Illinois Breaks Record for STEM Degrees
Illinois sets a new record for STEM degrees, jobs also growing quickly
CHICAGO, December 15, 2020 (Newswire.com) - Illinois set a new record for bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields in 2019. The Illinois Science & Technology Coalition (ISTC) released the finding today through its Illinois Innovation Index, which reports on the key metrics of the state’s innovation economy.
The Index found that Illinois’ colleges and universities awarded 24,861 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in STEM fields in 2019, up from 16,406 in 2010. The increase comes as colleges and universities have grown STEM programs to meet demand from employers. Degrees in computer and data science fields have grown especially quickly over the past decade. Illinois ranks third nationally in computer science degree production.
Jobs in STEM areas are also growing quickly. In fact, no state among the top 10 in STEM employment has grown jobs more quickly than Illinois over the past decade. Led by growth in computing occupations, Illinois has added more than 90,000 STEM jobs since 2010.
“Illinois’ colleges and universities are preparing more students than ever for strong careers in growing technology-enabled fields,” said Matthew Bragg, director of ISTC. “The state has become a national leader in computer and data science talent, and we’re now seeing companies move jobs into Illinois to access our talent pipeline.”
Despite overall growth, access to the STEM pipeline is not equally distributed among all Illinoisans, with women, Black, and Latinx populations remaining significantly underrepresented. Though progress has been made by Illinois’ Latinx population over the past decade, progress to grow inclusion in STEM among women and Black Illinoisans has been underwhelming. In fact, the share of STEM degrees awarded to Black students in Illinois fell by 0.4 percent from 2010 to 2019.
Access the full report here. For more information, subscribe here and follow us @ISTCoalition.
About the Illinois Science & Technology Coalition (ISTC):
The Illinois Science & Technology Coalition is a member-driven non-profit that strengthens the state’s innovation economy through data collection, policy advocacy, and impactful programs. Our affiliated Institute provides STEM-education programs that connect classrooms with companies to better prepare the next generation of problem-solvers. For more information, visit ISTCoalition.org.
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Source: Illinois Science and Technology Coalition
