We recently reported about the termination of NSF and NIH federal funding programs that promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. However, perhaps you might be wondering whether earmarked DEI funding is even necessary in 2025. Perhaps, over the decades wherein the NIH and NSF have prioritized diversifying the biomedical workforce and broadening participation in STEM, respectively, through numerous award mechanisms targeting students, postbacs, and junior-level professionals, the goals of achieving equal representation have already been met. However, data from the NSF Survey of Earned Doctorates and the US Census Bureau indicate otherwise.
In considering racial diversity alone, when comparing the percentage of science and engineering (S&E) doctorate degrees awarded to people self-identifying as either “White”, “Black”, “Hispanic”, “Asian”, “Native American/Alaskan”, or “Mixed” race, the total percentage comparison of awarded degrees between groups was Whites >> Asian > Hispanic > Black > Mixed >>> Native American/Alaskan in 2013 and 2023 (Fig. 1). However, when comparing the percentage of the respective groups in the US population based on US Census data collected in 2010 and 2020, the percentage ranking of people across the different race groups was White > Hispanic > Black > Asian > Mixed >Native American (Fig 2).
To determine whether the percentage of S&E doctoral graduates in the respective race groups reflect the percentage of people in that group in the U.S. population, the ratio of the number of degrees awarded across the groups compared to the percentage of the group in the U.S. population was determined herein. Upon doing so, it is clear that while S&E doctoral graduates identifying as White, Asian, or Mixed race were overrepresented in 2013 (Fig 3), those identifying as Hispanic, Black, or Native American/Alaskan were greatly underrepresented that same year. Further in 2023, S&E doctoral graduates identifying as White or Asian were still overrepresented, those identifying as Mixed race were slightly underrepresented, while those identifying as Hispanic, Black, or Native American were still greatly underrepresented (Fig 3).
Among the overrepresented groups, S&E doctoral graduates identifying as Asian outnumbered those identifying as White by ~2-fold in both 2013 and 2023 (Fig 3), but the trend of the representation for the degrees awarded was slightly decreased in White and Asian groups in 2023 compared to that in 2013.
Among the underrepresented groups, the S&E doctoral graduates identifying as Native American, Hispanic, or Black showed a slightly increased trend in their representation among the degrees awarded when comparing 2013 to 2023, with the greatest increase observed among those identifying as Hispanic (Fig 3). While this data is promising, all three groups were still greatly underrepresented among S&E doctoral graduates in 2023, with those identifying as Native American/Alaskan having the least representation across all groups, even when accounting for their U.S. population percentage.
This data can be further analyzed to assess whether the U.S. population has become more highly educated in STEM over time and whether the percentage of people within different race groups with STEM degrees is changing. Interestingly, the data show that the total percentage of people with S&E degrees across all racial groups decreased in the U.S. population between 2013 and 2023, indicating a trend towards a less highly-educated U.S. population over time (Fig 4). This data could potentially reflect a total decrease in STEM literacy in the U.S. between 2013 and 2023; however, we have not examined any data to accurately draw this conclusion herein. What is interesting to note is that within the groups of people identifying as Hispanic or Native American/Alaskan, there was a slightly increased percentage of S&E doctoral graduates in the U.S. in 2023 compared to 2013, which is a promising trend.
Taken together, these data indicate that DEI initiatives are still needed in STEM fields. It is important to note that the aforementioned data only reflect the number of S&E doctoral degree recipients in the U.S. between 2013 and 2023; however, when considering the racial representation among people hired for STEM jobs, the numbers may be even more divergent, though the current report has not examined the latter data.
You may wonder what purpose it serves to look at the diversity trends in STEM education in the U.S. over time. Consider that there are numerous reasons that diversity in STEM matters, not the least of which is the fact that STEM graduates earn higher salaries earlier in their careers than those in other fields. It goes without saying that when people earn more money, they contribute more to the U.S. economy. This is especially true for people who come from low-income families who may rely on public assistance. Thus, in considering the U.S. economy alone, the impact of unequal representation in STEM is not without consequence. Considering this and other factors that have not been discussed here, it makes one wonder why federal DEI funding has been eliminated under the current administration in 2025. The short- and long-term consequences of this decision on the U.S. population at large will soon be determined, but it is unlikely to be beneficial for anyone.