Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request: Survey of Earned Doctorates

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans to request renewal of the Survey of Earned Doctorates (OMB Control Number 3145-0019) . In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we are providing opportunity for public comment on this action. After obtaining and considering public comments, NCSES will prepare the submission requesting OMB clearance of this collection for three years.

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 206 (Tuesday, October 27, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 206 (Tuesday, October 27, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67614-67615]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-21898]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request: Survey 
of Earned Doctorates

AGENCY: National Science Foundation; National Center for Science and 
Engineering Statistics.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics 
within the National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans to 
request renewal of the Survey of Earned Doctorates (OMB Control Number 
3145-0019) . In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, we are providing opportunity for public comment 
on this action. After obtaining and considering public comments, NCSES 
will prepare the submission requesting OMB clearance of this collection 
for three years.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by December 28, 
2026 to be assured consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable. Send comments to the 
address below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance 
Officer, U.S. National Science Foundation, Randolph Building, 401 
Dulany Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone (703) 292-7556; or 
send email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#493a39252024393d2609273a2f672e263f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4a393a2623273a3e250a24392c642d253c">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>. Individuals who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339, which is accessible 
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (including Federal 
holidays).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title of Collection: Survey of Earned Doctorates.
    OMB Control Number: 3145-0019.
    Expiration Date of Current Approval: June 30, 2028.
    Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to renew information 
collection for three years.
    Abstract: Established within the NSF by the America COMPETES 
Reauthorization Act of 2010 section 505, codified in the NSF Act of 
1950, as amended, the National Center for Science and Engineering 
Statistics (NCSES) serves as a central Federal clearinghouse for the 
collection, interpretation, analysis, and dissemination of objective 
data on science, engineering, technology, and research and development 
for use by practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and the public.
    The Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) is part of NCSES' portfolio 
and collects data on individuals to provide information on science and 
engineering education and careers in the United States. The SED has 
been conducted annually since 1958 and is jointly sponsored by four 
Federal agencies (NSF/NCSES, National Institutes of Health, U.S. 
Department of Education/National Center for Education Statistics, and 
National Endowment for the Humanities) to avoid duplication of effort 
in collecting such data. It is an accurate, timely source of 
information on our Nation's highly educated individuals. This request 
to renew the information collection for three years is to cover the 
2028 and 2029 SED survey cycles.
    Data are obtained via Web survey from each person earning a 
research doctorate from an accredited U.S. institution at the time they 
receive the degree. Data are collected on their field of specialty, 
educational background, sources of support in graduate school, debt 
level, postgraduation plans, and demographic characteristics. NCSES 
publishes statistics from the survey in several reports. The survey 
will be collected in conformance with the Privacy Act of 1974. 
Responses from individuals are voluntary. NCSES will ensure that all 
individually identifiable information collected will be kept strictly 
confidential and will be used only for research or statistical 
purposes.
    Use of the Information: The Federal Government, policy makers, 
universities, researchers, and others use the information extensively. 
Results from the SED are used to assess characteristics of the 
doctorate population and trends in doctoral education and degrees. Data 
from the survey are published annually on the NCSES website in a 
publication series reporting on all fields of study, titled Doctorate 
Recipients from U.S. Universities (<a href="https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf26315">https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf26315</a>). Information from the SED is also included in other series 
available online such as Science and Engineering Indicators (<a href="https://ncses.nsf.gov/indicators">https://ncses.nsf.gov/indicators</a>). In addition, access to tabular data from 
selected variables is available through the NCSES online data tool 
(<a href="https://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/builder/sed">https://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/builder/sed</a>) and the SED Restricted Data 
Analysis System (<a href="https://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/rdas/#/">https://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/rdas/#/</a>).
    Expected Respondents: The SED is a census of all individuals 
receiving a research doctorate from an accredited U.S. academic 
institution in the academic year beginning July 1 and ending June 30 of 
the subsequent year. As such, the population for the 2028 SED consists 
of all individuals receiving a research doctorate in the 12-month 
period beginning July 1, 2027 and ending June 30, 2028. Likewise, the 
population for the 2029 SED consists of all individuals receiving a 
research doctorate in the 12-month period beginning July 1, 2028 and 
ending June 30, 2029. A research doctorate is a doctoral degree that 
(1) requires completion of an original intellectual contribution in the 
form of a dissertation or an equivalent culminating project (e.g., 
musical composition) and (2) is not primarily intended as a degree for 
the practice of a profession. The most common research doctorate degree 
is the Ph.D. Recipients of professional doctoral degrees, such as MD, 
DDS, JD, DPharm, and PsyD, are not included in the SED. The 2028 and 
2029 SED are expected to include about 615 separately reporting schools 
with eligible research doctoral programs from about 480 doctorate-
granting institutions. Based on the historical trend, NCSES expects a 
stable turnout of research doctorates for the next few years with a 
nominal increase from the 2026 cycle estimating that approximately 
62,000 individuals will receive a research doctorate from U.S. 
institutions in each of the 2028 cycle and the 2029 cycle.
    In addition to the questionnaire for individuals receiving their 
research doctorates, the SED needs to collect administrative data such 
as graduation lists from participating academic institutions. An 
Institutional Coordinator at each institution helps distribute the Web 
survey link, track

[[Page 67615]]

survey completions, and submit information to the SED survey 
contractor.
    Estimate of Burden: An average overall response rate of 91.5% of 
the persons who earned a research doctorate from a U.S. institution was 
obtained in the academic years 2023, 2024, and 2025. Using the past 
response rate, the number of SED respondents in each cycle is estimated 
to be 56,730 (62,000 doctorate recipients x 0.915 response rate) in 
each of the 2028 and 2029 cycles.
    Based on the average Web survey completion time for the 2026 SED 
(19.3 minutes), NCSES estimates that, on average, 20 minutes per 
respondent will be required to complete the 2028 or 2029 SED Web 
survey. The annual respondent burden for completing the SED is 
therefore estimated at 18,910 hours in 2028 and in 2029 (based on 
56,730 respondents x 20 minutes).
    Based on focus groups conducted with Institutional Coordinators, it 
is estimated that the SED takes no more than 1% of the Institutional 
Coordinator's time over the course of a year, which computes to 20 
hours per year per Institutional Coordinator (40 hours per week x 50 
weeks per year x .01). With 615 schools expected to participate in the 
SED in both 2028 and 2029, the estimated annual burden to Institutional 
Coordinators of administering the SED is 12,300 hours per survey cycle.
    Therefore, the total burden for the SED is estimated to be 31,210 
(18,910 + 12,300) hours each for the 2028 and 2029 survey cycles. NCSES 
estimates that the average annual burden for the 2028 and 2029 survey 
cycles over the course of the three-year OMB clearance period will be 
no more than 20,807 hours [(31,210 hours + 31,210 hours)/3 years].
    Comments: Comments are invited on (a) whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the NCSES, including whether the information shall 
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the NCSES's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance 
the quality, use, and clarity of the information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of 
the collection of information on those who are to respond, including 
through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.

    Dated: October 23, 2026.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, U.S. National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2026-21898 Filed 10-26-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P


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