Postdoc demographics and statistics in the US
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Postdoc demographics by:
Postdoc gender statistics
33.0% of postdocs are women and 67.0% of postdocs are men.
- Male, 67.0%
- Female, 33.0%
Postdoc gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 67.0% |
| Female | 33.0% |
Postdoc gender pay gap
Women earn $1.00 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$64,284
Female income
$64,559
Postdoc gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in postdoc positions over time. Currently, 33.0% of postdocs are female.
Postdoc gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 70.86% | 29.14% |
| 2011 | 67.74% | 32.26% |
| 2012 | 73.08% | 26.92% |
| 2013 | 69.11% | 30.89% |
| 2014 | 70.00% | 30.00% |
| 2015 | 70.75% | 29.25% |
| 2016 | 66.76% | 33.24% |
| 2017 | 68.86% | 31.14% |
| 2018 | 67.66% | 32.34% |
| 2019 | 66.09% | 33.91% |
| 2020 | 65.91% | 34.09% |
| 2021 | 67.05% | 32.95% |
Postdoc related jobs gender ratio
We compared postdocs with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, procurement forester and field agronomist have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Animal Behaviorist | 18% | 82% |
| Chronic Disease Epidemiologist | 25% | 75% |
| Collector Of Aquarium Specimens | 27% | 73% |
| Postdoc | 67% | 33% |
| Forestry Consultant | 93% | 7% |
| Field Agronomist | 94% | 6% |
| Procurement Forester | 95% | 5% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Postdoc demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among postdocs is Asian, which makes up 45.4% of all postdocs. Comparatively, 38.0% of postdocs are White and 7.8% of postdocs are Hispanic or Latino.
- Asian, 45.4%
- White, 38.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.8%
- Black or African American, 4.9%
- Unknown, 3.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Postdoc race
| Postdoc race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Asian | 45.4% |
| White | 38.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.8% |
| Black or African American | 4.9% |
| Unknown | 3.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Postdoc race and ethnicity over time
See how postdoc racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Postdoc race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 41.25% | 3.79% | 47.99% | 4.87% |
| 2011 | 40.00% | 4.21% | 48.46% | 5.52% |
| 2012 | 40.82% | 4.01% | 47.63% | 5.27% |
| 2013 | 41.41% | 4.11% | 46.23% | 6.01% |
| 2014 | 41.09% | 4.45% | 46.84% | 5.03% |
| 2015 | 41.21% | 3.89% | 47.63% | 4.98% |
| 2016 | 40.57% | 3.68% | 46.43% | 7.17% |
| 2017 | 40.71% | 4.54% | 45.92% | 6.09% |
| 2018 | 39.82% | 4.30% | 46.78% | 6.22% |
| 2019 | 41.21% | 3.95% | 45.99% | 6.60% |
| 2020 | 39.34% | 3.56% | 46.27% | 7.50% |
| 2021 | 38.01% | 4.94% | 45.43% | 7.81% |
Postdoc wage gap by race
According to our data, white postdocs have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino postdocs have the lowest average salary at $62,616.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $64,037 |
| White | $65,395 |
| Black or African American | $64,297 |
| Asian | $65,110 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $62,616 |
Average postdoc age
See how the average age of postdocs varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Postdoc age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 40 | 34 |
| White | 39 | 39 |
| Black or African American | 38.5 | 40 |
| Asian | 40 | 38 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 37 | 36 |
Postdoc age breakdown
The average age of postdocs is 40+ years years old, representing 47% of the postdoc population.
Postdoc age breakdown
| Postdoc Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 47% |
| 30-40 years | 39% |
| 20-30 years | 14% |
Postdoc educational attainment
The most common degree for postdocs is doctoral degree, with 65% of postdocs earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 22% and bachelor's degree degree at 12%.
- Doctorate, 65%
- Bachelor's, 22%
- Master's, 12%
- Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 0%
Postdocs by degree level
| Postdoc degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Doctorate | 65% |
| Bachelor's | 22% |
| Master's | 12% |
| Diploma | 1% |
| Other Degrees | 0% |
Postdoc jobs you might like
Postdoc wage gap by degree level
According to the data, postdocs with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $67,101 annually. With a Master's degree, postdocs earn a median annual income of $63,899 compared to $62,652 for postdocs with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $63,899 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $62,652 |
| Doctorate Degree | $67,101 |
Postdoc employment statistics
Most postdocs work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where postdocs work
Below, you can see the size of companies where postdocs work.
Postdoc jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 2% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 11% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 10% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 8% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 49% |
| > 10,000 employees | 19% |
Postdoc jobs by company type
Employees with the postdoc job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most postdocs prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
Postdoc jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 74% |
| Public | 2% |
| Private | 21% |
| Government | 2% |
Postdoc jobs by industry
The most common industries for postdocs are education, technology and health care.
Postdoc industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 68% |
| Technology | 8% |
| Health Care | 6% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Fortune 500 | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
Postdoc turnover and employment statistics
Postdoc unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for postdocs between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Postdoc unemployment rate by year
| Year | Postdoc unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.36% |
| 2011 | 2.60% |
| 2012 | 3.20% |
| 2013 | 2.82% |
| 2014 | 2.34% |
| 2015 | 2.18% |
| 2016 | 2.71% |
| 2017 | 2.30% |
| 2018 | 2.40% |
| 2019 | 1.58% |
| 2020 | 2.14% |
| 2021 | 1.42% |
Average postdoc tenure
The average postdoc stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 235 postdocs resumes in Zippia's database.
Postdoc tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 13% |
| 1-2 years | 43% |
| 3-4 years | 11% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 9% |
Postdoc LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of postdocs 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Conservation Specialist | 8.40% | 18,942 |
| Postdoc | 8.45% | - |
| Ornithologist | 9.74% | 120 |
| Plant Physiologist | 19.06% | 9,068 |
Similar postdoc jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Conservation Specialist | 8.40% | 18,942 |
| Ornithologist | 9.74% | 120 |
| Plant Physiologist | 19.06% | 9,068 |
Foreign languages spoken by postdocs
The most common foreign language among postdocs is Chinese at 52.2%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Japanese at 13.0% and French is the third-most popular at 13.0%.
- Chinese, 52.2%
- Japanese, 13.0%
- French, 13.0%
- German, 4.3%
- Spanish, 4.3%
- Other, 13.2%
Postdoc languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 52.2% |
| Japanese | 13.0% |
| French | 13.0% |
| German | 4.3% |
| Spanish | 4.3% |
| Other | 13.2% |
