How many Ph.D.s in the world?

Question

Curious about number of Ph.D.s worldwide and the percentage in relation to populations.

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

I was only able to obtain statistics for the United States. About 1% percent of people over 25 years old living in the US have doctoral degrees. About 2% have terminal professional degrees (considered to be equivalent to a masters degree or higher). Some people lump doctoral and professional degrees together.
This is the highest in the world (Because our salaries are better not because we educate people better or are smarter)
Major countries with similar educational expectations (that is the level of education the average person attains over a life time) for children born there include: United Kingdom (England, etal., world's highest), Australia , Spain, Switzerland, Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Republic of Korea (South), Libya, Netherlands, New Zeeland, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden. Given the total population of all these countries v the remaining world population, it is safe to say less than one in 1,000 people in the world holds a PhD and given that population growth rates are higher in ares other than those countries named it is unlikely to improve.

Source(s):

http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/c2kb…

http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/p…

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THANKS!

Answer 2

do you mean currently alive, or how many have been awarded EVER? what about those that are actually being put to good use vs. those that are say, in a different field of work than their Ph.D.? how about how many Ph.D.'s are currently alive, but in a vegetative state?

oooh, i like that last one... any help?