Highlights from 2018 Degree Release
The decade of statistics continues with strong growth in the number of statistics and biostatistics degrees awarded annually. According to the latest preliminary data release from the National Center for Education Statistics, bachelor’s degrees grew 17 percent from 2017 to 2018 to 3,964 (33 of which are for biostatistics) and master’s degrees increased 5 percent to 4,235 (720 for biostatistics). Doctoral degrees increased by 11 percent to 688 (206 for biostatistics), as seen in Figure 1.
(Please click on the images to view the full-size figures.)
The 2018 numbers for bachelor’s degrees are 4.6 times than that of 2010; for master’s, two times; and for doctoral, 1.5 times. Isolating on just biostatistics degrees, the growth for this decade has been a factor of 2.7 for bachelor’s (12 to 33), 2.2 for master’s, and 1.6 for doctoral, as shown in Figure 2. Isolating on statistics degrees, the number of annual bachelor’s degrees surpassed the number of master’s degrees for the first time since at least 1987 in 2017, as illustrated in Figure 3.
The increase in the number of universities granting statistics and biostatistics degrees also continues steadily. For the period from 2017 to 2018, those granting bachelor’s degrees in statistics increased from 132 to 138, master’s degrees in statistics from 143 to 146, and doctoral degrees in statistics from 69 to 72, as seen in figures 4 and 5.
Twenty-three universities granted statistics and biostatistics degrees for the first time (at least since 2003) in 2018:
- Bachelor’s degrees in biostatistics (1): Saint Louis University
- Bachelor’s degrees in statistics (10): Arizona State University-Polytechnic, Jackson State University, Marquette University, The Pennsylvania State University-World Campus, Southeastern University, Texas A&M University, Truman State University, University at Buffalo, Ursinus College, Western Washington University
- Master’s degrees in statistics (3): Wake Forest University, Western Illinois University, Claremont Graduate University
- Master’s degrees in biostatistics (4): American University, Portland State University, University of California-San Diego, University of Miami
- PhD in biostatistics (2): Southern Methodist University, University of Georgia
- PhD in statistics (3): Central Michigan University, Indiana University, Washington University
The top degree-granting institutions over the last five years are in the following tables for all categories except biostatistics bachelor’s degrees. The comprehensive list is available.
Tables 1–5: Top five universities granting statistics and biostatistics degrees for 2011–2015.
(Please click on the images to view the full-size tables.)
Demographics
Following our practice to alternate demographics updates, we look at the breakdown of degrees earned by men and women this year. Last year’s update, which was based on 2017 degree data, had figures for the percentage of statistics and biostatistics degrees earned by nonresident aliens and for race and ethnicity data for the degrees granted to US citizens or residents. The race/ethnicity data has been updated with the 2018 data.
Figures 6–8 show the percentage of degrees earned by women over time by degree level for combined statistics and biostatistics, statistics only, and biostatistics only. The percentage of women earning biostatistics degrees is higher than that of men for all degree levels. For statistics, the percentage of men earning degrees is higher at all levels. The percentage of PhDs earned by women has declined modestly over the last decade, while the same percentage for bachelor’s degrees has rebounded to prior levels. Nonetheless, the percentage of women earning statistics and biostatistics degrees is generally better than other quantitative STEM fields, especially at the graduate degree levels and for those in the physical, mathematical, and computer sciences, as illustrated in Figure 9.
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