Innovation
College Certificates and Associate’s Degrees in Science and Engineering
Description: This indicator was constructed by tallying associate’s degrees and college certificates awarded in specific fields:
- Computer and Information Sciences and Support
- Engineering
- Engineering Technologies/Technicians
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Mathematics and Statistics
- Physical Sciences
- Science Technologies/Technicians
Data on certificates and degrees were aggregated since students tend to substitute certificate and two-year degree programs.
The number of science and engineering degrees earned at Arizona institutions in each year from 2001 through 2006 is presented by county and for the state total on the dashboard. Four counties do not have an institution granting associate’s degrees in these specializations and thus have a value of zero. The total number of degrees granted also is presented, and the science and engineering share of the total is calculated.
Rationale: Innovation requires the steady input of human capital into the workforce. States and counties with degree-granting institutions should have a labor force better prepared to work for innovative companies. Science and engineering specialties are of particular importance to innovation.
Data Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics http://nces.ed.gov/ipedspas.
Comments on the Quality of the Data: The total does not include degrees from institutions that provide no training in specialized science and engineering programs. The information is self-reported by the institutions.
