Survey of Earned Doctorates (FSRDC Version)

The survey is a universal census. The total universe in 2020 included 55,283 persons from 449 institutions that conferred research doctorates.

Two modes of data collection are used in the SED: self-administered Web survey and computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). The proportion of SED completions using the Web has increased each year since it was introduced in 2001, and it reached 97.3% in 2020. Due to the availability of comprehensive lists of doctorate-granting institutions and the institutions' high levels of participation in the survey, coverage error of institutions is minimal. Because the graduate schools collect the survey data from degree recipients at the time of doctorate completion, coverage error for the universe of doctorate recipients is also minimal. Comparisons of the institutions and the number of research doctorate recipients covered by the SED with the total number of doctorate recipients (including nonresearch doctorate degree recipients) reported by institutions to the National Center for Education Statistics confirm that there is minimal coverage error of doctorate recipients. In 2020, a small number of doctorate-granting institutions declined to fully enumerate their academic year 2020 doctorate recipients, resulting in a small percentage (less than 0.1%) of undercoverage in the universe.

Each year's survey data are compiled into the Doctorate Records File (DRF) and trend data are available back to 1958; more limited information (sex, institution, field, and year of doctorate) is contained on the DRF for PhDs who graduated in 1920–56.

Request with 1395 Survey of Doctoral Recipients. DRF ID#

• Protected identification key (PIK)
• Household Address
• Other (see Linkage Capabilities description)