Citation
Ampaw, F., & Jaeger, A. (2011). Understanding the factors affecting degree completion of doctoral women in the science and engineering fields. New Directions for Institutional Research, 152, 59-73.
Highlights
- This study aimed to determine if student characteristics; financial aid receipt; and labor market conditions (such as unemployment, weekly wages, and professors’ salary) predicted doctoral degree completion in science, engineering, or math differently for men and women.
- Following students enrolled in a doctoral program at an academic institution in the southeastern United States, the study used data from the institution in which study participants were enrolled, Bureau of Labor Statistics data on unemployment and weekly earnings, and expected earnings information from the National Faculty Salary Survey by Discipline and Rank in Four Year Colleges and Universities. Nonlinear regression models were used to estimate the effects on doctoral degree completion.
- The study found that 9 percent more males than females in the study completed their doctoral degree, although women tended to be younger at the start of their degree. International students, but not minority students overall, were more likely to complete their degree than white domestic students.
- Regarding financial aid, students who held research assistantships were 67 percent more likely to finish their degree than students without an assistantship, but males were much more likely to acquire an assistantship than females.
- Regarding labor market conditions, students were more likely to complete a degree in fields with high unemployment and higher expected earnings.
Reviewed by CLEAR
February 2016