Doctorates Awarded by Country 2024

A doctorate is the highest achievement possible for professionals, experts, and academics in various fields. However, there are sharp disparities from one nation to another when it comes to earning this degree.

The United States awards the world's largest number of doctorates, approximately 71,000 per year. These are split almost equally between men and women. China takes second place with over 56,000 doctorates annually, though men make up more than 60% of them. There's a steep drop to India in third, with nearly 29,000 doctorates per year, about half of China's total. Once again, men make up the majority. Germany, the United Kingdom, and Russia all produce roughly even amounts of doctorates, around 27,000-28,000 per year. Just ten nations earn more than 10,000 doctoral degrees annually. Overall, approximately 277,000 doctoral degrees are awarded worldwide each year.

There are plenty of countries on the opposite end of the spectrum as well. Costa Rica and Iceland are tied for the lowest amount of doctorates awarded, approximately 100 per year. Ten nations produce less than 1,000 doctoral degrees annually, most of which have a relatively low to moderate population and similar income levels. A significant number of countries, including much of Africa and Central Asia, either produce no doctorates or don't compile or release the amount.

While men typically outnumber women when it comes to being awarded doctoral degrees, there are a few nations where the opposite is true. These include Brazil (11,800 vs. 9,900), Spain (10,100 vs. 9,900), Italy (4,800 vs. 4,600), Mexico (4,800 vs. 4,600), and Poland (1,800 vs 1,400.)

Differences in global attainment of doctorates can be chalked up to a variety of factors. Naturally, higher-population countries will typically produce a larger raw number of doctoral degree recipients. It's also crucial to consider income, as well as cultural attitudes and access to higher education.