Doctoral student demographics and statistics in the US
Doctoral student demographics research summary. Zippia estimates doctoral student demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our doctoral student estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about doctoral students after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 29,753 doctoral students currently employed in the United States.
- 47.1% of all doctoral students are women, while 52.9% are men.
- The average doctoral student age is 44 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of doctoral students is White (53.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.6%), Asian (11.8%) and Black or African American (11.0%).
- In 2022, women earned 92% of what men earned.
- 6% of all doctoral students are LGBT.
- Doctoral students are 86% more likely to work at education companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Doctoral student demographics by:
Doctoral student gender statistics
47.1% of doctoral students are women and 52.9% of doctoral students are men.
- Male, 52.9%
- Female, 47.1%
Doctoral student gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 52.9% |
| Female | 47.1% |
Doctoral student gender pay gap
Women earn 92¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$65,182
Female income
$60,093
Doctoral student gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in doctoral student positions over time. Currently, 47.1% of doctoral students are female.
Doctoral student gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 88.37% | 11.63% |
| 2011 | 88.59% | 11.41% |
| 2012 | 88.46% | 11.54% |
| 2013 | 88.28% | 11.72% |
| 2014 | 87.80% | 12.20% |
| 2015 | 88.16% | 11.84% |
| 2016 | 88.02% | 11.98% |
| 2017 | 88.27% | 11.73% |
| 2018 | 50.51% | 49.49% |
| 2019 | 52.22% | 47.78% |
| 2020 | 52.29% | 47.71% |
| 2021 | 52.86% | 47.14% |
Doctoral student related jobs gender ratio
We compared doctoral students with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, hvac/r instructor and assistant professor of air conditioning and refrigeration have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Aesthetics Instructor | 8% | 92% |
| Cosmetology Instructor | 9% | 91% |
| Adjunct Nursing Faculty | 9% | 91% |
| Doctoral Student | 53% | 47% |
| Diesel Technology Instructor | 97% | 3% |
| Assistant Professor Of Air Conditioning And Refrigeration | 97% | 3% |
| Hvac/R Instructor | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Doctoral student demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among doctoral students is White, which makes up 53.9% of all doctoral students. Comparatively, 17.6% of doctoral students are Hispanic or Latino and 11.8% of doctoral students are Asian.
- White, 53.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.6%
- Asian, 11.8%
- Black or African American, 11.0%
- Unknown, 4.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
Doctoral student race
| Doctoral student race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 53.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.6% |
| Asian | 11.8% |
| Black or African American | 11.0% |
| Unknown | 4.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.2% |
Doctoral student race and ethnicity over time
See how doctoral student racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Doctoral student race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 68.72% | 6.34% | 15.45% | 7.05% |
| 2011 | 68.41% | 6.19% | 16.18% | 6.81% |
| 2012 | 68.00% | 6.48% | 16.05% | 7.05% |
| 2013 | 67.14% | 6.84% | 16.33% | 7.30% |
| 2014 | 67.23% | 6.46% | 16.00% | 7.69% |
| 2015 | 65.68% | 6.69% | 16.95% | 7.98% |
| 2016 | 66.17% | 6.62% | 16.67% | 7.87% |
| 2017 | 65.25% | 6.37% | 17.84% | 7.92% |
| 2018 | 57.15% | 11.34% | 11.44% | 16.72% |
| 2019 | 57.84% | 10.50% | 11.53% | 16.65% |
| 2020 | 55.17% | 10.75% | 11.93% | 16.98% |
| 2021 | 53.93% | 11.01% | 11.82% | 17.62% |
Doctoral student wage gap by race
According to our data, asian doctoral students have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White doctoral students have the lowest average salary at $62,516.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $64,125 |
| White | $62,516 |
| Black or African American | $66,533 |
| Asian | $67,652 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $65,207 |
Average doctoral student age
See how the average age of doctoral students varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Doctoral student age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 39.5 | 46 |
| Unknown | 31 | 44 |
| Asian | 30 | 45 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 33 | 40 |
| White | 34 | 49 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 31.5 | 42 |
Doctoral student age breakdown
The average age of doctoral students is 40+ years years old, representing 62% of the doctoral student population.
Doctoral student age breakdown
| Doctoral Student Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 62% |
| 30-40 years | 19% |
| 20-30 years | 18% |
Doctoral student educational attainment
The most common degree for doctoral students is bachelor's degree, with 53% of doctoral students earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 30% and master's degree degree at 14%.
- Bachelor's, 53%
- Master's, 30%
- Doctorate, 14%
- Associate, 1%
- Other Degrees, 2%
Doctoral students by degree level
| Doctoral student degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 53% |
| Master's | 30% |
| Doctorate | 14% |
| Associate | 1% |
| Other Degrees | 2% |
Doctoral student jobs you might like
Doctoral student wage gap by degree level
According to the data, doctoral students with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $69,412 annually. With a Master's degree, doctoral students earn a median annual income of $67,791 compared to $62,147 for doctoral students with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $67,791 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $59,507 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $62,147 |
| Doctorate Degree | $69,412 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $60,322 |
Doctoral student employment statistics
Most doctoral students work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where doctoral students work
Below, you can see the size of companies where doctoral students work.
Doctoral student jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 10% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 16% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 49% |
| > 10,000 employees | 15% |
Doctoral student jobs by company type
Employees with the doctoral student job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most doctoral students prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
Doctoral student jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 86% |
| Public | 2% |
| Private | 11% |
| Government | 2% |
Doctoral student jobs by industry
The most common industries for doctoral students are education, health care and manufacturing.
Doctoral student industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 81% |
| Health Care | 6% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Government | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Doctoral student turnover and employment statistics
Doctoral student unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for doctoral students between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Doctoral student unemployment rate by year
| Year | Doctoral student unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.13% |
| 2011 | 3.11% |
| 2012 | 3.14% |
| 2013 | 3.31% |
| 2014 | 2.86% |
| 2015 | 2.61% |
| 2016 | 2.42% |
| 2017 | 2.51% |
| 2018 | 3.51% |
| 2019 | 3.20% |
| 2020 | 5.05% |
| 2021 | 5.11% |
Average doctoral student tenure
The average doctoral student stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 4,101 doctoral students resumes in Zippia's database.
Doctoral student tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 12% |
| 1-2 years | 20% |
| 3-4 years | 27% |
| 5-7 years | 29% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 6% |
Doctoral student LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of doctoral students that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Doctoral Student | 6.14% | - |
| Reading Teacher | 9.52% | 68,234 |
| Reference Librarian | 10.75% | 1,058 |
| Early Childhood Special Educator | 11.12% | 62,487 |
| Visiting Faculty | 12.94% | 8,224 |
| Library Technician | 13.69% | 24,941 |
| Education Coordinator | 16.25% | 33,367 |
Similar doctoral student jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Teacher | 9.52% | 68,234 |
| Reference Librarian | 10.75% | 1,058 |
| Early Childhood Special Educator | 11.12% | 62,487 |
| Visiting Faculty | 12.94% | 8,224 |
| Library Technician | 13.69% | 24,941 |
| Education Coordinator | 16.25% | 33,367 |
Foreign languages spoken by doctoral students
The most common foreign language among doctoral students is Spanish at 23.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 17.4% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 12.0%.
- Spanish, 23.9%
- French, 17.4%
- Chinese, 12.0%
- German, 8.5%
- Mandarin, 7.7%
- Other, 30.5%
Doctoral student languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 23.9% |
| French | 17.4% |
| Chinese | 12.0% |
| German | 8.5% |
| Mandarin | 7.7% |
| Other | 30.5% |
