the condition of stem 2016—national - actthe condition of stem 2016 act has been a leader in...

The Condition of STEM 2016National

The Condition of STEM 2016ACT has been a leader in measuring college and career readiness trends for over 55 years. Each August, ACT releases The Condition of College & Career Readiness, our annual report on the progress of the ACT-tested graduating class relative to college readiness. Nationally, a record 64% of the 2016 graduating class took the ACT® test. The continued increase in the number of ACT test takers enhances the breadth and depth of our data pool, providing a comprehensive picture of the current college readiness levels of the graduating class as well as offering a glimpse of the emerging general and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education pipeline in the United States.

This report reviews the graduating class in the context of STEM-related fields. ACT is uniquely positioned to deliver this report for two key reasons. First is our commitment to science through the inclusion of a science test in our assessments. ACT leadership is unmatched in providing a definitive assessment in the science area. Second is the research-based ACT Interest Inventory, which is completed by ACT-tested students and measures their interest in a wide range of educational and occupational fields.

With answers to the ACT Interest Inventory and responses to the Student Profile Section of the ACT, we can determine interest levels (both expressed and measured) in specific STEM fields. We can then assess college readiness in math and science among STEM-interested students using ACT test scores. Students with an expressed interest are those who chose a major or occupation (out of the 294 possibilities listed) that is classified as a STEM field. Students are designated to have a measured interest when their responses to the ACT Interest Inventory items result in high science and technology interest scores.

Interest Inventory

Validity evidence for this two-factor model of identifying STEM interest was provided in an ACT research study (Crouse, Harmston, & Radunzel, 2016). Figure 1 highlights some of the findings. Those students who were identified as having expressed and measured STEM interest were the most likely to pursue a STEM major, regardless of where they were in their college experience. Those students were also the most likely to graduate with a STEM major. When compared to students with an expressed and measured interest in STEM, students who were identified as having expressed-only or measured-only STEM interest had lower rates of pursuing and graduating with STEM majors while students who had no STEM interest had the lowest rates of all groups. Overall, the results suggest the ACT method for identifying STEM-interested students is valid and can be helpful for predicting whether students will pursue and graduate with STEM-related majors in college.

The ACT Definition of STEM

To create our STEM categories, we used our list of occupations and majors to define four key areas: Science, Computer Science and Mathematics, Medical and Health, and Engineering and Technology. This report will show achievement levels and trend data in each of those areas on a national level. In addition, the actual number and percentage of students interested in specific majors and occupations are provided. As the percentage of high school graduates taking the ACT continues to grow, these data present an excellent opportunity for state officials to document success of STEM initiatives within their state in an attempt to meet the goal of generating interest and more thoroughly preparing students for STEM fields.

OverallFirst-Term STEM Any Term STEM MGraduated With STEM Major

All STEM In 46 59 48Exp. and M 56 70 60Exp. Only 47 60 46Meas. Only 29 40 30No STEM I 14 23 15No STEM 9 16 9 ***Omitting NM/UM

56 70 6047 60 4629 40 30

46

59

48

9

16

9

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

First-Term STEM Major Any Term STEM Major Graduated With STEMMajor

Perc

enta

ge

Exp. andMeas.

Exp. Only

Meas.Only

All STEMInterest

No STEM

MS5012 THE CONDITION OF STEM 2016

Key Findingsfrom the National Condition of STEM 2016 Report

• Students with an interest in STEM continue to show higher levels of college readiness than ACT-tested students as a whole.

• Approximately half of ACT-tested US graduates in the class of 2016 have expressed interest in STEM majors and careers. The level of interest has stayed steady over the last five years.

• Average ACT math scores have stayed flat between 2012 and 2016 for students meeting the ACT STEM Benchmark. In contrast, the average ACT science score has gone up among those meeting the ACT STEM Benchmark over the same timeframe. The scores steadily increased from 27.9 to 28.6 since 2012 (see Table 1.6 of the 2016 national ACT profile report at: www.act.org/research/np16).

• Over 1 million ACT-tested students demonstrated an interest in STEM in the 2016 graduating class.

• Only 1,258 students out of the nearly 2.1 million tested students—less than 1% of the total—had an expressed and measured interest in teaching math or science.

• Students demonstrating only one type of STEM interest, either expressed or measured, fall far short in terms of benchmark attainment and preparedness for STEM majors and careers when compared to peers who have both expressed and measured interest.

• Underserved learners have a high interest in STEM, but ACT STEM Benchmark attainment lags far behind their peers, especially for those students with more than one of the underserved characteristics used in this report.

ACT STEM Benchmark

To provide students and educators with more insight into the critical aspects of college readiness, ACT introduced a STEM score on ACT student score reports in fall 2015. This score is derived from the ACT mathematics and science scores and represents students’ overall performance in these subject areas. For the 2016–17 academic year, students, parents, and educators will also note that the ACT College Readiness Benchmark in STEM has been added to the ACT score report. The ACT STEM Benchmark is based on recent research indicating that academic readiness for students pursuing a STEM major may require higher scores than the current ACT College Readiness Benchmarks in math and science (Mattern, Radunzel, & Westrick, 2015).

The ACT STEM Benchmark was developed using the same methodology as each single subject area ACT College Readiness Benchmark. Typical grades in first-year college STEM courses (calculus, general biology, general chemistry, and physics) were combined in a single course success model to determine the ACT STEM score associated with a 50% chance of earning a B or higher and about a 75% chance of earning a C or higher in those courses. The resulting ACT STEM Benchmark is 26. Based on that benchmark, only 20% of students in the 2016 ACT-tested high school graduating class were ready for first-year STEM college courses.

