Black students emerge from Ph.D. programs with higher levels of debt than any other group. They also enroll most heavily in education programs. While the field of education does not generate the highest levels of debt for its doctoral students (that dubious honor goes to the social sciences), education doctorates pay the most of out their own pockets.
Why doesn’t that result in the field having the highest debt burdens? Because large numbers of education doctoral students work full time in schools, says Kenneth Redd, director of research and policy analysis at the Council of Graduate Schools. For students who do not earn enough to cover educational and living expenses, borrowing — a lot of it — is often the only answer.
| Distribution of black doctorate recipients by field, 2005 |
| Physical sciences | 5% |
| Engineering | 5% |
| Life sciences | 16% |
| Social sciences | 18% |
| Humanities | 10% |
| Education | 39% |
| Other fields | 7% |
| Average education-related debt for doctorate recipients, by field, 2005 |
| Social sciences | $22,627 |
| Humanities | $20,127 |
| Education | $16,766 |
| Life sciences | $13,742 |
| Physical sciences | $9,641 |
| Engineering | $9,053 |
| Other fields | $16,842 |
| Average education-related debt for doctorate recipients, by race, 2005 |
| American Indian | $26,023 |
| Hispanic | $24,819 |
| White | $18,141 |
| Asian | $13,939 |
| Primary source of financial support for doctorate recipients, by field of study, 2005 |
| All Fields |
| Teaching assistantships | 17.10% |
| Research assistantships/traineeships | 26.90% |
| Fellowships/dissertation grants | 27.50% |
| Own resources | 22.70% |
| All other | 5.70% |
| Physical Sciences* |
| Teaching assistantships | 25.60% |
| Research assistantships/traineeships | 44.50% |
| Fellowships/dissertation grants | 22.50% |
| Own resources | 4.30% |
| All other | 3.10% |
| Engineering |
| Teaching assistantships | 7.40% |
| Research assistantships/traineeships | 60.10% |
| Fellowships/dissertation grants | 20.40% |
| Own resources | 5.60% |
| All other | 6.50% |
| Life Sciences |
| Teaching assistantships | 9.10% |
| Research assistantships/traineeships | 28.60% |
| Fellowships/dissertation grants | 46.50% |
| Own resources | 10.80% |
| All other | 4.10% |
| Social Sciences |
| Teaching assistantships | 22.50% |
| Research assistantships/traineeships | 15.50% |
| Fellowships/dissertation grants | 26.90% |
| Own resources | 31.20% |
| All other | 3.80% |
| Humanities |
| Teaching assistantships | 34.30% |
| Research assistantships/traineeships | 2.10% |
| Fellowships/dissertation grants | 31.90% |
| Own resources | 28.60% |
| All other | 3.10% |
| Education |
| Teaching assistantships | 7.20% |
| Research assistantships/traineeships | 9.20% |
| Fellowships/dissertation grants | 10.70% |
| Own resources | 60.30% |
| All other | 12.50% |
| NOTE: Figures cover U.S. citizens only. Includes only doctorate recipients who reported a primary source of support. | |
| * Includes mathematics and computer sciences. | |
| SOURCE: SURVEY OF EARNED DOCTORATES, NATIONAL OPINION RESEARCH CENTER | |
