Engineering master's and doctoral full-time enrollments declined to minima in the mid- to late 1990s and subsequently increased to record levels as shown in the graph below. The growth in master's enrollments in fall 2003 was minimal and the decline in fall 2004 was substantial. Doctoral enrollments have continued to increase since fall 1997, but the rate of growth declined in fall 2004.

This report is a comprehensive analysis of the graduate enrollment trends in engineering, in ethnic groups (African, Hispanic, Native and Asian Americans), in selected engineering disciplines and in graduate enrollments of ethnic groups (excluding Native Americans due to data scatter from small sample sizes) in the selected disciplines. The Hispanic American data include enrollments in two universities in Puerto Rico. The engineering disciplines selected were aerospace, "biological" (biological engineering and biomedical engineering), chemical, civil, "computer" (computer engineering, computer science (in universities with engineering colleges), software engineering, etc.), electrical, industrial, materials (materials science and engineering) and mechanical engineering.

Graduate Engineering Enrollments of African, Hispanic, Native and Asian Americans

The two graphs below indicate the full-time enrollment trends of the four ethnic groups in master's and doctoral programs. African and Hispanic American enrollments are slowly increasing for master's programs and increasing more rapidly for doctoral programs. Native American enrollments are not increasing at either the master's or doctoral level. Asian American enrollments increased substantially from minima in fall 1999 and reached maxima in fall 2003. Both master's and doctoral data for Asian Americans in fall 2004 showed significant declines. Whether this is a new trend must await the publishing of fall 2005 enrollment data.

Since overall graduate enrollments have increased significantly since the late 1990s, a complete perspective of ethnic trends must also consider relative enrollment fractions of the ethnic groups. The graph below shows the enrollment fractions of the four ethnic groups in master's and doctoral programs. Although African and Hispanic American master's enrollment fractions have increased in recent years, their current data are less than the maxima in the mid-1990s. No relative doctoral enrollment growth for either of these groups is evident. No relative enrollment growth trend for Native Americans is evident at either the master's or doctoral level. The graph below shows that the substantial relative master's enrollment growth of Asian Americans has ended and that no relative doctoral enrollment growth has occurred since fall 1999.

Graduate Enrollments in Selected Engineering Disciplines

Essentially all individual engineering disciplines increased in master's and doctoral enrollments from the minima in the late 1990s as shown in the two graphs below. More recently, most disciplines have experienced decreasing master's enrollments. Both "computer" and industrial engineering have declined substantially in master's enrollment since their maxima in fall 2002; materials engineering declined slightly over this period. Both electrical and mechanical engineering declined significantly in enrollment in fall 2004. Chemical engineering continued its long-term decline in master's enrollment that began in the early 1980s.

Only aerospace and "biological" engineering show significant master's enrollment growth. Aerospace engineering enrollment increased 51% through fall 2004 from the minimum in fall 1999 and "biological" engineering enrollment increased 108% since the minimum in fall 1997.

Doctoral enrollments in the selected disciplines have continued to increase as shown in the graph below. The rate of enrollment growth in fall 2004 for chemical, "computer", electrical and mechanical engineering declined significantly. Whether this is the onset of a declining enrollment trend will be seen when enrollment data for fall 2005 become available. Aerospace, civil, industrial and materials engineering continue their long-term increasing doctoral enrollment trends.

Clearly, "biological" engineering has continued its doctoral enrollment growth that began in the mid-1980s. It is noteworthy that the rate of enrollment increase has increased substantially since fall 2000. From fall 2001 through fall 2004, the average annual doctoral enrollment increase has been over 400. If this rate of growth is sustained, doctoral enrollments in "biological" engineering will probably exceed all other disciplines except electrical, mechanical and "computer" engineering by fall 2008.

African American Graduate Enrollments in Selected Engineering Disciplines

The relative full-time graduate enrollments of African American master's and doctoral students are shown in the two graphs below. Currently, there is a strong preference for industrial and chemical engineering. Industrial engineering declined from fall 1995 to a minimum in fall 2000 and subsequently grew substantially through fall 2004. Chemical engineering relative master's enrollments have remained constant for a decade. Relative "computer" enrollments have increased in recent years, but have remained low. Enrollments in electrical, materials and mechanical engineering have declined in recent years. Essentially constant relative enrollments are seen for aerospace, "biological" and civil engineering.

Relative doctoral enrollments shown in the second graph below indicate strong preferences for both "biological" and industrial engineering. Slow, but steady, enrollment growth in each of these disciplines has occurred over the past decade.

Currently, relative doctoral enrollments in the other seven disciplines selected for study are significantly lower than in "biological" and industrial engineering. Aerospace and materials engineering, however, have shown an upward trend in recent years. "Computer", electrical and mechanical engineering have had declining relative doctoral enrollments in recent years. Chemical and civil engineering have had essentially constant relative doctoral enrollments for the past decade.

Hispanic American Enrollments in Selected Engineering Disciplines

The full-time relative enrollments of Hispanic American students in master's and doctoral programs are shown in the two graphs below. For master's degrees, a strong preference appears for civil and industrial engineering. Steady enrollment growth over several decades has occurred for civil engineering. Following a sharp minimum in relative industrial engineering a few years ago, this discipline is now near the maximum that occurred in fall 1995.

