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The number of students enrolled in the geosciences in US colleges and universities remained relatively steady in 2007 based on preliminary numbers, with 19,216 undergraduates and 7,944 graduate students enrolled.
U.S. Geoscience Enrollments, 1955-2007
Degrees granted in 2007 remained steady, except for new doctorates, which increased sharply by over 30%. This sharp increase mirrors the influx of entering graduate students in 2003 and 2004 following the collapse of the dot-com boom. However, given the graduate enrollment profile since 2003, this increase in doctorate production will be short-lived.
U.S. Geoscience Degrees Granted, 1973-2007