ACT STEM scores are related not only to succeeding in individual math and science courses, but also to achieving longer-term outcomes. Mattern et al. (2015) showed that students pursuing STEM majors who met the ACT STEM Benchmark were more likely to earn a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher, persist in a STEM major, and earn a STEM-related bachelor’s degree than those who failed to meet the benchmark. Additionally, ongoing research suggests that providing STEM readiness information to prospective students may help to facilitate the transition to college by aligning students’ expectations with course demands.

3

National STEM ReportAttainment of College and Career Readiness

Overall STEM Interest• Between 2012 and

2016, the percent of students interested in STEM stayed the same.

Overall STEM Interest

Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks

67

49 4843

3226

0

20

40

60

80

100

English Reading Mathematics Science All FourSubjects

STEM

Perc

ent

Nation

Nation

Expressed and Measured Interest


76

59 5753

4133

0

20

40

60

80

100


STEM

Perc

ent

Nation

Nation

Expressed Interest Only


61

44 4538

2823

0

20

40

60

80

100


STEM

Perc

ent

Nation

Nation

Measured Interest Only


63

4739 37

2619

0

20

40

60

80

100


STEM

Perc

ent

Nation

Nation

Note: Percents in this report may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

Student STEM Interest Trends: 2012–2016

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Percent National 48% 48% 49% 49% 48%

N Count National 804,507 868,194 899,684 939,049 1,009,232

• 1,009,232 graduates have an interest in STEM. • 351,517 graduates have an expressed and measured interest in STEM, which is 35% of the overall interest.

• 472,879 graduates have an expressed interest in STEM, which is 47% of the overall interest.

• 184,836 graduates have a measured interest in STEM, which is 18% of the overall interest.

4 THE CONDITION OF STEM 2016

Overall STEM Interest (N = 1,009,232)

Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmark Attainment

67

49 48 4326

9

12 8 14

12

2438 44 43

62

0

20

40

60

80

100

English Reading Mathematics Science STEM

Perc

ent

Below Benchmarkby 3+ Points

Within 2 Pointsof Benchmark

Met Benchmark

Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates by Number of ACT College Readiness Benchmarks Attained

28

14 13 13

32

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 1 2 3 4

Perc

ent

Benchmarks Met

Nation

Nation

Expressed and Measured Interest (N = 351,517)


7659 57 53

33

8

128 15

14

1629 35 33

53

0

20

40

60

80

100


Perc

ent



Met Benchmark


1913 13 14

41

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 1 2 3 4

Perc

ent

Benchmarks Met

Nation

Nation


5


Overall STEM InterestPercent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Race/Ethnicity

25

31

16

13

50

8

5

43

52

29

27

62

20

15

47

56

37

34

75

23

18

Two orMore Races

White

PacificIslander

Hispanic

AsianAmerican

AmericanIndian

AfricanAmerican

MathematicsScienceSTEM

African American

American Indian

Asian American

Hispanic

Pacific Islander

White

Two or More Races

N = 120,823 N = 7,943 N = 57,871 N = 163,270 N = 3,204 N = 557,890 N = 42,961

Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Gender

53

4447

39

30

21

0

20

40

60

80

100

Male Female

Perc

ent


Male Female

N = 494,142 N = 503,595

Expressed and Measured InterestPercent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Race/Ethnicity

31

38

23

18

54

11

9

52

61

40

35

68

27

22

55

64

49

42

80

29

25

Two orMore Races

White

PacificIslander

Hispanic

AsianAmerican

AmericanIndian

AfricanAmerican


African American

American Indian

Asian American

Hispanic

Pacific Islander

White

Two or More Races

N = 30,057 N = 2,621 N = 23,102 N = 55,592 N = 1,003 N = 206,681 N = 15,552


65

51

59

4741

26

0

20

40

60

80

100

Male Female

Perc

ent


Male Female

N = 162,878 N = 185,769


Overall STEM InterestPercent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Educational Aspirations

3

2

17

41

35

9

9

34

61

55

10

10

39

68

60

Voc-techDegree

Associate’sDegree

Bachelor’sDegree

Master’sDegree

ProfessionalDegree


Professional Degree

Master’s Degree

Bachelor’s Degree

Associate’s Degree

Voc-tech Degree

N = 302,677 N = 159,726 N = 417,367 N = 44,339 N = 16,060

Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Highest Parental Education Level

8

14

15

31

45

52

20

32

34

52

65

69

25

36

37

58

71

75

High SchoolGraduate or Less

Certification orSome College

Associate’sDegree

Bachelor’sDegree

Master’sDegree

ProfessionalDegree


Professional

Degree

Master’s Degree

Bachelor’s

Degree

Associate’s

Degree

Certification or Some College

High School Grad or

Less

N = 69,797 N = 134,860 N = 254,537 N = 100,164 N = 146,481 N = 197,553

Expressed and Measured InterestPercent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Educational Aspirations

4

3

21

47

40

14

12

41

67

61

13

12

45

73

66

Voc-techDegree

Associate’sDegree

Bachelor’sDegree

Master’sDegree

ProfessionalDegree


Professional Degree

Master’s Degree

Bachelor’s Degree


Voc-tech Degree

N = 149,449 N = 58,906 N = 123,672 N = 9,130 N = 2,369


12

19

21

38

52

60

29

41

42

60

72

76

33

44

46

65

77

81



Associate’sDegree

Bachelor’sDegree

Master’sDegree

ProfessionalDegree


Professional

Degree

Master’s Degree

Bachelor’s

Degree

Associate’s

Degree


High School Grad or

Less

N = 30,848 N = 56,021 N = 98,646 N = 36,284 N = 51,787 N = 62,975


7

ScienceMajors/Occupations


2016, the percent of students interested in STEM decreased by 1%.

