NSF Indicators Show Growing STEM Workforce Alongside Emerging Pipeline Pressures

By: CJ Neely
Thursday, February 26, 2026
The National Science Foundation’s National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) recently released STEM Talent: Education, Training, and Workforce, part of the congressionally mandated Science and Engineering Indicators series. Drawing on multiple national datasets, including federal labor statistics, education surveys, and international assessments, the report provides a comprehensive snapshot of the U.S. STEM workforce and the education pathway that supports it.

The data show that the U.S. STEM workforce remains large, economically significant, and central to national competitiveness. In 2023, about 36 million people, roughly one quarter of all U.S. workers, were employed in STEM occupations. Approximately 22 percent of STEM workers were foreign-born, with Mexico and India representing the most common countries of origin.

STEM employment continues to outpace the rest of the labor market. Between 2013 and 2023, STEM jobs grew by 26 percent, compared with 9 percent growth in non-STEM occupations, and projections suggest faster growth will continue over the coming decade. Economic returns also remain strong, with median earnings for full-time STEM workers at about $76,000 in 2023, compared with $55,000 for non-STEM workers.

Indicators examining earlier stages of the pathway point to uneven recovery from pandemic disruptions, particularly in mathematics. Results from national and international assessments place U.S. students near the middle of peer economies in science and in the lower tier in math, with performance still below pre-pandemic levels. Because achievement in high school mathematics is closely associated with STEM degree attainment, these trends may shape the future supply of STEM talent.

At the postsecondary level, the report shows continued growth in STEM degree production, with increases in science and engineering awards outpacing changes in the college-age population. Computer and information sciences have experienced especially rapid growth at the bachelor’s and master’s levels. The United States remains the leading destination for internationally mobile students, though total enrollment declined modestly between 2017 and 2023 as other countries expanded recruitment. 

Taken together, the indicators describe a STEM ecosystem that is both large and still expanding, while also highlighting pressures across the education and training pathway. The findings underscore the importance of sustained investment across the full continuum, from early education through advanced training and talent mobility.