 | (0.55) | ‡ | (†) | |||||||||||
| Arts/communications | 4.2 | (0.30) | 4.5 | (0.32) | 4.7 | (0.22) | 2.2 | (0.51) | 1.0 | ! | (0.32) | 3.6 | (1.06) | 2.8 | (0.67) | 4.0 | ! | (1.49) | 15.4 | (1.31) | 0.6 | ! | (0.25) | 2.2 | (0.40) | 2.1 | (0.52) | 2.1 | ! | (0.80) | ‡ | (†) | ||||||||||
| Business | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Management | 12.5 | (0.47) | 8.4 | (0.41) | 6.2 | (0.27) | 3.2 | (0.67) | 3.9 | (0.74) | 2.8 | (0.66) | 5.7 | (0.86) | 8.2 | ! | (3.08) | 5.8 | (0.97) | 3.5 | (0.55) | 11.8 | (0.94) | 3.2 | (0.78) | 4.4 | (0.93) | 3.4 | (0.89) | |||||||||||||
| Nonmanagement | 15.1 | (0.58) | 21.1 | (0.61) | 8.9 | (0.34) | 4.2 | (0.81) | 3.1 | (0.51) | 6.2 | (1.20) | 10.6 | (1.15) | 11.9 | (3.20) | 4.5 | (0.66) | 2.8 | (0.51) | 23.6 | (1.34) | 1.2 | (0.32) | 4.7 | (0.96) | 6.7 | (1.99) | ||||||||||||||
| Computer information systems/mathematics8 |
6.8 | (0.34) | 4.6 | (0.27) | 5.5 | (0.24) | 8.7 | (1.10) | 3.2 | (0.68) | 48.2 | (2.17) | 3.9 | (0.89) | ‡ | (†) | 2.3 | (0.57) | 1.2 | (0.33) | 5.6 | (0.67) | 0.5 | ! | (0.23) | 1.5 | ! | (0.52) | ‡ | (†) | ||||||||||||
| Construction/trade/ transportation |
3.1 | (0.26) | 3.3 | (0.23) | 4.3 | (0.23) | 7.2 | (1.29) | 6.0 | (0.85) | 3.5 | (0.77) | 3.5 | (0.69) | ‡ | (†) | 4.2 | (0.74) | 2.4 | (0.49) | 4.1 | (0.55) | 2.8 | ! | (0.88) | 3.9 | (1.07) | ‡ | (†) | |||||||||||||
| Education | 18.1 | (0.52) | 15.6 | (0.43) | 11.3 | (0.31) | 5.5 | (0.88) | 11.3 | (1.07) | 8.9 | (1.63) | 10.7 | (1.07) | 19.0 | (3.79) | 16.4 | (1.48) | 4.6 | (0.62) | 3.3 | (0.49) | 66.8 | (1.69) | 15.2 | (1.70) | 8.4 | (1.82) | ||||||||||||||
| Engineering/engineering technician/science professions |
8.4 | (0.33) | 6.2 | (0.30) | 7.1 | (0.28) | 50.1 | (2.51) | 18.4 | (1.39) | 4.0 | (0.92) | 4.2 | (1.00) | 3.6 | ! | (1.76) | 2.0 | (0.59) | 1.9 | (0.40) | 2.1 | (0.45) | 0.5 | ! | (0.19) | 1.5 | ! | (0.50) | ‡ | (†) | |||||||||||
| Health professions | 7.8 | (0.26) | 8.6 | (0.30) | 12.6 | (0.34) | 2.8 | (0.59) | 20.9 | (1.91) | 2.2 | (0.63) | 4.5 | (0.90) | ‡ | (†) | 2.7 | (0.65) | 63.7 | (1.31) | 2.7 | (0.45) | 2.0 | ! | (0.67) | 9.3 | (1.21) | 4.9 | ! | (1.64) | ||||||||||||
| Military/protective service | 2.4 | (0.20) | 2.9 | (0.24) | 2.1 | (0.14) | 2.1 | ! | (0.66) | 1.5 | (0.39) | 1.9 | ! | (0.69) | 1.9 | (0.42) | 3.6 | ! | (1.61) | 1.4 | ! | (0.50) | 0.4 | ! | (0.14) | 1.4 | (0.31) | 0.5 | ! | (0.19) | 2.0 | (0.49) | 4.2 | ! | (1.57) | |||||||
| Sales | 6.8 | (0.31) | 7.9 | (0.40) | 14.3 | (0.41) | 5.8 | (0.92) | 12.7 | (1.53) | 7.1 | (1.16) | 18.0 | (1.64) | 17.5 | (3.73) | 20.9 | (1.39) | 6.6 | (0.67) | 18.7 | (1.12) | 7.5 | (1.10) | 17.1 | (1.67) | 14.4 | (2.89) | ||||||||||||||
| Other occupations | 10.2 | (0.42) | 14.3 | (0.43) | 20.8 | (0.46) | 8.0 | (1.38) | 15.6 | (1.26) | 11.3 | (1.64) | 30.7 | (1.69) | 21.4 | (3.77) | 21.1 | (1.49) | 11.2 | (0.92) | 21.8 | (1.30) | 11.4 | (1.35) | 35.8 | (2.16) | 52.3 | (3.48) | ||||||||||||||
| ---Not available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Not applicable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| !Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ‡Reporting standards not met. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is 50 percent or greater. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 Includes graduates in other fields not separately shown. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 Includes graduates who have not finished all requirements for teaching certification or were previously qualified to teach. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 For 1999-2000 and 2007-08, represents the time between high school graduation and degree completion instead of the time between initial entry into postsecondary education and degree completion. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 For 2017, includes 5.2 percent of all respondents who were employed but whose full-time or part-time employment status could not be determined. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 Percentage of all graduates who are not employed but are looking for work. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 Percentage of all graduates who are neither employed nor looking for work. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 The labor force is made up of persons who are employed and persons who are not employed but are looking for work. (It does not include those who are neither employed nor looking for work.) The unemployment rate is the percentage of labor force participants who are not employed but are actively seeking work. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 For 2001, does not include mathematics professions. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: Data exclude bachelor's degree recipients from U.S. Service Academies, deceased graduates, and graduates living at foreign addresses at the time of the survey. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2000/01, 2008/09, and 2016/17 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study (B&B:2000/01, B&B:08/09, and B&B:16/17). (This table was prepared April 2021.) |
