The UNESCO Institute for Statistics released a report in 2018 that showed that over 60% of students who earned degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) were employed in a STEM field within six months of graduation. The report also showed that nearly half of all STEM graduates had jobs in the private sector. This means that the majority of students are choosing to study STEM subjects, and they are finding good job opportunities upon graduation.
There are many reasons for the increasing popularity of STEM degrees. First, salaries for STEM graduates are often higher than salaries for graduates in other fields. Second, the job market for STEM graduates is growing faster than the job market for other graduates. And finally, many employers prefer to hire STEM graduates because they have the skills necessary to solve complex problems and think critically.
Here Are Where Most Students Choose STEM Degrees
Tunisia
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) released a report in May 2018 that showed STEM degrees are the most popular among college students in Tunisia. Twenty-four thousand nine hundred ten students, or 43.3 percent of the student population, graduated with a STEM degree in 2016-2017. Of these students, 8,290 majored in engineering, 5,915 studied mathematics and computer science, and 4,745 majored in natural sciences.
While Tunisia has made great strides in increasing the number of students earning STEM degrees, there is still room for improvement. For example, the NCES report found that only 31 percent of graduates with a STEM degree are employed in a field related to their degree. In comparison, 54 percent of graduates who earned non-STEM degrees are employed in a related field.
Germany
Germany has 819,358 graduates who completed a STEM degree in 2016. 352,711 or 43 percent chose a STEM degree out of these graduates. The percentage of students who choose to study STEM subjects in Germany is higher than the OECD average of 32 percent. In addition, almost 60 percent of all German graduates who completed a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) degree in 2016 were women.
Singapore
In Singapore, a total of 22,794 students graduated in 2018, out of which more than two-thirds (68.7 percent) had pursued science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) degrees, according to figures released by the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Friday (Feb 24).
This puts the Republic second globally in terms of the proportion of graduates who choose STEM courses, behind only South Korea (where 72.4 percent of graduates pursue STEM courses), according to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The strong showing in STEM reflects Singapore’s concerted effort over many years to nurture a pool of talent in these areas. “Our students have consistently shown an interest in and excelled in STEM disciplines,” said Ms. Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills).
India
India has the world’s second-largest population of students, and the number of graduates is growing rapidly. In 2016, India had 2.6 million graduates, 31.7 percent of the population aged 15 to 29. This number is projected to grow to 3.5 million by 2021.
The most popular degrees are in STEM fields: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In 2016, 585,000 students graduated with STEM degrees, 22 percent of all graduates. This number is projected to grow to 814,000 by 2021.
The growth in STEM degrees responds to the growth in demand for skilled workers in these fields. India’s economy is growing rapidly, and businesses are looking for employees with the skills necessary to compete in the global market.
Russia
Russia is one of the countries with the most students who choose to study in STEM fields. A recent study showed that 497,243 graduates chose STEM degrees in Russia which is 30.0 percent of all graduates. This is a large number compared to other countries, and it shows that Russia is focusing on having a strong STEM field.
The United States only has about 20 percent of graduates choose STEM degrees, and China has about 10 percent. Russia’s focus on having a strong STEM field may be due to the fact that many jobs are available in these areas. In addition, many Russian students feel that they have the ability to succeed in these fields.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom (UK) has 198,381 graduates, 26.3 percent. This number is significantly lower than in the United States (US), where most students choose STEM degrees. The percentage of students who graduate with a STEM degree in the US is over 60 percent.
There are many reasons for this difference, including the focus on science and math education in the early grades, opportunities for extracurricular activities, and funding for research.
USA
The United States Department of Education released a report stating that 698,734 students graduated with STEM degrees in 2016-2017. This accounts for 17.9 percent of all graduates and is a 1.3 percent increase from the previous year. Of these graduates, almost half (49.8 percent) earned degrees in engineering, while 18.7 percent studied mathematics and 18.5 percent studied computer science.
The remaining STEM degrees were distributed among fields such as chemistry (5.2 percent), physics (3.4 percent), and biology (2.8 percent). The continued growth in STEM degrees is good news for the United States economy, which has long been reliant on a well-educated workforce in these areas. In addition, with so many students now choosing to study STEM subjects, it is clear that educators are doing a better job of inspiring young people to enter these fields.
Brazil
Brazil has 227,343 graduates, who are 17.9 Percent. Out of these, 73,584 students have degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. This means that the Brazilian Federal University System (Sistema Universitário Federal Brasileiro -SUFB) has a graduation rate of 17.9%, with 73,584 STEM graduates out of 407,057 total graduates.
The number of STEM graduates has increased in recent years: there were only 58,431 STEM graduates in 2013. This high percentage is due to the fact that the federal government has been investing in science and technology for many years now. To meet the needs of the growing economy, Brazil has made it a priority to focus on these areas.
