Published in November 2008 by the SRS (Sciences Resources Statistics) Division of the NSF (National Science Foundation), this Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) presents the datas for the academic year 2007 (1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007).

US institutions awarded 48,079 doctorates in 2007, the highest number ever reported by the SED and an increase of 5.4 % over 2006. Numbers of doctorates awarded rose in both science and engineering (S&E) and non-S&E field-of-study categories. All science fields except chemistry and psychology reached record numbers with the highest number being awarded in the biological sciences (7,173, or 14.9% of all doctorates).
Doctoral awarded in the Humanities, declined by 4.6 % in 2006 and have declined by 4.4 % since 1998.

Furthermore, doctorates awarded to non-US citizens (permanent residents & temporary visa holders) grew at a faster rate than did those do US citizens. This population also achieved the highest growth rate (42.8 %) over the 5-year period ending 2007.

Survey of Earned Doctorates in USA