U.S. Geoscience Degrees by Gender

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Date updated: 2014-02-07
Data Brief 2014-004
Written and compiled by Christopher Keane for AGI, February 2014

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The number of degrees being awarded to women has generally continued to increase through time. The percentage of degrees awarded to women has not declined like enrollment, and the total number of degrees are rising at all levels. Similar to enrollment at the Master’s level, most of the change in 2012-2013 over the prior year is accommodated by the drop in degrees awarded to men.

Of particular note is the recent steady increase in doctorates awarded to women. In fact, the degree level with the highest percentages of degrees awarded to women is the doctorate. Interestingly, this trend has not apparently been reflected in the gender distribution in faculty, but it is potentially too early to see this given the fact that over 65% of new doctorate recipients proceed on to a post-doc position.

In 2012-2013 women received 41.4% of bachelor’s, 41.7% of master’s, and 43.5% of doctoral degrees in the geosciences. All data are from the AGI Directory of Geoscience Departments.

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