Overall STEM Interest (N = 223,943)


7458 53 49

29

8

128 14

13

1830

40 36

57

0

20

40

60

80

100


Perc

ent



Met Benchmark


2113 13 14

38

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 1 2 3 4

Perc

ent

Benchmarks Met



8064 61 57

36

7

118 14

15

1325 32 29

49

0

20

40

60

80

100


Perc

ent



Met Benchmark


1612 13 15

45

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 1 2 3 4

Perc

ent

Benchmarks Met

Note: Reporting achievement by combinations of student characteristics may give rise to small N counts. As a result, outcomes reported in this section should be interpreted with caution.

NATIONAL STEM REPORT


2012 2013 2014 2015 2016


N Count National 183,857 195,098 200,461 208,520 223,943



27

34

20

15

55

10

8

48

57

35

32

68

24

20

50

59

42

37

79

26

23

Two orMore Races

White

PacificIslander

Hispanic

AsianAmerican

AmericanIndian

AfricanAmerican


African American

American Indian

Asian American

Hispanic

Pacific Islander

White

Two or More Races

N = 19,722 N = 1,662 N = 12,936 N = 34,597 N = 622 N = 130,922 N = 10,276


555152

48

3327

0

20

40

60

80

100

Male Female

Perc

ent


Male Female

N = 91,832 N = 129,951


32

41

26

20

58

13

11

54

65

42

39

72

31

27

57

66

51

46

83

34

30

Two orMore Races

White

PacificIslander

Hispanic

AsianAmerican

AmericanIndian

AfricanAmerican


African American

American Indian

Asian American

Hispanic

Pacific Islander

White

Two or More Races

N = 7,423 N = 599 N = 6,408 N = 14,748 N = 267 N = 57,706 N = 4,474


6458

6155

41

32

0

20

40

60

80

100

Male Female

Perc

ent


Male Female

N = 39,543 N = 56,494




9



3

2

16

40

42

11

11

37

63

61

11

10

38

67

66

Voc-techDegree

Associate’sDegree

Bachelor’sDegree

Master’sDegree

ProfessionalDegree


Professional Degree

Master’s Degree

Bachelor’s Degree


Voc-tech Degree

N = 84,366 N = 33,963 N = 80,553 N = 7,035 N = 1,911


10

16

17

33

47

56

25

37

39

55

68

74

28

38

41

59

72

78



Associate’sDegree

Bachelor’sDegree

Master’sDegree

ProfessionalDegree


Professional

Degree

Master’s Degree

Bachelor’s

Degree

Associate’s

Degree


High School Grad or

Less

N = 20,338 N = 33,349 N = 57,349 N = 20,493 N = 30,770 N = 37,135


5

3

19

45

45

13

13

42

67

66

15

12

44

71

70

Voc-techDegree

Associate’sDegree

Bachelor’sDegree

Master’sDegree

ProfessionalDegree


Professional Degree

Master’s Degree

Bachelor’s Degree


Voc-tech Degree

N = 47,694 N = 15,221 N = 29,391 N = 1,670 N = 303


14

21

22

39

52

61

32

44

47

63

73

78

37

47

48

66

77

83



Associate’sDegree

Bachelor’sDegree

Master’sDegree

ProfessionalDegree


Professional

Degree

Master’s Degree

Bachelor’s

Degree

Associate’s

Degree


High School Grad or

Less

N = 10,441 N = 16,705 N = 27,143 N = 9,165 N = 13,445 N = 15,167




* The “overall STEM interest” counts and percents do not include the “measured only interest” students, as they did not choose a STEM major or occupation.



Science Majors/Occupations

National N Counts and Percents

Overall STEM Interest* Expressed and Measured

N Count Percent N Count Percent

Agronomy and Crop Science 1,562 1 541 1

Animal Sciences 9,248 6 3,805 4

Astronomy 4,072 2 2,845 3

Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology 1,687 1 895 1

Biochemistry and Biophysics 19,881 12 13,011 13

Biology, General 38,525 24 24,053 25

Cell/Cellular Biology 8,585 5 5,386 6

Chemistry 12,282 8 7,919 8

Ecology 2,069 1 1,247 1

Environmental Science 2,732 2 1,430 1

Food Sciences and Technology 1,465 1 418 0

Forestry 1,940 1 637 1

Genetics 5,286 3 3,436 4

Geological and Earth Sciences 2,864 2 1,778 2

Horticulture Science 666 0 284 0

Marine/Aquatic Biology 13,652 8 8,404 9

Microbiology and Immunology 4,184 3 2,947 3

Natural Resources Conservation, General 2,290 1 1,000 1

Natural Resources Management 847 1 292 0

Physical Sciences, General 5,991 4 3,471 4

Physics 6,384 4 4,075 4

Science Education 1,261 1 720 1

Wildlife and Wildlands Management 4,758 3 1,699 2

Zoology 11,038 7 6,363 7

Totals 163,269 96,656

11

Computer Science and MathematicsMajors/Occupations


2016, the percent of students interested in STEM increased by 3%.



