BACHELOR'S AND HIGHER DEGREES CONFERRED IN 1985-86

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• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00530R000300620011-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 2, 2013
• Sequence Number: 11
• Publication Date: December 1, 1987
• Content Type: MISC

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U.S Depar-trrient of Education ? Office of Educational Research and Improvement
Center for Edvcatic-n Statrst~'rs
Contact : Judi Carpezitery oecanoer ty is i
(202) 357-636,2
BAf~~t' S AMID HIGHER DD~tEES OC~TFERRID IN 1985-86
In 1985-86, for the first time in 15 yearsl, the total number of
first-professional degrees decreased. At the same time, the nLamber of
degrees awarded at all other levels--bachelor's, master's, and
doctor's--remained fairly stable over the previous year.
According to data gathered by the Center for Education Stat,~stics, the
nim~ber of first-professional degrees dropped from about 75,100 in
1984-85 to just over 73,900 in 1985-86. Zhe decrease appears to be due
primarily to a substantial drop in the largest field, law, as well as in
two of the smaller health fields, dentistry and optometry. While degrees
in the largest health field, medicine, were. virtually level, those in
chiropractic medicine showed a 27.6 percent increase over the previous
year.
Zhese are some of the significant find?nc~ from the survey of Degrees
and Other Formal Awards Conferred Between July 1, 1985 and June 30, 1986.
'This survey is part of the Higher F7ducation General Information Survey
(HDGIS XXI), which has been conducted annually for the past 21 years by
the Center for Education Statistics. Using this survey, the Center
requests data from institutions of higher education'on-the nim~ber of
earned degrees and other formal awards conferred, by level of award,
program area or field of study, and sex and race/ethnicity of degree
recipients ..,....Race data ~*~ *~,~ted..b; a^^ ? t~,~Zl~e suzvey methodology at
the end of this bulletin gives further details.
1For trends in the rnm~ber of first-professional degrees conferred
between 1969-70 and 1984-85, see the Digest of Dducation Statistics, 1987
edition, page 172. Data for 1985-86 are from the Higher Education
General Information Survey (FIDGIS ~I). (First-professional includes
degrees that require at least 6 years of college work for completion, in
addition to at least 2 years of college work prior to entrance into 10
recogiuzed professional programs of study.)
2N~ambers in the text are rounded to the nearest hundred. Percents
are based on actual rnumbers shown in the detailed tables at the end
of the bulletin.
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Decrees by Level and by Sex
the total rnm~ber of degrees grew only 0.7 percent fram 1,373,700 in
1984-85 to 1,384,000 in 1985-86 (table A); and the n~nbers of bachelor's,
master's, and doctor's degrees were up only slightly from the previous
year. s awan~ed at the bachelor's and master's levels increased 0.9
percent and 0.8 percent, respectively, from 1984-85 to 1985-86. Doc,-tor's
degrees, which have fluctuated over the years, experienced the largest
increase (2.2 percent) of all degree levels in 1985-86. Z'hi.s followed a
0.8 percent decrease ip c~ctoral awards from 1983-84 to 1984-85. only the
rnanber of first professional degrees decreased between 1984-85 and
1985-86. Zhi.s fall of 1.5 pert followed a 0.9 pPSCesit increase in
1984-85 (table 1).
Table A.--Ferc.,ent changes in bachelor's and higher degrees,
.bY_levels 1984-85 and 1985-86
Zbtal
1,373,700
1,384,000
0.7
Bachelor's
979,500
987,800
.9
Men
482,500
485,900
.7
Warren
496,900
501,900
1.0
Master's
286,300
288,600
.8
Men
143,400
143,500
.1
Women
142,900
145,100
1.5
Doctor's
32,900
33,700
2.2
Men
21,700
21,800
.5
Women
11,200
11,800
5.3
First-professional
75,100
73,900
-1.5
Men
50,500
49,300
-2.4
Women
24,600
24,600
.2
Decree level 1984-85 1985-86 Percent chance*
* Feroents are based on actual ntm~bers shown in the detailed
tables at the end of the bulletin.
Nate . Ntiat~bers may not add to totals because of rolu~di.nq .
