This set of statistics has been discontinued.
New data are no longer produced from the statistics.
Published: 22 April 2010
Nearly every second of those with doctorate level degrees work in the sector of education
In 2007, 44 per cent of those having completed doctorate level degrees worked in the sector of education. Three fourths of them were working at universities. Health care was the second biggest employer with a 16 per cent share. Nearly one tenth of those with doctorate level degrees were working in manufacturing.
Highly educated employees by economic activity and completed degree in 2007
| Industry | Tertiary degree | |||
| Highly educated total (%) | Doctorate level degree (%) | Higher-degree level (%) | Other tertiary degrees (%) | |
| Industries, total | 100,0 | 100,0 | 100,0 | 100,0 |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishery | 2,0 | 0,4 | 0,9 | 2,5 |
| Manufacturing and mining and quarrying | 14,3 | 8,0 | 13,3 | 15,0 |
| Electricity, gas and water supply | 0,8 | 0,2 | 0,6 | 0,9 |
| Construction | 3,0 | 0,2 | 0,8 | 4,0 |
| Trade | 10,5 | 1,7 | 4,9 | 13,0 |
| Transport, communications | 3,1 | 0,3 | 1,4 | 4,0 |
| Telecommunications | 0,9 | 0,2 | 0,7 | 1,0 |
| Financial and insurance intermediatio | 3,3 | 0,9 | 3,2 | 3,5 |
| Computer and related activities | 3,4 | 1,6 | 4,3 | 3,1 |
| Business services | 11,3 | 5,3 | 11,5 | 11,5 |
| Research activities | 1,3 | 9,8 | 2,2 | 0,6 |
| Education | 13,9 | 43,6 | 28,3 | 6,9 |
| Human health activities | 18,5 | 16,1 | 11,8 | 21,3 |
| Public administration | 8,3 | 7,9 | 9,8 | 7,7 |
| Other industries/unknown | 5,3 | 3,7 | 6,3 | 5,0 |
Twenty-three per cent of those with doctorate level degrees earned their living at management tasks and 71 per cent at various specialist tasks. The popularity of management tasks has grown steadily, because seven years ago nearly one fifth of those with doctorate level degrees were working in management and three fourths at specialist tasks. Management tasks attracted those with licentiate degrees slightly more than doctorate degree holders.
The number of doctorate and licentiate degrees passed by women has been growing steadily. In the early 1990s one third of those with doctorate level degrees were women. Now more than every second of them is a woman. Women have increased their share in other tertiary level qualifications, too. Twenty years ago men and women had an equal share among those with highest level tertiary degrees. Now more than six in ten are women.
Highly educated population find employment clearly better than the rest of the population. In 2007, 39,000 highly educated people were unemployed, which corresponds to an unemployment rate of 4.3 per cent. At the same time the unemployment rate of total population was 6.9 per cent. There are also differences between highly educated groups. The unemployment rate is the lowest among doctors, that is, 2.3 per cent and the highest among those with the lowest level tertiary qualifications, 5.1 per cent.
Population with a tertiary degree by principal activity in 2007
| Tertiary degree | Field of science | Principal activity and unemployment rate (%) | |||
| In labour force | Employed | Unemployed | Unemployment rate (%) | ||
| Doctorate | Fields of science total | 18 472 | 18 047 | 425 | 2,3 |
| Natural sciences | 4 053 | 3 913 | 140 | 3,5 | |
| Engineering and technology | 2 916 | 2 879 | 37 | 1,3 | |
| Medical and health sciences | 5 389 | 5 340 | 49 | 0,9 | |
| Agricultural sciences | 673 | 651 | 22 | 3,3 | |
| Social sciences | 3 640 | 3 532 | 108 | 3,0 | |
| Humanities | 1 801 | 1 732 | 69 | 3,8 | |
| Licentiate | Fields of science total | 7 263 | 6 950 | 313 | 4,3 |
| Natural sciences | 1 387 | 1 319 | 68 | 4,9 | |
| Engineering and technology | 2 039 | 1 973 | 66 | 3,2 | |
| Medical and health sciences | 203 | 200 | 3 | 1,5 | |
| Agricultural sciences | 119 | 111 | 8 | 6,7 | |
| Social sciences | 2 411 | 2 332 | 79 | 3,3 | |
| Humanities | 1 104 | 1 015 | 89 | 8,1 | |
| Higher degree level | Fields of science total | 250 309 | 241 601 | 8 708 | 3,5 |
| Natural sciences | 26 195 | 24 981 | 1 214 | 4,6 | |
| Engineering and technology | 44 970 | 43 664 | 1 306 | 2,9 | |
| Medical and health sciences | 25 976 | 25 727 | 249 | 1,0 | |
| Agricultural sciences | 6 887 | 6 628 | 259 | 3,8 | |
| Social sciences | 105 788 | 102 514 | 3 274 | 3,1 | |
| Humanities | 40 493 | 38 087 | 2 406 | 5,9 | |
| Other tertiary degrees | Fields of science undefined | 632 052 | 602 502 | 29 550 | 4,7 |
Source: Human resources of science and technology 2007. Statistics Finland
Inquiries: Marianne Kaplas (09) 1734 3421, tiede.teknologia@stat.fi
Director in charge: Leena Storgårds
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Appendix tables
- Figures
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- 1. Doctorate and licentiate degrees in 1991 - 2008 (22.4.2010)
- 2. Doctorate level degrees and the proportion of women 1995 - 2008 (22.4.2010)
- 3. Persons with doctorate degree, median ages by the field of science in 1991 - 2008 (22.4.2010)
- 4. Persons with tertiary degrees as a proportion of the population aged 16 to 74 in 2000 - 2007 (22.4.2010)
- 5. Unemployment rates of persons with doctorate level and higher-degree level tertiary education by the field of science in 2007 (22.4.2010)
- 6. Persons with doctorate level and higher-degree level tertiary education as a percentage by the field of science in 2007 (22.4.2010)
Updated 22.04.2010
Official Statistics of Finland (OSF):
Human resources of science and technology [e-publication].
ISSN=1797-3244. 2008. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 23.12.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/tthv/2008/tthv_2008_2010-04-22_tie_001_en.html