A new Reconnecting America analysis finds that the United States has far exceeded our decade-long target. The nation has graduated more than one million new science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates. This milestone, initiated by a 2012 report from former President Barack Obama’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), underscores significant progress in STEM education and workforce development.
The 2012 PCAST report identified a key federal testimony “tipping point” for our country. It demonstrated a critical need to expand access to high-quality STEM careers. Nationally, the program expansion would set in motion progress toward bridging growing income divides. In doing so, it protects America’s competitive scientific advantage against an ever-growing global competition. For the last ten years, our campuses have proactively taken steps to address these issues. They have, as a result, proven tremendously effective at raising STEM degree attainment.
Conducted by a researcher at the University of California, Santa Cruz, the analysis of national higher-education data indicates a substantial rise in the proportion of STEM degrees conferred. Overall, this increase marks a departure from the increasing trends up to 2012. At that time, only 40% of students who began their studies as STEM majors successfully graduated with a STEM degree. The first, recently released study indicates that the Bachelor’s Degree Completion Program has substantially improved the retention of STEM bachelor’s degree students. These rates today hover around a remarkable 52%.
Moreover, retention rates for STEM students are equal to or even higher than those in non-STEM fields at the bachelor’s level. In practice, this shift signifies that institutions have taken significant steps toward better supporting students as they navigate academic pathways in STEM disciplines.
The study highlights the importance of maintaining and enhancing national-level data collection to track ongoing progress in STEM education. That’s important data for understanding the value of past investments. It informs the development of future strategies that will position America to better compete and lead talent development within the global STEM ecosystem.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the research is the measure of success. It acknowledges that the 10 years studied were marked by sweeping reforms and inconsistent practices among institutions and regional systems. The United States has a long history of depending on foreign-born professionals to fill the workforce needs in high-skilled STEM fields. Yet this strategy has been going from difficult to impossible, making it more urgent than ever that we develop homegrown talent to serve these essential roles.
