Baccalaureate Origins of U.S. Research Doctorate Recipients - InfoBrief

Oct 15, 2026

Baccalaureate education is a key pathway for recipients of U.S. research doctorates. In 2020, 34.4% of 55,283 recipients earned their baccalaureate from non-U.S. institutions, with foreign bachelor’s degrees more prevalent in science and engineering than in non-S&E fields. Among U.S. baccalaureate holders, R1 doctoral universities were the most common origin. Patterns remain consistent from 2010–2020, and Carnegie-type institutional sources differ by field.

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Baccalaureate education and research doctorate pathways

Non-U.S. baccalaureate shares in 2020

U.S.-based baccalaureate origins by institution type

Field differences: S&E versus non-S&E

Data tables and definitions

Table 1: 2010–20 by field and institution type

InfoBrief Baccalaureate Origins of U.S. Research Doctorate Recipients NSF 22-321 | March 2022 Jonathan Gordon, Peter Einaudi, and Kelly Kang Baccalaureate education plays a key role in the educational pathways of research doctorate recipients. Most doctoral students earning research doctorates in the United States received their baccalaureate from institutions in the Carnegie Classification group R1: doctoral universities (very high research activity) or from foreign academic institutions. However, on a per capita basis, more graduates from Carnegie-classified baccalaureate colleges: arts and sciences focus earn a doctoral degree in science and engineering (S&E) than their peers at other types of Carnegie Classification of institutions. This InfoBrief examines the top producing baccalaureate-origin institutions of research doctorate recipientsin S&E and non-S&E fields over the past decade, updating and augmenting the analysis reported in two earlier InfoBriefs.1 Baccalaureate Origins by Institution Type In 2020, just over 34.4% of the 55,283 U.S. research doctorate recipients earned their baccalaureate from a non-U.S. institution (table 1) . This represented a 4.4% percentage-point increase in the number of doctorate recipients with foreign bachelor’s degrees since 2010 and parallels the growth of temporary visa holders earning doctorates in the United States.2 Foreign bachelor’s degrees were more common among doctorate recipients in S&E fields than non-S&E fields across all years, accounting for 38.0% of S&E doctorate recipients and 22.2% of non-S&E doctorates in 2020. Among research doctorate recipients in 2020 with bachelor’s degrees from U.S. institutions, R1: doctoral universities were the most common baccalaureate-origin institutions, followed by other doctoral universities, master’s colleges and universities, and baccalaureate colleges in the Carnegie Classification. This pattern can be seen in each year from 2010 through 2020 for all research doctorate recipients, and similar patterns are observed within S&E and non-S&E fields. Overall, a higher percentage of non-S&E doctorate recipients earned their baccalaureate from other Carnegie-class doctoral institutions, master’s colleges and universities, and baccalaureate colleges than S&E doctorate recipients (table 1) . Table 1 Doctorate recipients, by field of doctorate and type of baccalaureate-origin institution: 2010–20 (Number and percent) | Year and field | All baccalaureateorigin institutions | Baccalaureate institutions in the United States | | | | | Foreign baccalaureate institutions | Unknown | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | R1: doctoral universities | Other doctoral universities | Master's colleges and universities | Baccalaureate
colleges | All other colleges | | | | All doctorate recipients | | | | | | | | | | 2010 | 48,028 | 31.0 | 10.5 | 10.1 | 9.0 | 0.9 | 30.0 | 8.4 | | 2011 | 48,909 | 31.3 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 9.1 | 0.9 | 30.8 | 7.5 | | 2012 | 50,943 | 30.6 | 10.5 | 9.9 | 9.2 | 1.0 | 30.3 | 8.5 | | 2013 | 52,703 | 31.0 | 10.4 | 9.6 | 9.4 | 1.0 | 30.9 | 7.8 | | 2014 | 53,986 | 30.2 | 10.3 | 9.5 | 8.9 | 0.9 | 30.4 | 9.8 | | 2015 | 54,886 | 30.8 | 10.7 | 9.4 | 8.8 | 0.8 | 30.5 | 9.0 | | 2016 | 54,809 | 31.2 | 10.9 | 9.7 | 9.0 | 0.9 | 31.2 | 7.1 | | 2017 | 54,552 | 31.2 | 10.8 | 9.8 | 8.8 | 0.8 | 32.1 | 6.4 | | 2018 | 55,085 | 31.1 | 11.2 | 9.7 | 8.9 | 0.8 | 32.7 | 5.6 | | 2019 | 55,614 | 31.0 | 10.9 | 9.9 | 8.5 | 0.8 | 34.3 | 4.5 | | 2020 | 55,283 | 30.3 | 10.9 | 9.9 | 8.4 | 0.8 | 34.4 | 5.4 | | Science and engineeringa | | | | | | | | | | 2010 | 34,997 | 31.3 | 9.1 | 8.0 | 8.1 | 0.7 | 34.4 | 8.3 | | 2011 | 36,331 | 31.3 | 9.4 | 7.9 | 8.2 | 0.7 | 34.8 | 7.7 | | 2012 | 37,846 | 30.6 | 9.2 | 8.1 | 8.4 | 0.8 | 34.4 | 8.5 | | 2013 | 39,031 | 31.1 | 9.2 | 8.0 | 8.4 | 0.8 | 34.9 | 7.6 | | 2014 | 40,630 | 29.9 | 9.3 | 8.0 | 7.9 | 0.8 | 34.4 | 9.7 | | 2015 | 41,175 | 30.8 | 9.4 | 7.8 | 7.9 | 0.

FAQs

What share of U.S. research doctorate recipients earned their baccalaureate from non-U.S. institutions in 2020?

In 2020, just over 34.4% of the 55,283 U.S. research doctorate recipients earned their baccalaureate from a non-U.S. institution.

How do foreign bachelor’s degrees differ between science and engineering and non-S&E fields in 2020?

Foreign bachelor’s degrees accounted for 38.0% of S&E doctorate recipients and 22.2% of non-S&E doctorate recipients in 2020.

Which institution type was the most common U.S. baccalaureate-origin for research doctorate recipients with U.S. bachelor’s degrees?

For research doctorate recipients with bachelor’s degrees from U.S. institutions, R1: doctoral universities were the most common baccalaureate-origin institutions.

Oct 15, 2026

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