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Zhe changes in the ntIInber of degrees awarded varied by sex of
recipients (table 1). Zhe total n~snbpr of degrees awarded to men in
1985-86 was uP 0.3 percent after a 0.2 pert-ent decline in 1984-85. At all
award levels except first-professional, the decline between 1983-84 and
1984-85 in rnmlber of degrees to men was reversed. ~i.le in 1984-85 men
earned 482,500 bachelor's degrees, in 1985-86 they earned 485,900, a
slight increase of 0.7 percent. Master's degrees awarded to men increased
less than 0.1 percent, Eton 143,400 in 1984-85 to 143,500 in 1985-86.
Doctor's degrees to men were also up, by about 0.5 percent, while their
first-professional degrees declined by 2.4 percent (table A).
Zhe rnanber of degrees granted to waRrn continued to grow between
1983-84 and 1985-86. Zhe total increased 1.2 percent from 1984-65 to
1985-86 which was about the same increase as that from 1983-84 to
1984-85. Zhe nianber of bachelor's degrees to warren rose 1 percent in both
1984-85 arrd 1985-86, while master's degrees to them increased also, 1.6
and 1.5 perc,~ent, respectively. For the first time in 3 years, woim~en
zeceived more than one-half of the total master's degrees awarded in
1985-86. Women made the greatest gain at the doctoral level--5.3
percent. Zhe increase for the prior year was wily 0.9 percent (table A).
Although the nimlber of degrees to warnn has accelerated aver the last
decade at the first-professional level, the numbP_r of degrees awarded
increased only 0.2 percent in 1985-86, canpa~~ed to an average annual
increase of 3 percent betweP~ 1975 and 1985. In 1985-86, only 41 more
degrees were awarded to warren than in the previous year (table 1). Warren
continued to account for only about one-third of both doctor's and
first-professional degrees (figure).
Baehelor'~
Matter's
Figure-Percent distribution of bachelor's and higher degrees,
by se: and by level: 1985-g6
~ ~ ~ ~
10 ZO 70 ~O
lerecnt
SOURCE HEGIS 'De~rea and OtAer Formal Aw~ardt Conferred' survey 1945-86.
^ hkn
J
70
3tJ.S. Departrnent of Dducation, Center for Dducation Statistics, Trends
in Bachelor's and Hither Degrees. 1975-1985, Washington, D.C., U.S.
Govezzrtrlent Printing Office, August 1987, page 7.
3
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Decrees by level and by Field of Study
? Eyducati6n, engineering, and social sciences continued to rank
strong the six frost popular fields of study at the bachelor's,
master's, and doctor's levels in 1985-86 (tables 2, 3, and 4).
? As another indication of their popularity, recent declines in the
iumiber of edu~aticat and social sciences degrees .appear to be
leveling off. Social sciences degrees increased at all awaxYi
levels, while the total nimiber of education degrees awarded
across levels decreased by only 0.4 percent between 1984-85 and
1985-86..
? Cat~uter and info~anation sciences and math~anatics continued to be
the frost rapidly growing fields at the bachelor's acid master's
levels (tables 2 and 3).
? Atrong the ].anger fields of study, agriculture was the only one to
have significant declines at all three degree levels (tables 2,
3, and 4).
4[J.S. Department of Dducati.on, Center for Dducation Statistics, Trends
in Bachelor's and Hicrher Decrees, 1974-1985, Washington, D.C., U.S.
Goverttnw~t Printing Office, August 1987, Page 9.
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Bachelcar' s Degrees
Zhe largest ntmiber of bachelor's degrees in 1985-86 were conferred in
business and management, social sciences, education, engineering, and
health sciences (table B).
Table B.--Five largest fields of study as a percent of
total bachelor's degrees: 1985-86
Field of study
N~m~ber
~Per~- t*~
Zbta1
987,800
100.0
Business and msnagament
238,200
24.1
Social sciences
93,700
9.5
Education
87, 200
8.8
cEngi~esing~
X7.6,-30" 0--~
~7_: 7~
Health sciences
64,500
6.5
All others
427,900
43.3
* Pert,-ants are based on actual rnmibers shoran in the detailed
tables at the end of the bulletin.
Note.--Numbers and percents may not add to the totals
because of rvundin~
? Business and management degrees rose 2.1 percent fran the
previous year (table 2). Degrees in this field were about
one-fourth of all bachelor's degrees awarded in 1985-86.
? Social sciences degrees were up 2.5 pg~zY.~ent (table 2), the first
increase since their peak in 1971-72.