6650 51 45

29

9

11 7 13

12

2539 42 42

59

0

20

40

60

80

100


Perc

ent



Met Benchmark


28

13 12 13

34

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 1 2 3 4

Perc

ent

Benchmarks Met



7964 65 60

41

7

10 7 13

14

1426 29 27

45

0

20

40

60

80

100


Perc

ent



Met Benchmark


1610 12 14

48

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 1 2 3 4

Perc

ent

Benchmarks Met




2012 2013 2014 2015 2016


N Count National 74,959 82,197 89,755 101,144 117,086



28

35

19

14

52

8

5

45

54

30

28

61

18

14

50

59

40

36

76

22

18

Two orMore Races

White

PacificIslander

Hispanic

AsianAmerican

AmericanIndian

AfricanAmerican


African American

American Indian

Asian American

Hispanic

Pacific Islander

White

Two or More Races

N = 13,658 N = 755 N = 8,985 N = 17,655 N = 321 N = 63,314 N = 4,826


534747

40

3125

0

20

40

60

80

100

Male Female

Perc

ent


Male Female

N = 82,000 N = 33,555


39

46

41

24

61

16

11

60

67

61

43

71

30

25

64

70

63

50

83

34

28

Two orMore Races

White

PacificIslander

Hispanic

AsianAmerican

AmericanIndian

AfricanAmerican


African American

American Indian

Asian American

Hispanic

Pacific Islander

White

Two or More Races

N = 1,680 N = 106 N = 1,990 N = 3,054 N = 51 N = 13,640 N = 1,016


65 6661

58

41 42

0

20

40

60

80

100

Male Female

Perc

ent


Male Female

N = 19,160 N = 3,517




13



4

3

24

49

44

12

13

42

66

57

13

13

48

74

65

Voc-techDegree

Associate’sDegree

Bachelor’sDegree

Master’sDegree

ProfessionalDegree


Professional Degree

Master’s Degree

Bachelor’s Degree


Voc-tech Degree

N = 14,337 N = 20,508 N = 62,281 N = 6,307 N = 3,166


11

18

18

35

49

55

23

35

36

53

66

69

29

40

41

60

74

75



Associate’sDegree

Bachelor’sDegree

Master’sDegree

ProfessionalDegree


Professional

Degree

Master’s Degree

Bachelor’s

Degree

Associate’s

Degree


High School Grad or

Less

N = 7,313 N = 15,314 N = 29,336 N = 10,496 N = 16,343 N = 23,449


8

8

33

59

58

21

25

55

75

71

20

23

59

81

78

Voc-techDegree

Associate’sDegree

Bachelor’sDegree

Master’sDegree

ProfessionalDegree


Professional Degree

Master’s Degree

Bachelor’s Degree


Voc-tech Degree

N = 3,629 N = 4,814 N = 12,570 N = 870 N = 349


21

27

29

45

60

67

40

50

52

65

76

79

45

53

55

70

82

84



Associate’sDegree

Bachelor’sDegree

Master’sDegree

ProfessionalDegree


Professional

Degree

Master’s Degree

Bachelor’s

Degree

Associate’s

Degree


High School Grad or

Less

N = 2,008 N = 3,918 N = 6,520 N = 2,115 N = 3,196 N = 4,010







Computer Science and Mathematics Majors/Occupations




Actuarial Science 1,382 2 169 1

Applied Mathematics 2,485 3 605 3

Business/Management Quantitative Methods, General 7,977 9 764 3

Computer and Information Sciences, General 11,932 14 3,703 16

Computer Network/Telecommunications 3,728 4 935 4

Computer Science and Programming 33,091 38 11,439 50

Computer Software and Media Application 8,336 10 2,062 9

Computer System Administration 1,780 2 434 2

Data Management Technology 684 1 149 1

Information Science 1,045 1 266 1

Management Information Systems 2,004 2 210 1

Mathematics Education 4,102 5 538 2

Mathematics, General 4,200 5 1,021 4

Statistics 1,448 2 215 1

Webpage Design 2,036 2 385 2

Totals 86,230 22,895

15

Medical and HealthMajors/Occupations


2016, the percent of students interested in STEM decreased by 4%.



