A MATTER OF DEGREE

ASEE Prism, Dec 2004 by Grose, Thomas K

WORKPLACE

AMERICA'S ENTIRE science and engineering workforce totals 4.7 million, according to statistics recently released by the National Science Foundation. But surprisingly, more than a fifth of those workers do not have at least a four-year degree: 811,000 have associates' degrees, and 225,200 have just high school diplomas.The majority of the workforce, 48 percent, have bachelor's degrees. Twenty-two percent have master's, 7 percent have earned doctorates, and 2 percent professional degrees. Most of those without a four-year degree-492,900-work in engineering, although they represent just 20 percent of the 2.5 million workers classified as having engineering jobs. Another 454,200 work in math and computer science jobs, but they comprise 40 percent of the 1.15 million workers in that category.Only 29,000 employees in the life sciences have less than a bachelor's degree. Gender doesn't seem to matter: About a fifth of the 3.6 million men employed in science and engineering, and about a fifth of the 1.1 million women, haven't earned four-year degrees. -TG

NOW YOU KNOW

PERCENTAGE OF FULL PROFESSORS IN ENGINEERING WHO ARE WOMEN:

5.2%