? Education and engineering degrees were both down 1.1 percent
(table 2) . Zt~s=wasrthe-fi-rst=decr-ease=in~10 years-for----
enga.neer_ing~degrees;ar~d~the~sma-Hest a for education
degrees since they peaked in 1972-73.
? Goo-mpu-ter~a~cl~infoanation-scien~ces~and=mathematics-sha, ythel~
spotlight~ri-th t3~elarg~stsi~i~.~i~ease_in~degrees:at~the~ -c`~h~elor's~
level ~They~both~in~raased~7:7-perc~ent~f~an_19.84=85 to~19~85~86~
(.fiable_2 j~
StJ.S. Department of Education, Center for .Dducation Statistics, Dicaest
of Education Statistics 1987, Washington, D.C., U.S. GoverrunPnt Printing
6 face, 1987, page 190.
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Master's Decrees
Dducation, business and management, eng~n~*';n7r, health sciences,
public affairs, and social sciences ooaztinu,ed to dominate the degrees at
the master's level in 1985-86 (table C).
Table C.--Six largest fields of study as a percent of total
master's degrees: 1985-86
Ntanber Percent*
Total 288,600
100.0
~~~~ 76,400
26.5
Business and management 67,100
23.3
'
g~~~g-~ 21,100
`~
3~
Health sciences 18,600
6.5
Public affairs 16,300
5.6
Social sciences 10,400
3.6
All others 78,700
27.3
Field of study
* Percents are based on actual niaobers shown in the detailed
tables at the end of the bulletin.
Nate,--N~m~bers and percents may rat add to the totals because
Of ]C~otlTlcLncl
? Dducation degrees, which have been deCl'nir~g in ntmiber at all
award levels over the past decade, increased s]~ightly at the
master's level for the first time in 10 years.
? Zhe ntm~ber of business and management degrees awarded was down
slight~y by 0.6 percent, marking the first decrease in 30
years
? Health sciences degrees were up by 7.1 percent, after a small
decrease the previous year (table 3). ~
Degrees in public affairs were up 1.6 pet+cent in 1985-86, ~~
the second straight year of increases (table 3). ~J
was
Zlbe slight increase, 0.5 Pert, in social sciences degrees
the first a~rve since 1981-82.
7U.S. Department of Dducati.on, Center 'for Dducation Statistics, Digest
of Dducation Statistics 1987, Washington, D.C., U.S. Goverrm~ent Printing
Office, 1987, page 204.
Blbid., Page 202.
9U. S . De~partznent of Dducation, Center for Dducation Statistics, Digest
of Ekiucation Statistics 1987, WashingtAn, D.C., U.S. Goveame~nt Printing
Office, 1987, page 210.
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Doctor's Degrees
D3ucation ranained the daniu~ant degree field at the doctoral level
in 1985-86, followed by physical scienoes, engineering, life sciences,
psychology, and social sciences (table D).
Table D.--Six largest fields of study as a percent of
total doctor's degrees: 1985-86
Field of -study - -
i~anber P
ere-'ent*
21ata1
33,700
100.0
Dducation
7,100
21.1
Physical sciences
3,600
10.6
~Engn--~_r-ing~
3, 400
~10:1~
Fife sciences
3,400
10.0
Psychology
3,100
9.2
Social sciences
3,000
8.8
All others
10,200
30.3
* Percents are based on actual numbers shown in the detailed
tables at the end of the bulletin.
Note. 1V~anbers and percents may not add to the totals because
of rrnuxiinQ ,
? Physical sciences degrees increased 4.3 pen.~t (table 4) and
replaced life sciences as the secrnbd largest field in 1985-86.
Life sciences dropped to fourth behind eng~ *+~~ rg (table D) .
? Degrees in engineering, physical sciences, and life sciences,
each accounted for about 10 perc,,ent of all doctor's degrees
awarded. in 1985-86 (table D). mile the nianber of life sciences
degrees declined. ~engineer'ing~a~nd p~Yys`~'scences-
showed steady~g_rnwth:~
? About 6 perc~t nnre doctorates in psychology were awarded in
1985-86 than in the previous year. Zhis was the largest increase
sarong the six most popular fields (table 4).
? After decl ; n; rg for 10 years, doc~rates in social sciences
increased 3.6 percesit in 1985-86.
10U. S . DepartlnPnt of Dducation, Center for Dducation Statistics, Digest
of Efducation Statistics 1987, Washington, D.C., U.S. Grnrerrmient Printing
Office, 1987, page 210.