64

45 40 36

18

11

148 16

12

2541

51 48

70

0

20

40

60

80

100


Perc

ent



Met Benchmark


31

16 14 13

26

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 1 2 3 4

Perc

ent

Benchmarks Met



71

52 47 43

22

10

149 17

13

1934

44 40

64

0

20

40

60

80

100


Perc

ent



Met Benchmark


2416 15 14

31

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 1 2 3 4

Perc

ent

Benchmarks Met




2012 2013 2014 2015 2016


N Count National 361,047 383,555 388,653 393,085 411,038



17

23

13

8

42

6

4

36

46

28

22

57

18

12

39

49

34

27

69

19

14

Two orMore Races

White

PacificIslander

Hispanic

AsianAmerican

AmericanIndian

AfricanAmerican

Mathematics

Science

STEM

African American

American Indian

Asian American

Hispanic

Pacific Islander

White

Two or More Races

N = 58,347 N = 3,474 N = 21,108 N = 67,659 N = 1,392 N = 222,085 N = 17,760


49

37

45

3326

15

0

20

40

60

80

100

Male Female

Perc

ent


Male Female

N = 114,840 N = 291,639


21

26

16

11

46

8

6

43

51

36

26

63

24

18

45

53

44

32

74

23

20

Two orMore Races

White

PacificIslander

Hispanic

AsianAmerican

AmericanIndian

AfricanAmerican


African American

American Indian

Asian American

Hispanic

Pacific Islander

White

Two or More Races

N = 15,130 N = 1,338 N = 9,493 N = 24,901 N = 455 N = 88,133 N = 6,624


58

43

54

40

32

19

0

20

40

60

80

100

Male Female

Per

cent Mathematics

ScienceSTEM

Male Female

N = 40,298 N = 110,716



17



2

1

8

25

28

8

7

24

48

49

9

7

27

54

54

Voc-techDegree

Associate’sDegree

Bachelor’sDegree

Master’sDegree

ProfessionalDegree


Professional Degree

Master’s Degree

Bachelor’s Degree


Voc-tech Degree

N = 165,505 N = 52,950 N = 152,165 N = 15,999 N = 2,663


5

10

11

23

34

44

17

28

29

46

57

64

20

30

32

51

63

70



Associate’sDegree

Bachelor’sDegree

Master’sDegree

ProfessionalDegree


Professional

Degree

Master’s Degree

Bachelor’s

Degree

Associate’s

Degree


High School Grad or

Less

N = 25,542 N = 49,443 N = 100,944 N = 45,953 N = 65,560 N = 87,221


3

1

8

25

32

12

9

26

50

54

10

9

28

56

59

Voc-techDegree

Associate’sDegree

Bachelor’sDegree

Master’sDegree

ProfessionalDegree


Professional Degree

Master’s Degree

Bachelor’s Degree


Voc-tech Degree

N = 80,272 N = 17,890 N = 46,537 N = 4,298 N = 543


8

12

14

27

39

50

23

34

35

52

62

69

26

35

38

56

67

74



Associate’sDegree

Bachelor’sDegree

Master’sDegree

ProfessionalDegree

Mathematics

Science

STEM

Professional

Degree

Master’s Degree

Bachelor’s

Degree

Associate’s

Degree


High School Grad or

Less

N = 11,185 N = 20,160 N = 41,004 N = 18,059 N = 25,245 N = 31,060







Medical and Health Majors/Occupations




Athletic Training 26,333 8 7,026 5

Chiropractic (Pre-Chiropractic) 2,151 1 821 1

Dentistry (Pre-Dentistry) 13,053 4 5,331 3

Emergency Medical Technology 4,777 1 1,857 1

Food and Nutrition 3,463 1 663 0

Health/Medical Technology, General 12,846 4 5,919 4

Medical Laboratory Technology 2,525 1 1,389 1

Medical Radiologic Technology 8,999 3 3,661 2

Medicine (Pre-Medicine) 74,439 21 43,243 28

Nuclear Medicine Technology 618 0 315 0

Nursing, Practical/Vocational (LPN) 14,775 4 4,938 3

Nursing, Registered (BS/RN) 92,516 27 37,843 25

Optometry (Pre-Optometry) 2,654 1 1,195 1

Osteopathic Medicine 595 0 322 0

Pharmacy (Pre-Pharmacy) 17,282 5 8,302 5

Physical Therapy (Pre-Physical Therapy) 33,821 10 11,533 8

Physician Assisting 8,796 3 4,337 3

Respiratory Therapy Technology 630 0 249 0

Surgical Technology 5,331 2 2,977 2

Veterinarian Assisting/Technology 5,056 1 1,865 1

Veterinary Medicine (Pre-Vet) 16,710 5 8,609 6

Totals 347,370 152,395

19

Engineering and TechnologyMajors/Occupations


2016, the percent of students interested in STEM increased by 2%.


