Students and employees from foreign countries have pursued STEM  degrees and worked in STEM occupations in the United States as well. The Proportion of Students Obtaining Degrees in STEM Fields Has Fallen, and Teacher Quality and High School Preparation Were Cited as Influential Factors

From the 1994–1995 academic year to the 2003–2004 academic year, the  number of graduates with STEM degrees increased, but the proportion of  students obtaining degrees in STEM fields fell. Teacher quality, academic  preparation, collegiate degree requirements, and the pay for employment  in STEM fields were cited by university officials and Education as factors  affecting the pursuit of degrees in these fields. Total Number of Graduates with STEM Degrees Increased, but Numbers Decreased in Some Fields, and Proportions of Minority Graduates at the Master’s and Doctoral Levels Did Not Change

The number of graduates with degrees in STEM fields increased from  approximately 519,000 to approximately 578,000 from the 1994–1995  academic year to the 2003–2004 academic year. STEM Employment Rose in Math and Science, but There Is No Evidence of an Increase in Engineering or Technology

Although the total number of STEM employees increased from 1994 to  2003, particularly in mathematics and computer science, there was no  evidence that the number of employees in engineering and technology- related fields did. STEM Employment Rose Relative to Non-STEM Employment, but in STEM Fields the Proportion of Women Remained about the Same, Minorities Continued to be Underrepresented, and the Number of Foreign Workers Declined

From 1994 to 2003, employment in STEM fields increased from an  estimated 7.2 million to an estimated 8.9 million—representing a  23 percent increase, as compared to a 17 percent increase in non-STEM  fields. The estimated number of minorities employed in the STEM  fields as well as the proportion of total STEM employees they constituted  increased, but African-American and Hispanic employees remained  underrepresented relative to their percentages in the civilian labor force. In recent years, these numbers have declined in certain fields. Key Factors Affecting STEM Employment Decisions Include Mentoring for Women and Minorities and Opportunities Abroad for Foreign Employees

University officials and congressional commissions noted the important  role that mentors play in encouraging employment in STEM fields and that  this was particularly important for women and minorities. Furthermore,  coordination among the federal STEM education programs has been  limited. Federal Civilian Agencies Reported Spending Billions for Over 200 STEM Education Programs in Fiscal Year 2004 and that Evaluations Were Completed or Under Way for About Half

Officials from 13 federal civilian agencies reported that approximately $2.8  billion was spent in fiscal year 2004 on 207 STEM education programs. For example, it had surveyed federal agency  education programs designed to increase the participation of women and  underrepresented minorities in STEM studies, and it had coordinated the  Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics  Education Week activities, which provide an opportunity for the nation’s  schools to focus on improving mathematics and science education. Congress also established an Academic Competitiveness Council in  passing the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. To help improve the trends in the numbers of graduates and employees in  STEM fields, university officials and others made several suggestions, such  as increasing the federal commitment to STEM education programs. However, before expanding the number of federal programs, it is  important to know the extent to which existing STEM education programs  are appropriately targeted and making the best use of available federal  resources—in other words, these programs must be evaluated—and a  comprehensive evaluation of federal programs is currently nonexistent.
Why GAO Did This Study

The United States is a world leader in scientific and technological innovation. To help maintain this advantage, the federal government has spent billions of dollars on education programs in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields for many years. However, concerns have been raised about the nation's ability to maintain its global technological competitive advantage in the future. This testimony is based on our October 2005 report and presents information on (1) trends in degree attainment in STEM- and non-STEM-related fields and factors that may influence these trends, (2) trends in the levels of employment in STEM- and non-STEM- related fields and factors that may influence these trends, and (3) federal education programs intended to support the study of and employment in STEM-related fields. For this report, we analyzed survey responses from 13 civilian federal departments and agencies; analyzed data from the Departments of Education and Labor; interviewed educators, federal agency officials, and representatives from education associations and organizations; and interviewed students.

What GAO Found

While postsecondary enrollment has increased over the past decade, the proportion of students obtaining degrees in STEM fields has fallen. In academic year 1994-1995, about 519,000 students (32 percent) obtained STEM degrees. About 578,000 students obtained STEM degrees in academic year 2003-2004, accounting for 27 percent of degrees awarded. Despite increases in enrollment and degree attainment by women and minorities at the graduate level, the number of graduate degrees conferred fell in several STEM-related fields from academic year 1994-1995 to academic year 2003-2004. College and university officials and students most often cited subpar teacher quality and poor high school preparation as factors that discouraged the pursuit of STEM degrees. Suggestions to encourage more enrollment in STEM fields include increased outreach and mentoring. The past decade has seen an increase in STEM employees, particularly in mathematics and computer science. From 1994 to 2003, employment in STEM fields increased by an estimated 23 percent, compared to 17 percent in non-STEM fields. Mathematics and computer science showed the highest increase in STEM-related employment, and employment in science-related fields increased as well. However, in certain STEM fields, including engineering, the number of employees did not increase significantly. Further, while the estimated number of women, African-Americans, and Hispanic-Americans employed in STEM fields increased, women and minorities remained underrepresented relative to their numbers in the civilian labor force. The number of foreign workers employed in the United States has fluctuated, experiencing declines in 2002 and 2003. Key factors affecting STEM employment decisions include mentoring for women and minorities and opportunities abroad for foreign employees. Thirteen federal civilian agencies spent approximately $2.8 billion in fiscal year 2004 to fund over 200 programs designed to increase the numbers of students in STEM fields and employees in STEM occupations and to improve related educational programs. The funding reported for individual STEM education programs varied significantly, and programs most commonly provided financial support to students or infrastructure support to institutions. However, only half of these programs had been evaluated or had evaluations underway, and coordination among STEM education programs was limited. It is important to know the extent to which existing STEM education programs target the right people and the right areas and make the best use of available resources. Since our report was issued in October 2005, Congress, in addition to establishing new grants to encourage students from low-income families to enroll in STEM fields, established an Academic Competitiveness Council to identify, evaluate, coordinate, and improve federal STEM programs.