Relative master's enrollments in aerospace, electrical, materials and mechanical engineering have grown in recent years following minima in fall 2001 and 2002. These disciplines are currently near their relative enrollment maxima in the mid-1990s. "Biological", chemical and "computer" engineering relative master's enrollments have been essentially constant for a decade.

Chemical, civil and industrial engineering are preferences for doctoral enrollment. Chemical and civil engineering have had a long-term growth trend for several decades. Industrial engineering experienced low relative doctoral enrollments from fall 1996 through fall 2002; these enrollments grew substantially thereafter and reached a record level in fall 2004.

"Biological" and mechanical engineering, clearly preferences as doctoral programs in the late 1990s, have suffered serious relative enrollment declines subsequently through fall 2004. Electrical engineering also had enrollment declines from the maximum in the mid-1990s through fall 2000; these enrollments have not varied in recent years, but remain low. Although relative enrollments in aerospace engineering are low, growth in recent years is significant and a new record was set in fall 2004. Enrollments in materials engineering have remained at about 2% since the mid-1990s. "Computer" engineering has had the lowest ranking for much of the last decade and its relative enrollments have remained essentially constant during this period.

Asian American Enrollments in Selected Engineering Disciplines

Relative full-time enrollments of Asian American master's and doctoral students in the engineering disciplines selected for study are shown in the two graphs below. For master's degree students, discipline preferences currently are "biological", "computer", electrical and materials (ignoring the fall 2004 data point) engineering. "Biological" engineering continues its long-term growth trend. "Computer", electrical and materials engineering all had maxima in the mid-1990s, declined to minima around fall 2000 and then increased to new records in the last few years.

Of the less-preferred disciplines, aerospace engineering has shown slow, but steady, growth in relative master's degree enrollment since fall 1998. Civil, chemical, industrial and mechanical engineering all reached enrollment maxima in the mid-1990s, declined to minima around fall 2000 and increased subsequently. Chemical, industrial and mechanical engineering had marked declines in relative enrollments in fall 2004.

Relative doctoral enrollments shown in the second graph below indicate preferences currently for "biological", chemical, "computer", electrical and materials (ignoring the fall 2004 data point) engineering. "Biological" engineering grew steadily in relative enrollment to a maximum in fall 1998, declined to a minimum in fall 2001 and has now returned to a substantial growth trend.

"Computer", electrical and materials engineering all reached maxima in the mid-1990s. "Computer" engineering has continued to decline in relative enrollment since that time. Electrical engineering declined until fall 2000 and has remained essentially constant thereafter. Materials engineering relative enrollments also declined until fall 2000 and subsequently increased; the sharp decline in fall 2004, if valid, is greater in magnitude than the increase from fall 2000 through fall 2003. Chemical engineering relative enrollments have been essentially constant since the mid-1990s.

Of the remaining disciplines shown in the graph above, aerospace engineering doctoral enrollments declined from a maximum in fall 1988 and have been constant since fall 1998. Industrial engineering enrollments declined from a maximum in fall 1996, reached a minimum in fall 2000 and increased through fall 2004. Mechanical engineering relative enrollments have fluctuated severely for the last decade or so, but current enrollments are essentially the same as those in the early 1990s. Civil engineering enrollments have steadily declined since the maximum in fall1994.

Summary

A transition from past graduate enrollment trends in engineering appears to be occurring. Full-time master's enrollments grew little in fall 2003 and decreased substantially in fall 2004. Doctoral full-time enrollment growth slowed meaningfully in fall 2004.

For master's degree full-time enrollments, only aerospace and "biological" engineering continued to increase in fall 2004. Civil engineering master's enrollments have remained constant for the last few years. Electrical, materials and mechanical engineering enrollments declined significantly in fall 2004 and "computer" and industrial engineering declined in both fall 2003 and fall 2004. Chemical engineering continues its long-term declining trend in master's enrollments.

For doctoral degree full-time enrollments, "biological" engineering continues to grow rapidly. The increase from fall 2001 to fall 2004 was 80%. Aerospace, civil, industrial and materials engineering maintained past growth trends in fall 2004. On the other hand, chemical, "computer", electrical and mechanical engineering exhibited significant reductions in doctoral enrollment growth in fall 2004.

Trends for African, Hispanic, Native and Asian Americans were studied for engineering as a whole and, except for Native Americans, for specific engineering disciplines. Trends for engineering were presented as enrollments; those for disciplines as relative enrollments (fractions of engineering). Currently, African American students prefer chemical and industrial engineering at the master's level and "biological" and industrial engineering at the doctoral level. Hispanic American students prefer civil and industrial engineering at the master's level and chemical, civil and industrial engineering at the doctoral level. Asian American students prefer "biological", "computer", electrical and materials engineering at the master's level and "biological", chemical, "computer", electrical and materials engineering at the doctoral level.

Acknowledgments

The enrollment data used in this study originated from the annual surveys of the Engineering Workforce Commission of the American Association for Engineering Societies. Engineering Trends acknowledges the efforts of this organization in providing credible data and expresses its gratitude for their services to the engineering profession. Persons seeking further information about their surveys and the availability of survey data should visit the EWC Web site (www.aaes.org).

Footnote

Engineering Trends data are compiled mainly from information submitted by universities to the annual surveys of EWC and ASEE. On the very rare occasions where errors in data appear, Engineering Trends corrects the error, if possible, or deletes the data if the error is large enough to alter significantly the trend of the university or the US total.