Technology
STEM Graduates

Increasing


Percent of Graduates with a STEM Degree

What does this measure?

The number of residents with a science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) degree, expressed as a percentage of all residents 25 and older.

Why is this important?

STEM degrees are an important component of the economy because STEM graduates workers tend to be more skilled and more highly paid than other workers. In addition, a region's future vitality is often tied to the strength of its STEM-related occupations. STEM graduates are in high demand and provide a talent pool for attracting organizations and firms depending on a similar base of scientific knowledge and skilled workers.

How does our county compare?

In 2022, 15% of residents in Lancaster County aged 25 or older had a STEM degree. This was lower than both the state rate of 24% and national rate of 19%, respectively. Lancaster County had the third largest percentage of STEM graduates behind Dauphin (40%) and Cumberland (16%), tied with York (15%), and just over Berks (13%), Lebanon (11%) and Chester (9%).

The percentage of STEM graduates in the area counties has grown by varying amounts since 2010. While Lancaster's rate increased by only one percentage point since 2010, Berks increased by six percentage points, York decreased by four percentage points, and Dauphin County grew its number of STEM graduates by 26 percentage points since 2010.

Notes about the data

Certificates and all diplomas are included as STEM graduates. The STEM Designated Degree Program list is a complete list of fields of study that DHS considers to be science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) fields of study.

Percent of Graduates with a STEM Degree
20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022
Pennsylvania15%14%14%17%16%15%14%14%14%14%15%15%15%16%16%17%18%19%21%21%22%23%24%
Lancaster County14%12%14%15%15%14%15%14%14%14%14%14%13%14%13%14%14%16%16%15%15%14%15%
Berks County9%8%7%12%10%9%9%9%8%8%8%10%10%10%10%10%11%11%13%13%10%10%13%
Chester County10%9%9%10%11%9%8%7%6%6%6%7%7%7%7%8%8%10%9%9%9%9%9%
Cumberland County11%23%17%22%15%15%14%11%12%11%12%12%12%13%15%14%13%14%13%13%14%15%16%
Dauphin County19%18%17%23%21%20%17%17%13%14%14%14%14%15%14%16%19%26%33%35%36%39%40%
Lebanon County8%7%7%7%9%8%9%8%8%8%11%9%9%9%10%10%13%12%12%13%10%9%11%
York County19%17%19%18%15%16%18%15%16%15%18%15%11%14%13%13%12%15%15%17%14%15%15%

Source: Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
Notes: Degree counts include both first and second degrees.




Number of STEM Graduates
20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022
Pennsylvania21,34422,16822,32126,95325,87025,72725,49825,22726,17426,50329,07630,26430,75032,31034,10735,19536,40538,32341,59941,83843,29644,19743,154
Lancaster County430382428479540547561536596575616639615657667676691777768738782708748
Berks County307269290425398359387406362376375492491503469497522547611596384408594
Chester County382328410461523433462408368407410463487492523533552678622678583636609
Cumberland County329799583741548592529449441398428435467513569499469546458496466481536
Dauphin County5825905497036807216156385185455996036556396366707491,0311,4681,5721,2511,3541,789
Lebanon County4247415155545451485477666560808091808988676879
York County407417462412312392455406440392527451335406344369318343285281209233251

Source: Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
Notes: Degree counts include both first and second degrees.




INDICATORS TREND
Prekindergarten Participation Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate Increasing
Per-Student Spending Maintaining
Students Receiving Special Education Services Increasing
Rate of Foster Care Admissions Maintaining
Disengaged Youth Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Plans of High School Graduates Not Applicable
Enrollment in Local Colleges Decreasing
College Graduation Rates Decreasing
Brain Drain/Gain Increasing
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Average Charitable Giving Maintaining
Voter Registration Rate Not Applicable
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Age of Housing Stock Not Applicable
Violent Crime Rate Maintaining
Incarceration Rate Decreasing
Incarceration Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Population Density Increasing
Air Quality Decreasing
Water Use Decreasing
Waterways Impaired by Pollution Not Applicable
Change in Population Increasing
Change in Population by Age and Gender Not Applicable
Population by Age Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People with Disabilities Maintaining
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Change in Total Jobs Increasing
Change in Employment by Sector Not Applicable
Sector Share of Total Jobs Not Applicable
Workers by Occupation Not Applicable
Change in Labor Force Maintaining
People Entering/Leaving County/Region for Work Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Change in Average Salary Since 2000 Increasing
Female to Male Earnings Ratio Maintaining
Employer Size Not Applicable
Change in Number of Businesses by Sector Increasing
Change in Total Agricultural Sales Increasing
Spending for Local Government Maintaining
Spending for School Districts Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty Decreasing
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Decreasing
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Veterans Living in Poverty Maintaining
Working Poor Decreasing
Median Household Income by Household Type Not Applicable
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Living Wage Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Household Receiving Temporary Assistance Maintaining
Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch Increasing
Median Home Value Maintaining
Occupied Housing Units Maintaining
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Rent Maintaining
Cost of Renting Increasing
Households Without Vehicles Maintaining
Means of Transportation to Work, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Health Status Decreasing
Prevalence of Mental Illness Maintaining
Adults Who are Overweight or Obese Not Applicable
Mortality Rates Decreasing
Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Fatal Drug Overdoses Increasing
Cancer Incidence Decreasing
Households With Internet Access Increasing
High-Tech Jobs Increasing
STEM Graduates Increasing
Science and Engineering Research and Development Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Incarceration Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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