6549 55

4733

9

11 613

12

2640 39 40

55

0

20

40

60

80

100


Perc

ent



Met Benchmark 29

12 11 12

37

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 1 2 3 4

Perc

ent

Benchmarks Met


7964 70 63

47

7

106

12

14

1426 24 25

39

0

20

40

60

80

100


Perc

ent



Met Benchmark

169 10 13

52

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 1 2 3 4

Perc

ent

Benchmarks Met








2012 2013 2014 2015 2016


N Count National 184,644 207,344 220,815 236,300 257,164



34

41

16

17

54

10

7

49

58

28

30

63

21

16

56

65

37

41

78

26

21

Two orMore Races

White

PacificIslander

Hispanic

AsianAmerican

AmericanIndian

AfricanAmerican


African American

American Indian

Asian American

Hispanic

Pacific Islander

White

Two or More Races

N = 29,096 N = 2,052 N = 14,842 N = 43,359 N = 869 N = 141,568 N = 10,099

5461

4653

3238

0

20

40

60

80

100

Male Female

Perc

ent


Male Female

N = 205,470 N = 48,449


47

55

27

28

63

16

13

63

72

43

45

72

32

26

69

78

54

56

84

38

33

Two orMore Races

White

PacificIslander

Hispanic

AsianAmerican

AmericanIndian

AfricanAmerican


African American

American Indian

Asian American

Hispanic

Pacific Islander

White

Two or More Races

N = 5,824 N = 578 N = 5,211 N = 12,889 N = 230 N = 47,202 N = 3,438

69

78

62

70

45

54

0

20

40

60

80

100

Male Female

Perc

ent


Male Female

N = 63,877 N = 15,042



Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Race/Ethnicity


Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Race/Ethnicity


21



2

2

25

56

50

8

9

42

70

64

9

11

50

80

73

Voc-techDegree

Associate’sDegree

Bachelor’sDegree

Master’sDegree

ProfessionalDegree


Professional Degree

Master’s Degree

Bachelor’s Degree


Voc-tech Degree

N = 38,469 N = 52,305 N = 122,368 N = 14,998 N = 8,320

10

19

20

40

57

59

21

35

37

58

71

72

28

42

43

66

80

79



Associate’sDegree

Bachelor’sDegree

Master’sDegree

ProfessionalDegree


Professional

Degree

Master’s Degree

Bachelor’s

Degree

Associate’s

Degree


High School Grad or

Less

N = 16,604 N = 36,754 N = 66,908 N = 23,222 N = 33,808 N = 49,748


3

3

35

65

60

12

13

54

79

74

12

14

62

86

82

Voc-techDegree

Associate’sDegree

Bachelor’sDegree

Master’sDegree

ProfessionalDegree


Professional Degree

Master’s Degree

Bachelor’s Degree


Voc-tech Degree

N = 17,854 N = 20,981 N = 35,174 N = 2,292 N = 1,174

18

30

33

53

67

71

34

50

53

70

81

82

43

57

59

78

87

88



Associate’sDegree

Bachelor’sDegree

Master’sDegree

ProfessionalDegree


Professional

Degree

Master’s Degree

Bachelor’s

Degree

Associate’s

Degree


High School Grad or

Less

N = 7,214 N = 15,238 N = 23,979 N = 6,945 N = 9,901 N = 12,738



Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Educational Aspirations


Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Educational Aspirations






Engineering and Technology Majors/Occupations




Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering Technology 1,947 1 856 1

Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering 16,750 7 8,398 11

Agricultural/Bioengineering 1,772 1 651 1

Architectural Drafting/CAD Technology 1,273 1 297 0

Architectural Engineering 5,882 3 1,402 2

Architectural Engineering Technology 929 0 225 0

Architecture, General 11,545 5 2,230 3

Automotive Engineering Technology 4,525 2 910 1

Biomedical Engineering 12,315 5 7,488 9

Chemical Engineering 14,583 6 7,825 10

Civil Engineering 13,460 6 3,567 4

Civil Engineering Technology 1,076 0 277 0

Computer Engineering 16,549 7 5,351 7

Computer Engineering Technology 5,588 2 1,559 2

Construction Engineering/Management 4,686 2 776 1

Construction/Building Technology 1,240 1 219 0

Drafting/CAD Technology, General 1,263 1 318 0

Electrical, Electronic, and Communication Engineering 13,302 6 4,408 6

Electrical/Electronics Engineering Technology 3,799 2 1,037 1

Electromechanical/Biomedical Engineering Technology 515 0 289 0

Engineering (Pre-Engineering), General 29,253 13 10,650 13

Engineering Technology, General 5,477 2 1,580 2

Environmental Control Technologies 262 0 107 0

Environmental Health Engineering 2,443 1 1,226 2

Industrial Engineering 3,333 1 816 1

Industrial Production Technologies 553 0 122 0

Mechanical Drafting/CAD Technology 1,328 1 373 0

Mechanical Engineering 41,942 18 13,345 17

Mechanical Engineering Technology 3,750 2 1,045 1

Military Technologies 3,039 1 727 1

Nuclear Engineering 2,919 1 1,453 2

Quality Control and Safety Technologies 109 0 20 0

Surveying Technology 120 0 24 0

Totals 227,527 79,571

23

Understanding the Underserved LearnerACT Benchmark Attainment

In 2013, ACT expanded its Condition of College & Career Readiness series to include a special report focused on students who indicated an interest in STEM-related fields. For the past three years, the Condition of STEM reports have provided a comprehensive picture of the college readiness levels of those students. To further advance STEM readiness and to honor its commitments to help underserved learners pursue their college and career goals, ACT is providing additional information on the status of underserved ACT-tested graduates in relation to STEM preparation. Historically, access to quality education and career planning opportunities and resources has been hindered for underserved learners. Identifying these students and determining their readiness in math and science could provide them with more opportunities to successfully enter STEM careers and help address the national deficit of skilled STEM workers.

Definition of Underserved Learners

ACT identifies underserved learners using student characteristics that are often related to a lack of access to high-quality educational and career planning opportunities and resources. Specifically, this definition encompasses students who have at least one of the following characteristics.

• Minority: race/ethnicity is African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic/Latino, or Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander

• Low income: combined parental income is less than or equal to $36,000• First generation in college: highest parental education level is high school diploma or less

This definition, which is consistent with that used in current research activities and state/federal intervention programs, casts a wide net. We have elected to maintain this broad definition as a means of representing most underserved students.

Impact

As shown in the accompanying graphs, the three characteristics used by ACT to define underserved students appear to have a cumulative suppressing effect on college readiness. In other words, the greater the number of characteristics students have, the lower their math, science, and STEM benchmark attainment rates. In isolation, embodiment of at least one underserved characteristic is associated with lower benchmark attainment rates than STEM students nationwide. Students with one underserved characteristic show STEM readiness rates 24 percentage points lower than those with no characteristics. Among students who met two characteristics, STEM readiness rates dropped another 9 percentage points to 6 percent. Among students exhibiting all three underserved characteristics, only 3 percent met the ACT STEM Benchmark.

These findings suggest that in order to best help underserved students succeed in STEM-related subjects and fields, we need to better understand the relationships among the defining characteristics and remove the barriers that they create alone and in combination with each other. Working together to remove these barriers is critical to the future success of these students.


