Field Competitiveness in the US: Salaries and Research Funding Trends
Tracking changes in research funding and doctoral earnings to reveal evolving US field competitiveness.
Tracking changes in research funding and doctoral earnings to reveal evolving US field competitiveness.
Competitiveness shapes the modern world. It determines which industries grow, which innovations attract investment, and which careers define the next generation. Understanding what fields are gaining or losing momentum provides more than academic insight — it reveals the forces that drive economies, influence stock markets, and shape national priorities.
For young professionals, such trends can signal where opportunity lies; for entrepreneurs, they point to where innovation is most likely to thrive. Competitiveness, in this sense, is not just about rivalry - it's a map of value, potential, and change.
To explore how the landscape of knowledge and work has evolved in the United States, this study examines two powerful indicators of field competitiveness: doctoral salaries and R&D funding . Drawing on open data from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) , it tracks how different academic and professional fields have developed between 2010 and 2024 . Together, these data reveal where talent is most rewarded, where research is most supported, and how the priorities of science, technology, and society continue to shift.
This study draws on two open datasets published by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) , providing complementary perspectives on field competitiveness in the United States.
1. Median Annual Salaries Dataset (2019–2024)
This dataset includes median basic annual salaries of US doctorate recipients with definite postgraduation plans. Salaries are categorized by field of study , sex , and type of postgraduation plan (employment or postdoctoral study). It enables analysis of income differences across disciplines, gender, and career paths, highlighting economic demand and labor market trends among newly awarded PhDs.
Key variables:
2. R&D Funding Dataset (2010–2023)
Derived from NCSES Trends in US R&D Performance and Funding , this dataset records annual research and development investments across scientific and academic fields. It reflects institutional and national priorities in funding allocation and allows for long-term comparison of growth rates and focus areas.
Key variables:
Our research reveals that salary competitiveness across US doctoral fields has generally strengthened between 2019 and 2024, with notable variation by discipline.
The largest gains occurred in Multidisciplinary/Interdisciplinary Sciences (+16K) , Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (+15K) , Biological and Biomedical Sciences (+15K) , Health Sciences (+15K) , and Physical Sciences (+14K) —indicating heightened demand for expertise in applied and life science domains.
Business , Education , Humanities , and Social Sciences showed moderate but steady growth (around +8–11K), reflecting stable yet less dynamic market demand.
The only field to experience a decline was Mathematics and Statistics (−24K) , signaling a shift away from purely theoretical skillsets toward integrated, data-driven competencies. Overall, the data illustrate that US competitiveness is increasingly concentrated in applied, interdisciplinary, and health-oriented fields , where societal needs and economic incentives align most strongly.
The transition from earning a doctorate to starting a career is often seen as the moment when years of study finally begin to pay off — quite literally. Yet not all post-PhD paths lead to the same financial reward. To explore how economic outcomes differ after graduation, this study compares three groups of doctorate recipients: those with definite postgraduation plans overall , those who entered direct employment , and those who pursued postdoctoral research positions .
Between 2019 and 2024, the data reveals a steady rise in salaries, but also a widening divide depending on both career path and gender . Among doctorate recipients with definite plans, median pay increased by an average of $11,000 , with women's earnings climbing from about $70,000 to $78,000 , and men's from $70,000 to $84,000 . Despite similar educational achievement, male recipients captured stronger growth — underscoring that gender disparities persist even at the highest academic levels.
The employment group, consisting of graduates who secured non-postdoctoral jobs, reported the highest salary levels and the strongest growth. Female doctorate recipients in this category increased from almost $80,000 in 2019 to $92,000 in 2024, while their male counterparts rose from $88,000 to $103,000. These values demonstrate that employment provides the most competitive salaries for new PhD graduates and that industry, government, and non-postdoctoral academic roles are prepared to offer significantly higher compensation than other pathways.
By contrast, postdoctoral study continues to function as a lower-paying transitional role. Female postdocs increased their salaries from $51,000 in 2019 to $63,000 in 2024, while male postdocs rose from $53,000 to $64,000. Although these gains are comparable in magnitude to the other categories, the absolute salary levels remain much lower. This illustrates the structural pay gap between postdoctoral appointments and direct employment, reflecting the training-oriented nature of postdoctoral positions rather than their competitiveness in the labor market.
The analysis of total R&D investments from 2010 to 2023 reveals striking differences in how research funding is distributed across disciplines. Health sciences dominate the landscape, capturing by far the largest share of national funding — a clear reflection of their central role in U.S. research policy and their deep ties to public health and the biomedical industry. Biological and biomedical sciences and engineering also attract substantial investment, reinforcing their position as engines of technological progress and innovation.
In contrast, physical sciences, geosciences, and agricultural sciences receive moderate but steady support, sustaining the foundational research on which applied discoveries depend. Meanwhile, social sciences, psychology, education, and humanities operate on much leaner budgets, relying more heavily on institutional or nonprofit funding sources. At the bottom of the scale, visual and performing arts represent the smallest research footprint, underscoring their limited integration into large-scale federal or corporate R&D systems.
Overall, U.S. research funding remains heavily concentrated in health- and technology-driven fields, mirroring national priorities that favor innovation, applied science, and economic impact over purely theoretical or cultural inquiry.
Tracking annual R&D investments between 2010 and 2023 reveals a steady upward trajectory across most disciplines, though the pace of growth varies widely. Health sciences lead this expansion, with funding accelerating sharply after 2016 and surpassing $350 million by 2023 — evidence of their growing prominence in national research priorities and the surge of investment in biomedical innovation, public health, and life science technologies. Biological and biomedical sciences and engineering follow closely, showing consistent year-to-year gains that reaffirm their pivotal role in the U.S. innovation ecosystem.
Physical sciences and agricultural sciences experience moderate, stable increases, reflecting sustained institutional commitment to foundational research. Meanwhile, social sciences, education, and humanities continue to grow slowly, maintaining relatively small shares of the national funding landscape.
Overall, the trend points to a clear concentration of resources in health-oriented and applied scientific fields, mirroring U.S. priorities that emphasize innovation, technology, and societal impact over purely theoretical research.
This study examined the competitiveness of U.S. scientific and non-scientific fields through two complementary lenses: doctoral salaries (2019–2024) and R&D funding trends (2010–2023). Together, these indicators reveal how talent and resources are distributed across disciplines and how national research priorities have evolved over the past decade.
The salary analysis showed steady or strong growth in most fields, led by health-, biological-, and nature-related sciences, reflecting their rising market demand and societal relevance. Engineering and computer sciences continued to command the highest salaries, though growth was modest—signaling maturity in these markets. The sharp decline in mathematics and statistics highlights a shift toward applied, data-driven expertise as a new competitive standard. Employment paths remained far more lucrative than postdoctoral study, underscoring the stronger rewards of entering the labor market directly.
Persistent gender pay gaps indicate that equity challenges endure even at the doctoral level.
The R&D funding analysis complements these trends, showing concentrated investment in health sciences, biomedical research, and engineering—fields central to innovation, technology, and public health. Meanwhile, social sciences, education, humanities, and arts continue to receive modest support, reflecting their smaller role in the nation’s research investment strategy.
Viewed together, salary and funding trends point to a clear alignment between labor market rewards and research priorities. Fields that attract greater R&D funding also offer higher salaries and faster growth, reinforcing their competitive strength and societal importance. Overall, the most dynamic and competitive domains in the U.S. today are those that blend applied research, interdisciplinary focus, and innovation-driven impact—while the persistence of gender and field-based disparities underscores the need for more balanced and inclusive investment across the research ecosystem.
View the full code behind this analysis in our Google Colab notebook.