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First-r.~ofessional decrrees
law degrees acoaaited for alanst one-half of all fi=st professional
degrees 3n 1985-86 (table E), bnt the n~nber decreased 4.4 pei~oent after
increasing for 3 consecutive years. Bath men and warren received fewer law
degrees in 1985-86 than in 1984-85 (table 5).
Table E. --Percent distribution of first~aofessional degrees,
by field of study: 1985-86
Field of study
N~m~ber
percent*
7.bta1
73, 900
100.0
law
35,800
48.5
Medicine
15,900-
21.6
~ieological professions
7,300
9.9
Dentistry
5,000
6.8
Chiropractic medicine
3,400
4.6
Veterinary medicine
2,300
3.1
Ostevnathic medicine
1,500
2.1
OQtaae~try
1, 000
1.4
Pha,anacy
900
1.2
podiatry
600
.8
ether
--
?1
- Iris than 50.
* Percents are based an actual in~bers shown in the detailed
tables at the end of the bulletin.
Note. Numbers and pezt~ts may not add to the totals because
of rour~dinq.
? Degrees in medicine, the second largest field, were down also, by
0.6 per~oent (table 5).
? ~e largest percent decrea.e at the firstprofessianal level was
in optometry degrees, which declined 7.7 percent. Degrees in
dentistry followed w2th a 5.5 percent decrease (table 5).
? Chiropractic degrees str~aed the largest increase... About 700 more
degrees were awarded in 1985-86, a 27.6 pei+oeat increase-over the
previous year (table 5).
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Additional Information
The data tape on Degrees and Other Formal Awards Conferred, 1985-86,
is available and may be purchased. Requests should be made to:
Office of Educational Research and Imprrovement
Information Systems and Media Services
555 New Jersey Avenue, NW.
Washington, DC 20208
Telephone [phone] or [phone]
The Center for Fxiucaticn Statistics also plans to release E.D. TABS,
tables that will show degrees by State, institution, and specific grogram
(6-digit level of specificity) by sex for each award level. A separate
bulletin on associate degrees and other formal awards below the
baccalaureate is being prepared by the Center for Dducatian Statistics.
For information about this bulletin aryd the survey, contact Judi
Carpenter, Center for Dducation Statistics, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC, 20208-1404, telephone [phone].
Survey Methodolow
Statistics for this bulletin are based on reports of institutions
responding to the su~cvEy "Degrees and Other Formal Awards Conferred" for
the year July 1 1985 to June 30, 1986. This survey requests data on the
nimiber of postsecondary certificates for less than 1 year, postsecondary
certificates for 1 but less than 4 years, associate degrees, bachelor's
degrees, master's degrees, doctor's degrees, and first-professional
degrees conferreed by institutions of higher education.
Survey fornLS were sent to the universe of 3,388 colleges and
universities and their branches in the United States and outlying
territories. (Only data for the 50 States and DC, including the U.S.
service schools, are discussed in this bulletin.) The universe includes
3,355 degree granting institutions and 33 rabbinical schools that do not
confer formal awards. The response rate of 92.6 percent was based an the
3,355 institutions that are degree granting. Reports were received from
3,108 institutions, and 247 did not resporui. Data were imputed for 205
r~sirespandent institutions, based on their previous responses. Data were
not imputed for th,e *~+; *~-?sbg 42 n~onrespond+ent institutions . Their
records were zero-filled because the institutions were new to the F~IS
universe and no previous data were available. These institutions are
small, and thus the fatal ntanber of degrees conferred by the institutions
would not have significantly changed the overall findings fray thr~~.survey.
The data for this bulletin are based on infdrmation from 1,969
institutions. Those institutions that awatti degrees below the bachelor's
level were excluded.
This bulletin was reviewed by Debra Carter, An~exican Council on
Dducation; Richard Cook, Center for Dducation Statistics; Mary Golladay,
National Science Fo~~dation; arxi Gayle Rogers, Center for Dducation
Statistics. Zheir comments are gratefully acJaiowledged.
