Higher Education in Science and Engineering - Report NSB-2022-3 - Policy report

Oct 15, 2026

Higher Education in Science and Engineering (NSB-2022-3) is a policy-relevant, policy-neutral publication within the Science and Engineering Indicators suite. Prepared under the National Science Board and the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, it surveys U.S. and international science and engineering higher education. The document covers institutions providing S&E higher education, distance and online education, and trends in undergraduate and graduate degree awards. It also addresses degree recipients’ demographic attributes, including sex, race, and ethnicity.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages76

Reading Time3 h 12 min

AccessFree to download

Executive Summary

Introduction

U.S. Institutions Providing S&E Higher Education

Institutions in S&E Higher Education

Distance and Online Education

S&E Higher Education: Cost, Debt, and Financial Aid

Trends in Undergraduate and Graduate S&E Degree Awards

International S&E Higher Education

International Students in U.S. Higher Education: Enrollment

International Students in U.S. Higher Education: Degrees Earned

U.S. Position in Global S&E Higher Education

Conclusion

Glossary

References

Notes

Acknowledgments and Citation

Higher Education Higher Education in Science and Engineering NSB-2022-3 February 22, 2022 This publication is part of the Science and Engineering Indicators suite of reports. Indicators is a congressionally mandated report on the state of [the U.S. science](the U.S. science) and engineering enterprise. It is policy relevant and policy neutral. Indicators is prepared under the guidance of the National Science Board by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, a federal statistical agency within the National Science Foundation. With the 2020 edition, Indicators is changing from a single report to a set of disaggregated and streamlined reports published on a rolling basis. Detailed data tables will continue to be available online. Table of Contents | Executive Summary | 7 | | --- | --- | | Introduction | 9 | | U.S. Institutions Providing S&E Higher Education | 10 | | Institutions in S&E Higher Education | 10 | | Distance and Online Education | 14 | | S&E Higher Education: Cost, Debt, and Financial Aid | 18 | | Trends in Undergraduate and Graduate S&E Degree Awards | 21 | | Undergraduate Degree Awards | 22 | | Graduate Degree Awards | 28 | | Demographic Attributes of S&E Degree Recipients | 32 | | S&E Degrees by Sex | 32 | | S&E Degrees by Race and Ethnicity | 35 | | S&E Degrees by Race, Ethnicity, and Sex | 41 | | International S&E Higher Education | 44 | | International Students in U.S. Higher Education: Enrollment | 44 | | International Students in U.S. Higher Education: Degrees Earned | 48 | | U.S. Position in Global S&E Higher Education | 53 | Conclusion 61 Glossary 62 Definitions 62 Key to Acronyms and Abbreviations 62 References 64 Notes 71 Acknowledgments and Citation 75 Acknowledgments 75 Citation 75 | Contact Us | | 76 | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Report Authors | | 76 | | | NCSES | | 76 | | | List of Sidebars | | | | | COVID-19 and Higher Education | | 15 | | | List of Tables | | | | | HED-1 | Degree-granting institutions, by control and highest degree awarded: 2019–20 | | 10 | | HED-2 | Certificates awarded in S&E technologies for selected levels, by field: 2019 | | 25 | | HED-3 | Women's share of S&E bachelor's degrees in selected fields for U.S. citizens and permanent residents, by race and ethnicity: 2019 | | 43 | | HED-4 | International students enrolled in U.S. higher education institutions, by broad field and academic level: 2012– 20 | | 45 | | HED-5 | Top 25 countries of origin of U.S. doctorate recipients on temporary visas, by broad doctoral field: 2001–20 | | 51 | | List of Figures | | | | HED-1 Institutions and degrees, by level of degree and control: 2019 11 HED-2 Average undergraduate charge at public 4-year institutions as a percentage of disposable personal income 19 and state support for higher education per full-time equivalent student: 2000–19 HED-3 S&E degrees awarded, by degree level: 2000 and 2019 21 HED-4 S&E associate's degrees awarded, by field: 2000–19 23 HED-5 S&E technologies associate's degrees awarded, by field: 2000–19 24 HED-6 Certificates awarded for selected levels, by field: 2019 26 HED-7 Certificates awarded for selected levels and fields, by institution type: 2019 27 HED-8 S&E bachelor's degrees awarded, by field: 2000–19 28 HED-9 S&E master's degrees awarded, by field: 2000–19 29 HED-10 S&E master's degrees awarded, by citizenship and selected field: 2000–19 30 HED-11 S&E doctoral degrees awarded, by selected field: 2000–19 31 HED-12 Representation of racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. population and among U.S. citizen and permanent 32 resident S&E degree recipients: 2019 HED-13 S&E degrees awarded to women, by degree level and field: 2019 33 HED-14 Associate's degrees in S&E technologies awarded to U.S. citizen and permanent residents, by sex and field: 34 2019 HED-15 S&E degrees awarded to Hispanics or Latinos and Blacks or African Americans, by degree level an

FAQs

What is the purpose of the Indicators publication suite described in the document?

Indicators is a congressionally mandated report describing the state of the U.S. science and engineering enterprise. It is designed to be policy relevant while remaining policy neutral.

Which main topics are covered under U.S. higher education in science and engineering?

The document covers U.S. institutions providing S&E higher education, distance and online education, cost, debt, and financial aid, and trends in undergraduate and graduate degree awards, including demographic attributes.

How does the report treat international science and engineering higher education?

It includes international students in U.S. higher education for enrollment and degrees earned, and compares the U.S. position in global S&E higher education.

Oct 15, 2026

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