Education Final 09-15-11 - 3.2.c - High Demand Graduate & Professional Degrees

3.2.c - High Demand Graduate and Professional Degrees
Are our public institutions producing more
graduate degrees in high demand fields of study?

Operation in progress...

Data Notes
Data Source:	From NCES IPEDS data.
Measure Definition:	Total number of graduate level degrees awarded by Washington public 4-year institutions.
Target Rationale:	Measure effectiveness of high demand enrollment funding.
Link to Agency Strategic Plan:	Objective identified in Strategic Master Plan for Higher Education.
Relevance:	Meets demand for skills and reduces business recruitment costs.

Also Available
Action Plan:	No
Extended Analysis:	Yes

Growth in high demand graduate degree areas has kept pace with overall graduate degree production. Since 2002-03, our public institutions have increased graduate/professional degree production in high demand fields of study by 30%. By comparison, total graduate/professional degree awards grew by 28% over the period.
The largest increases have been in Computer and Information Sciences (86%) and in Allied Health and Health Sciences (39%).
Growth in Math, Biological Sciences and Physical Sciences and in Engineering has been more moderate.