The STEM Labor Force of Today: Scientists, Engineers, and Skilled Technical Workers
11.21.22
Individuals in the STEM workforce make important contributions to improving a nation’s living standards, economic growth, and global competitiveness. They fuel a nation’s innovative capacity through their work in research and development (R&D) and in other technologically advanced activities, collectively referred to as the science and engineering (S&E) enterprise. The goal of this report is to provide information about the STEM workforce that enables insight into how the U.S. S&E enterprise is positioned to meet the needs of and compete in an increasingly technologically advanced economy, both nationally and internationally.
Executive Summary
Key takeaways:
- By including workers of all educational backgrounds and the wide variety of occupations that require significant science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) knowledge and expertise, the STEM workforce represented 23% of the total U.S. workforce in 2019.
- A little over half of STEM workers do not have a bachelor’s degree and work primarily in health care (19%), construction trades (20%), installation, maintenance, and repair (21%), and production occupations (14%).
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