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Human Resources Statistics Program

The Human Resources Statistics (HRS) program of the Division of Science Resources Statistics is responsible for collecting and disseminating data on participation in the educational system and workforce, with emphasis on participation in science and engineering fields and a range of occupations. The program conducts surveys and also develops data on education and the nation's workforce in collaboration with the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Department of Education. HRS compiles data from SRS surveys and other national sources and special studies to produce the biennial congressionally mandated report Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering. It produces several other annual and occasional reports providing data and analyses.

The program has responsibility for two annual and three biennial surveys:

The annual survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates (GSS), a universe survey of all institutions in the United States offering master's and doctoral programs in science, engineering, and health. Information is collected on student status, demographic characteristics, and major source of financial support.
The annual Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED), a universe survey of all new research doctorate recipients at U.S. doctorate-granting institutions. Respondents provide information about their field of study, demographic characteristics, educational history, and plans. This data base serves as the universe for sample selection for the Survey of Doctorate Recipients.
The biennial Survey of Doctorate Recipients (SDR), a sample survey of about 40,000 holders of S&E doctoral degrees selected from the SED. Information is collected on educational history, labor force participation, other work-related activities and demographic characteristics.
The biennial National Survey of College Graduates (NSCG), a sample survey of about 40,000 individuals who reported on their 1990 Census returns that they had at least one bachelor's degree in science and engineering or a science and engineering occcupation. Information is collected on the same topics addressed in the SDR.
The biennial National Survey of Recent College Graduates (NSRCG), a sample survey which uses a 2-stage probability sample to identify institutions and then approximately 25,000 S&E bachelor's and master's degree recipients. The survey tracks the early development of S&E careers, and obtains similar information as the NSCG and the SDR.

Results from the three biennial surveys of the workforce are combined in a comprehensive system of data about scientists and engineers. Known as SESTAT (Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System), the database provides information about education, occupation and demographic and other background characteristics for an estimated 12 million individuals in the United States during the 1990s decade. Both public use files and protected files with greater detail (available through licensing agreements) are available for the examination of workforce issues.

The program produces annual reports providing data on degrees earned in science and engineering fields from the Completions Survey (Dept of Education) and regular reports from the Occupational Employment Survey (Bureau of Labor Statistics).

It prepares topical reports from statistics collected by the program, such as Undergraduate Origins of Science and Engineering Doctorates and Modes of Financial Support in Graduate Education of Science and Engineering Doctorate Recipients, using data from the SED; The Education and Employment of Engineering Graduates and Engineers in the United States: An Overview of the Profession, analytical reports from the Engineering Workforce Project using data from SESTAT. It supports the preparation of occasional reports using data from non-NSF sources on such topics as financial support of graduate students and educational careers of students in postsecondary education.

The HRS program supports intramural and extramural research related to S&E education, career paths, workforce characteristics, and labor market modeling. It conducts an annual Database Institute for persons interested in using SRS and other government data bases for analysis.

HRS staff participate in federal statistical interagency activities, such as efforts to revise racial/ethnic categories, standardize measures of educational attainment, and coordinate taxonomies of disciplines and institutions. Projects also generate and distribute various methodological studies related to survey or analytical activities.

Last Modified: Feb 12, 2003. Contact SRS