Understanding the Underserved LearnerACT Benchmark Attainment

Percent of 2016 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT College Readiness and STEM Benchmarks by Number of Underserved Characteristics

None One Two Three

N = 534,401 N = 272,058 N = 139,985 N = 60,627




6459

393732

15

2218

6

1611

30

20

40

60

80

100

Mathematics Science STEM

Perc

ent None

OneTwoThree

7167

454642

22

2925

10

2317

6

0

20

40

60

80

100


Perc

ent None

OneTwoThree

63

56

3733

27

1319

14

5

139

30

20

40

60

80

100


Perc

ent None

OneTwoThree

5451

2929 28

1117 15

4

129

20

20

40

60

80

100


Perc

ent None

OneTwoThree

None One Two Three

N = 200,876 N = 88,723 N = 43,744 N = 18,021

None One Two Three

N = 238,172 N = 133,952 N = 69,469 N = 30,490

None One Two Three

N = 95,353 N = 49,383 N = 26,772 N = 12,116

Overall STEM Interest Expressed and Measured Interest

Expressed Interest Only Measured Interest Only


25

STEM Interest and Achievement by State

State

Percent of All

Graduates Tested*

Percent of All ACT-Tested Graduates Interested in STEM

Percent of STEM Students Meeting Benchmarks

English Reading Math Science STEM

Alabama 100 52 56 38 28 29 14

Colorado 100 44 69 49 49 46 29

Illinois 100 41 71 50 51 45 28

Kentucky 100 48 65 45 37 37 18

Louisiana 100 52 64 40 32 33 14

Michigan 100 47 66 46 44 43 23

Minnesota 100 48 67 51 55 48 30

Mississippi 100 51 52 30 24 23 10

Missouri 100 42 66 47 44 41 22

Montana 100 48 63 47 47 41 22

Nevada 100 40 46 33 30 26 13

North Carolina 100 50 52 37 38 31 17

North Dakota 100 47 63 46 46 41 21

South Carolina 100 48 50 35 31 27 13

Tennessee 100 46 65 44 37 37 18

Utah 100 45 65 48 43 42 22

Wisconsin 100 47 68 48 51 46 26

Wyoming 100 49 64 44 41 39 17

Arkansas 96 48 65 44 39 35 17

Hawaii 94 48 53 35 38 30 16

Nebraska 88 48 73 53 51 48 27

Oklahoma 82 50 66 49 38 37 17

Florida 81 46 60 47 40 36 20

South Dakota 76 54 74 56 58 52 29

Kansas 74 49 73 56 55 49 28

Ohio 73 50 73 57 56 52 30

New Mexico 70 57 56 41 35 32 15

Iowa 68 49 79 60 56 55 31

West Virginia 67 58 70 49 37 37 16

Georgia 60 52 67 49 44 40 23

Arizona 58 48 62 46 47 39 23

Alaska 53 44 64 51 49 41 23


State

Percent of All

Graduates Tested*

Percent of All ACT-Tested Graduates Interested in STEM

Percent of STEM Students Meeting Benchmarks

English Reading Math Science STEM

Texas 46 52 61 46 48 40 24

District of Columbia 44 38 65 55 51 48 38

Indiana 41 52 77 60 60 53 33

Idaho 39 55 80 64 61 54 33

Oregon 39 46 73 57 58 50 32

Connecticut 34 47 86 71 73 66 48

California 33 53 75 58 62 50 36

New Jersey 32 46 78 63 68 56 43

Virginia 31 54 80 65 65 59 40

New York 29 50 82 68 73 64 46

Vermont 29 49 83 66 69 61 39

Massachusetts 28 49 87 72 78 66 50

Maryland 27 52 77 63 64 57 41

Washington 25 55 78 65 69 60 43

New Hampshire 23 54 88 70 77 68 49

Pennsylvania 23 54 81 65 68 60 40

Delaware 21 57 81 67 66 57 40

Rhode Island 20 51 83 65 66 60 41

Maine 10 54 85 66 72 61 45

Nation 64 48 67 49 48 43 26

* Totals for graduating seniors were obtained from Knocking at the College Door: Projections of High School Graduates, 8th edition. © December 2012 by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.

STEM Interest and Achievement by State

27

ACT Research

As a nonprofit educational research organization, ACT is committed to producing research that focuses on key issues in education and workforce development. Our goal is to serve as a data resource. We strive to provide policymakers with the information they need to inform education and workforce development policy and to give educators the tools they need to lead more students toward college and career success. What follows are some recent and groundbreaking ACT research studies related to STEM. To review these studies, go towww.act.org/research/summary.

ACT National Curriculum Survey®

The ACT National Curriculum Survey is a nationwide survey of educational practices and expectations. Conducted every three to five years by ACT, the

survey collects data about what entering college students should know and be able to do to be ready for college-level coursework in English, math, reading, and science.

Broadening the Definition of College and Career Readiness:

A Holistic Approach

By Krista Mattern, Jeremy Burrus, Wayne Camara, Ryan O’Connor, Mary Ann Hansen, James Gambrell,

Alex Casillas, Becky Bobek

ACT Research Report Series 2014 (5)Broadening the Definition of College and Career Readiness: A Holistic Approach The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2016 revealed that only 26% of 2016 ACT-tested high school graduates met all four ACT

College Readiness Benchmarks. A more holistic approach to college and career readiness is in order. This report provides evidence that educators, policymakers, and employers embrace a wide variety of skills critical for success. The research also shows that we can improve prediction of college and career readiness by measuring a broader range of skills.

The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2016Using ACT scores and the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks, The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2016 provides data highlighting the college and career

readiness of the ACT-tested high school class of 2016. This report is updated annually.

The Condition of Future Educators 2015Data from past ACT Condition of STEM reports have shown there are few students interested in math or science education as a profession. This report provides

current educators and policymakers a glimpse inside the pipeline of future educators.

