Latest Enrollment and Degree Data in Physics and Astronomy

This post is adapted from various AIP announcements:

The American Institute of Physics (AIP) Statistical Research Center has published its 2019 data on enrollments and numbers of degrees conferred in the 2018-19 academic year for each degree-granting physics and astronomy department in the US.

The Physics Roster is a listing of all degree-granting physics departments in the US.& The Astronomy Roster is a listing of all degree-granting astronomy departments in the US. Both rosters include enrollment data for the fall of 2019 and the degrees conferred during the 2018-19 academic year. These data come from AIP's annual departmental survey of enrollments and degrees.

There were 9,193 physics bachelor's degrees conferred in the class of 2019. The number of physics bachelor's degrees conferred at US physics departments has increased every year since 1999. 

The 1,902 physics PhDs conferred in the class of 2019 at US institutions was relatively unchanged from the previous year. The number of physics PhDs conferred continues to be at record highs, with the class of 2019 representing a 175% increase from the recent low in 2004.

The number of astronomy bachelor’s degrees awarded at US institutions is at an all-time high. The 666 astronomy bachelor’s degrees conferred in the class of 2019 represent a 12% increase over the previous year and a 100% increase from a decade ago.

There were 159 astronomy PhDs conferred in the class of 2019. This represents an 8% decline from the class of 2018 and the second year in a row that the number of astronomy PhDs conferred has declined.

See Roster of Physics Departments with Enrollment and Degree Data, 2019 and Roster of Astronomy Departments with Enrollment and Degree Data, 2019 for the complete reports.