An era of enrollment growth in US engineering colleges has ended. From the minimum in fall 1996, full-time undergraduate enrollments rose through fall 2003 and subsequently declined. Master's enrollments fluctuated for fall 1986 through fall 1999 between about 40,000 and 47,000, reached a maximum of about 57,000 in fall 2003 and subsequently began to decline. Full-time engineering doctoral enrollments subsided slightly to about 30,000 in fall 1997 and rose to what appears to be a maximum of about 48,000 in fall 2005. Clearly, the period of increasing engineering enrollments at all three academic levels has ended.

This report focuses on graduate enrollment trends in US engineering colleges. Data for US citizens and foreign nationals will be presented along with analyses of the graduate enrollment trends in individual engineering disciplines.

Graduate Student Enrollments Including Data for US Citizens and Foreign Nationals

Full-time enrollment trends for master's and doctoral students are shown in the graph below. It is noteworthy that the maxima in master's enrollments in fall 1992 and fall 2003 are

linked to maxima in doctoral enrollments several years later. Thus, doctoral enrollments will probably decline as soon as fall 2006.

The decline in master's degree enrollments is primarily due to the decrease in foreign national students. From fall 2003 to fall 2005, total master's enrollments declined 13%; foreign national master's enrollments declined 17% (23% from fall 2002 to fall 2005). The decline in enrollments of US citizens was only 10% from fall 2003 to fall 2005. It is also noteworthy that the number of US citizens currently enrolled in master's programs is essentially the same as it was two decades ago.

Currently, doctoral enrollments of US citizens and foreign nationals are both essentially constant. It should be noted that US citizen enrollments have increased only 18% since the maximum in fall 1995. Total doctoral enrollments increased 34% during this period.

The relative graduate enrollments of US citizens and foreign nationals are shown in the graph below. The decline in the fraction of foreign national master's students in recent years is seen to be substantial. A slight decline in the fraction of foreign national enrollments in doctoral programs is evident.

Master's Degree Enrollments in Engineering Disciplines

The master's degree full-time enrollment trends in selected engineering disciplines are shown in the graph below. Aerospace, "biological" (bioengineering and biomedical engineering), chemical, "computer" (computer engineering and computer science in engineering colleges), civil, electrical, industrial, materials and mechanical engineering were studied.

Of the nine disciplines shown, only aerospace engineering has exhibited a long-term growth trend in master's degree enrollments. Materials engineering enrollments have been essentially constant over the past decade.

Major master's enrollment declines are evident in some disciplines in recent years. "Computer" and industrial engineering declined 25% and 30%, respectively, since fall 2002. Electrical and mechanical engineering declined 17% and 13%, respectively, since fall 2003. "Biological" and civil engineering both declined 7% since fall 2004. Chemical engineering master's enrollments continued the declining trend that began about two decades ago.

Doctoral Degree Enrollments in Engineering Disciplines

The doctoral enrollment trends of the nine engineering disciplines in this study vary significantly. "Biological" and "computer" engineering continue their substantial enrollment growth rates. "Biological" engineering increased 123% from fall 2000 to fall 2005; "computer" engineering increased 147% from fall 1999. Civil, materials and mechanical engineering continue to grow very slowly in doctoral enrollments.

Growth in doctoral enrollments in electrical engineering through fall 2003 was substantial following the fall 1999 minimum. However, growth in fall 2004 was minimal and a slight decline in fall 2005 occurred. Aerospace, chemical and industrial engineering declined slightly in doctoral enrollments in fall 2005.

Changes in master's enrollment trends usually result in doctoral trend changes with a time lag of a few years. The analysis of doctoral enrollments presented here should be tempered by the analysis of master's trends presented previously to obtain a valid view of doctoral enrollment trends in the years ahead.

Summary

Engineering master's degree full-time enrollments have declined 13% from fall 2003 through fall 2005. Doctoral enrollment growth has slowed and appears to have reached a maximum in fall 2005. The decline in master's enrollments was due primarily to the decreased number of foreign national students.

Analysis of graduate enrollments in individual engineering disciplines was carried out. Currently, only aerospace engineering is increasing in master's enrollment. "Computer", electrical, industrial and mechanical engineering have continued their recent enrollment declines.

Substantial annual increases have continued in doctoral enrollments in "computer" and "biological" engineering. Other disciplines showed either minor enrollment increases in fall 2005 or declined slightly.

Acknowledgments

The enrollment data used in this study originated from the annual surveys of the Engineering Workforce Commission of the American Association of 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.