IT Workforce: Retention of Women and Minorities

Supported by Grant # EIA 0089995 from the National Science Foundation
Principal Investigators: Paula Stephan and Sharon Levin

Data:

This project utilizes the National Science Foundation's SESTAT database. SESTAT is a comprehensive, integrated database containing information over time on the employment, educational, and demographic characteristics of scientists and engineers who possess at least a bachelor's degree. Data are presently available for 1993, 1995, 1997, and 1999. The SESTAT database is compiled from data collected through three NSF surveys: the National Survey of College Graduates, the National Survey of Recent College Graduates, and the Survey of Doctorate Recipients.

Summary of SESTAT Data

Survey	1993	1995	1997	1999
National Survey of College Graduates	All individuals identified as having a S&E degree in 1990 Census;All individuals identified as having a non-S&E college degree in 1990 who hold an S&E occupation in 1993. All individuals must be living in the U.S.NOTE: US earned doctorates excluded	All individuals in the 1993 NSCG;Individuals are added if they received an S&E degree between 1990 and 1994. U.S. doctorates are again excluded.	All individuals in the 1993 NSCG; Individuals are added if they received an S&E degree between 1990 and 1996. U.S. doctorates are again excluded.	All individuals in the 1993 NSCG; Individuals are added if they received an S&E degree between 1990 and 1998. U.S. doctorates are again excluded.
NSRCB	Individuals who earned bachelor's or masters S&E degrees in May to December of 1990 or academic years 1991 or 1992.	Individuals who earned bachelor's or master's S&E degrees in academic years 1993 or 1994	Individuals who earned bachelor's or master's S&E degrees in academic years 1995 or 1996.	Individuals who earned bachelor's or master's S&E degrees in academic years 1996 or 1997.
Survey of Doctorate Recipients	Individuals who earned S&E doctorates in U.S. through academic year 1992 and indicated they planned to stay in the U.S. at time degree was received.	Individuals who earned S&E doctorates in U.S. through academic year 1994 and indicated they planned to stay in the U.S. at time degree was received.	Individuals who earned S&E doctorates in the U.S. through academic year 1996 and indicated they planned to stay in the U.S. at time degree was received.	Individuals who earned S&E doctorates in the U.S. through academic year 1998 and indicated they planned to stay in the U.S. at time degree was received.

Although it is the best available database for this research, SESTAT is not without problems. First, as is true with other databases, the SESTAT definition of IT related occupations fails to capture all jobs where IT work is occurring. Second, SESTAT under represents four groups of scientists and engineers in the U.S. in 1995 and subsequent years: (1) new immigrants with S&E degrees earned outside the U.S. who entered the U.S. after 1990 and have not received a degree since that time in the U.S.; (2) college grads without S&E degrees who were not working in S&E occupations in 1993 but were in S&E occupations after that; (3) associate degree holders working in the S&E workforce; (4) individuals who lack any formal degree but who are working in the S&E workforce. In addition, no one is included in the sample over the age of 75. Third, the sample is refreshed during the period 1993-1999 only with individuals trained in S&E. Fourth, and of importance for this study, programming, both as an occupation and as a field of education, is not defined by SESTAT as being in S&E. This does not mean that programmers are excluded from SESTAT. It does, however, mean that they are not intentionally counted by SESTAT. Thus, individuals working as computer programmers in 1993 are only included in SESTAT if they received a degree in an S&E field and individuals who trained in programming are only included in SESTAT if they were working in an S&E occupation.

For more information about SESTAT and access to its online public-use database, visit the National Science Foundation's SESTAT website.

For information on other science and engineering data, visit the website of the Division of Science Resources Statistics , National Science Foundation.