The STEM Workforce: An Occupational Overview
Fact Sheet 2016
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Professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields stand at the forefront of innovation in the U.S. economy. As technological changes reshape the world of work, these professionals are consistently in demand. However, some STEM occupations are struggling, especially in the natural sciences and some engineering professions. This fact sheet will outline the employment and earning trends in STEM occupations; unionization in STEM fields; the location of STEM jobs; gender, race, and ethnicity in STEM; and the challenges offshoring and U.S. guest worker visa programs pose for U.S. STEM workers.
Employment and Unemployment in STEM Occupations
- In 2015, computer and mathematical occupations employed 4,369,000 workers, while architecture and engineering occupations
employed 2,954,000 workers and 1,404,000 professionals were employed in life, physical, and social science occupations. Together they accounted for 15.1 percent of the professional labor force and 5.9 percent of the total U.S. workforce.[1]