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Table 1.--Bachelor's and higher degrees conferred in institutions of higher education,
by level of degree, and sex of recipient: 1983.84 to 1985.86
level of degree
and sex of recipient
1983.84 1984-85
1983.84 1984-85 1985-86 to to
1984.85 1985-86
Total degrees .............. 1,366,188 1,373,734 1,383,953 0.6 0.7
Men ................... 699,312 698,073 700,511, -0.2 0.3
Yomen ................. 666,876 675,661 683,442 1.3 1.2
Bachelor's degrees requiring
4-5 years.................. 974,309 `~ 97;9,.477, 987,823 0.5 0.9
Men .................... 482,319 482,528 485,923 ' 0.7
Yamen .................. 491,990 496,949 501,900 1.0 1.0
First professional degrees
requiring at least 6 years.. 74,407
Men ................... 51,334
Naaen ................. Z3,O73
Master's degrees ............... 284,263 a
Men .................... 143,595
Yemen ................. 140,668
Doctor's degrees
(Ph.D., Ed.D., etc.)........ 33,209
Men ..................... 22,064
Women ................... 11,145
75,063 73,910 0.9 -1.5
50,455 49,261 -1.7 -2.4
24,608 24,649 6.7 0.2
288,567 0.7 0.8
143,508 -0.1 0.1
21,700
33,653 -0.8 2.2
21,819 -1.6 0.5
Note.--Data for the three survey years are based on the following txnibers of institution s
1983-84, 1,949; 1984-85, 1,955; and 1985-86, 1,969.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Center for Education Statistics, surveys of
Degrees and Other Formal Awards Conferred.
STAT
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Table 2.--Bachelor~s degrees conferred by institutions of higher education~by sex of recipient and program area:
1984-85 and 1985.86
Total Men Yomen Total Men Women total
Agriculture and natural resources..... 18,107 12,477 5,630 16,823 11,544 5,279 ?7.1
Architecture and environmentsl design. 9,325 6,019 3,306 9,119 5,824 3,295 ?2.2
Area and ethnic studies ............... 2,867 1,099 1,768 3,060 1,260 1,800. 6.7
Business and management ............... 233,351. 128,032 105,319 238,160 129,271 108,889 2.1
Communications ........................ 40,358 16,318 24,040 41,666 16,887 24,779 3.2
Communications technologies........... 1,725 920 805 1,425 760 665 -17.4
CComputer nand-i~nformetion-sciences..... 38-878 24;579- -14;299 41;889"-26;923 X4,966-----7:7
Education ............................. 88,161 21,264 66,897 87,221 20,986 66,235 -1.1
tEr3gi~neeri~ng..~........ _ .-._.-.-.-....::::. -77,154 b5;~59 11;-195 76333-65-284 11,OG9 -11~``rC
Engineering-technologies .............. 18,951 17,494 1,457 19,620 18,088 1,532 3.5
fore gn tenguages ..................... 9;954- - 2650 ,7;304
Health sciences ....................... 64,513
Mome economies ........................ 15,555
Law ................................... 1,157
letters ............................... 34,091
9,786 54,727
1,016 14,539
449 708
11,663 22,428
Liberal/general studies ............... 19,191 8,571 10,620
Library and archival sciences......... 202 26 176
life sciences ......................... 38,445 20,064 18,381
~Ma`thematies.-............,............-.-.-...... 15,146----.~_8;_1"b4~ _b;982:
Military sciences ..................... 299 273 26
Multi/interdisciplinary studies....... 15,727 7,523 8,204
Parks snd recreation .................. 4,593 1,739 2,854
Philosophy and religion ............... 6,400 4,244 2,156
Theology .............................. 6,039 4,403 1,636
Physical sciences ..................... 23,732 17,095 6,637
10;102-2;784 7;318 15~
64,535 9,683 54,852
15,288 1,057 14,231
1,197 419 778
35,434 12,165 23,269
Percent
change
in
-1.7
3.5
3.9
19,248 8,644 10,604 0.3
157 17 140 -22.3
38,524 19,993 18,531 0.2
36;30b-'~8; 725J7; 581 7: 7---1
256 235 21 -14:4
15,700 7,505 8,195 -0.2
4,433 1,663 2,770 -3.5
6,239 4,161 2,078 -2.5
5,602 4,127 1,475 ?7.2
21,731 15,769 5,962 -8.4
Psychology ............................ 39,811 12,694 27,117 40,521 12,578 27,943 1.8
Protective services ................... 12,510 7,694 4,816. 12,704 7,963 4,741 1.6
Public affairs ........................ 13,838 4,635 9,203 13,878 4,670 9,208 0.3
Social sciences ....................... 91,461 51,172 40,289 93,703 52,654 41,049 2.5
visual and performing arts............ 37,936 14,506 23,430 36,949 1