1990 CENSUS DATA SHOWS TRENDS FOR NON-ACADEMIC SCIENTISTS AND

[David Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

IEEE-USA ELECTRONIC INFORMATION BULLETIN


No. 95-21, April 20, 1995




1990 CENSUS DATA SHOWS TRENDS FOR
NON-ACADEMIC SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS


The National Science Foundation recently released a 15 page
report, entitled "Nonacademic Scientists and Engineers: Trends
from the 1980 and 1990 Censuses" (NSF 95-306), which provides an
interesting overview of the science and engineering profession
and trends for scientists and engineers employed in the non-
academic sector.  The report is based on data gleaned from the
1990 U.S. Census, which is compared to data from the 1980 census.
Among the report's highlights:


OVERALL GROWTH OF THE PROFESSION AND BY OCCUPATION:  Overall,
the size of the non-academic science and engineering profession
increased by 64.4 percent from 2.14 million in 1980 to 3.51 million in
1990.  The number of engineers of all disciplines increased 40
percent from 1,353,2000 in 1980 to 1,894,400 in 1990.  Electrical and
electronics engineers increased 62.4 percent from 1980 to 1990,
from 315,200 to 511,800.  Aerospace engineers increased 87.2
percent from 85.2 million in 1980 to 159.6 million in 1990.  The large
growth with in the computer field.  Computer systems analysts and
computer scientists increased 150 percent from 194,100 in 1980 to
485,200 in 1990.  Operations and systems research and analysts
saw the most rapid growth of any science and engineering field,
increasing over 250 percent from 78,100 in 1980 to 273,400 in 1990.


GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION:  The number of non-academic scientists
and engineers increased between 1980 and 1990 in all geographic
regions of the Country and all states except Wyoming.  The fastest
growth occurred in the South Atlantic Region (98.1 percent)
followed by the Pacific Region (76.5 percent).  The slowest growth
occurred in the East North Central region (i.e. Illinois, Indiana,
Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin), with a growth rate of 41.1 percent.
States with a population of at least 50,000 scientists and
engineers that boasted the fastest rate of growth were Florida
(122.9 percent), North Carolina (121.8 percent), Georgia (111.7
percent), Arizona (108.3 percent), and Virginia (107.3 percent).


EDUCATION:  The education levels among non-academic scientists
and engineers increased notably between 1980 and 1990.  The
percentage with a high school degree or less declined from 13.3
percent to 7.4 percent.  Non-academic scientists and engineers
with some college and/or associate's degree increased from 20.6
percent to 22.6 percent.  The number with Bachelor's degrees
increased from 44.3 percent to 44.8 percent.  The number who have
completed some graduate study (including masters, Ph.D.s, and/or
other professional degrees) increased from 21.8 percent to 25.1
percent.


AGE:  The average age of the non-academic science and engineering
work force increased between 1980 and 1990.  The following table
compares the percentage of non-academic scientists and
engineers in different age ranges:


           AGE:            1980        1990


           <30             25.3%       22.6%
           30-39                 32.5       32.6
           40-49                 20.7       22.4
           50-64                 20.2       17.5
           64+             1.3         4.9


ETHNIC MINORITIES AND WOMEN:  Women as a percentage of the non-
academic science and engineering work force increased from 12.6
percent in 1980 to 22.2 percent in 1990.  Among racial and ethic
minorities, blacks increased from 3.2 percent to 4.4 percent of the
work force between 1980 and 1990.  Hispanics increased from 2.2
percent to 3.1 percent.  Persons of Asian origin increased from 4.2
percent to 6 percent.


EMPLOYMENT:  The percentage of self-employed non-academic
scientists and engineers in all occupations and at all educational
levels increased from 4 percent in 1980 to 6.1 percent in 1990.  The
percentage share of all other non-academic employers declined
slightly, with companies (private and non-profit) employing 71
percent, the Federal Government 10.2 percent, and state and local
governments 8.2 percent.  As noted above, the report does not
encompass scientists and engineers employed in academia.


EARNINGS:  Median real earnings remained essentially flat for all
major non-academic science and engineering occupations from
1979-1989.  During that period, non-academic engineers of all ages
holding a bachelor's degree or higher saw their median earnings
decline 0.6 percent to $42,000.  This trend was not mirrored among
the overall work force where median income for all employed
persons with a Bachelor's degree or higher rose 27.5 percent from
1979-1989 (to a median salary of $28,000).


Age apparently played a significant role in determining the growth
or decline of earnings.  Non-academic engineers with a Bachelor's
degree or higher who were under 40 years of age saw a real
increase of 2.2 percent from 1979-1989 to reflect median earnings
of $38,000.  Older engineers (40+ years of age) with the same
educational background experienced a decrease of 1.3 percent over
the same ten years to a median earnings level of $50,000.  Among
non-academic math and computer sciences, median salaries among
scientists aged 40 years and younger with Bachelor's degrees or
higher grew 1.6 percent, while median salaries among equivalent
scientists over 40 years of age fell by 4.4 percent.


The median salary for non-academic Ph.D. engineers ($58,000) and
Ph.D. math/computer scientists ($52,000) continue to significantly
outstrip the median for Ph.D.s of all occupations ($43,000).


IMMIGRANT SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS:  The proportion of non-
academic foreign-born scientists and engineers increased from 9.1
to 11.0 percent between 1980 and 1990.  Foreign-born engineers
represent 39.2 percent of all non-academic engineering Ph.D.s in
the U.S. and 29.2 percent of all math/computer science Ph.D.s.
Foreign born Ph.D.s represent 44.5 percent of the non-academic
math and computer science Ph.D.s in the 25-34 age range.


-----


Single copies of the report are available free of charge from the
Division of Science Resources Studies, National Science
Foundation, Arlington, VA 22230.  Requests can also be submitted
by e-mail via the Internet to pubs () nsf gov or by fax to 703-644-
4278.  Be sure to specify the report title ("Nonacademic Scientists
and Engineers:  Trends from the 1980 and 1990 Censuses") and
number (NSF 95-306) and be sure to provide your name and a
complete mailing address.




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