Further Education

About 35% of bachelor's degree recipients go on to enroll in graduate school, with STEM majors having a higher rate than non-STEM majors. Motivations for graduate study include higher earnings, research opportunities, specialized training, and career changes. It's important to consider that graduate school may not be an option for all career paths, but it is still a possibility. Factors such as diverse backgrounds and socioeconomic status affect enrollment rates, with higher-income families having higher rates. There are also racial, ethnic, and gender disparities, with women making up 59% of graduate students and men dominating certain fields like engineering and computer science. One of the most common forms of further education is graduate school enrollment. About 35% of students who achieve a bachelor's degree enroll in a master's or doctoral program within four years of graduation. STEM majors have about 44% continuing into graduate programs and non-STEM major fields have a little bit less with a rate of 30 to 35%. The motivations for going to graduate study would consist of higher lifetime earnings with advanced degree, pursuing research opportunities, gaining specialized training, or even a desire to switch fields. It's important to note that graduate school enrollment is not always an option for certain career paths, but does not mean it is not a possibility to enroll in. With graduate school enrollment, it's also important to note that diverse backgrounds and socioeconomic status play major factors in the process of enrolling. Enrollment rates are higher for students with higher income families, there are racial and ethnic disparities, and under-representation in doctoral programs and STEM fields. For gender differences, 59% of women compromise graduate students as of 2019, and men take a majority of programs in engineering, computer, and physical sciences along with math.