Development of STEM Readiness Benchmarks to Assist Educational and Career Decision MakingThe United States must seek ways to maintain the STEM pipeline withstudents who are likely to succeed

in a STEM major and persist in a STEM field. The purpose of this ACT research was to develop a STEM readiness benchmark to provide prospective students more tailored information on the level of knowledge and skills needed to have a reasonable chance of success in first-year STEM courses.


STEM Resources

ACT has connected with state STEM councils across the country to identify valuable STEM-related resources. These are the top resources suggested by STEM experts.

STEM Premier®

STEM Premier is a virtual platform that connects STEM students with higher education and the workforce. Students can showcase their skills, get ranked and rated, receive guidance, and find STEM scholarships while colleges, technical schools, and corporations can identify, track, and recruit STEM Premier talent.www.stempremier.com

STEMconnector®

STEMconnector is the “one-stop shop” for STEM information. With several products and services, STEMconnector supports its members in the design,

implementation, and measurement of their STEM strategies. Since its launch in 2011, STEMconnector has been the leader in leveraging a network of STEM stakeholders to “make things happen.” STEMconnector’s charge is to identify, inform, and connect entities working in STEM education and careers to assess smart STEM investments and results.www.stemconnector.org

USA Science and Engineering Festival The USA Science and Engineering Festival attracts thousands of K–12 students, parents, teachers, and STEM

professionals in the largest national celebration of STEM. The conference will be held in Spring 2018 in Washington, DC.www.usasciencefestival.org

Twomentor, LLCTwomentor, LLC, is a social impact company focused on talent strategies for retaining a diverse workforce. It works with clients to build mentoring cultures and initiatives, and its people have a passion for elevating girls and women in STEM skills. It has experience working with many Fortune 500 companies and SMBs and offers facilitated and highly engaging half-day and full-day mentor training, flash mentoring interactive sessions, ongoing MentorCulture consulting, and supports an engaged and passionate workforce as an extended part of your team.www.twomentor.com

Learning Blade®

From the creators of ACT KeyTrain®, Learning Blade® is an interactive, web-based STEM curriculum validated by BattelleEd in increasing student interest toward STEM careers for middle schoolers. Students pursue engaging missions about real-world STEM problems in an entertaining, game-based platform while also learning about STEM careers, aligned to academic standards. An easy-to-implement, cost-effective STEM tool, Learning Blade has been adopted statewide in two states and is used in over 25 states. www.learningblade.com

USNews.comThe U.S. News STEM Solutions National Leadership Conference is focused on improving America’s science, technology, engineering, and math skills. As a digital company committed to covering STEM through in-depth reporting, research, and analysis, U.S. News & World Report will bring the sixth annual leadership conference to the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina on May 24–26, 2017. For more information, visit www.usnewsstemsolutions.com. For ongoing STEM news and analysis, visit www.usnews.com/STEM.

29

ACT-Defined STEM Majors and Occupations by Area

Science Majors/Occupations

Agronomy and Crop Science

Animal Sciences

Astronomy

Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology

Biochemistry and Biophysics

Biology, General

Cell/Cellular Biology

Chemistry

Ecology

Environmental Science

Food Sciences and Technology

Forestry

Genetics

Geological and Earth Sciences

Horticulture Science

Marine/Aquatic Biology

Microbiology and Immunology

Natural Resources Conservation, General

Natural Resources Management

Physical Sciences, General

Physics

Science Education

Wildlife and Wildlands Management

Zoology

Computer Science and Mathematics Majors/Occupations

Actuarial Science

Applied Mathematics

Business/Management Quantitative Methods, General

Computer and Information Sciences, General

Computer Network/Telecommunications

Computer Science and Programming

Computer Software and Media Application

Computer System Administration

Data Management Technology

Information Science

Management Information Systems

Mathematics Education

Mathematics, General

Statistics

Webpage Design

Medical and Health Majors/Occupations

Athletic Training

Chiropractic (Pre-Chiropractic)

Dentistry (Pre-Dentistry)

Emergency Medical Technology

Food and Nutrition

Health/Medical Technology, General

Medical Laboratory Technology

Medical Radiologic Technology

Medicine (Pre-Medicine)

Nuclear Medicine Technology

Nursing, Practical/Vocational (LPN)

Nursing, Registered (BS/RN)

Optometry (Pre-Optometry)

Osteopathic Medicine

Pharmacy (Pre-Pharmacy)

Physical Therapy (Pre-Physical Therapy)

Physician Assisting

Respiratory Therapy Technology

Surgical Technology

Veterinarian Assisting/Technology

Veterinary Medicine (Pre-Vet)

Engineering and Technology Majors/Occupations

Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering Technology

Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering

Agricultural/Bioengineering

Architectural Drafting/CAD Technology

Architectural Engineering

Architectural Engineering Technology

Architecture, General

Automotive Engineering Technology

Biomedical Engineering

Chemical Engineering

Civil Engineering

Civil Engineering Technology

Computer Engineering

Computer Engineering Technology

Construction Engineering/Management

Construction/Building Technology

Drafting/CAD Technology, General

Electrical, Electronic, and Communication Engineering

Electrical/Electronics Engineering Technology

Electromechanical/Biomedical Engineering Technology

Engineering (Pre-Engineering), General

Engineering Technology, General

Environmental Control Technologies

Environmental Health Engineering

Industrial Engineering

Industrial Production Technologies

Mechanical Drafting/CAD Technology

Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering Technology

Military Technologies

Nuclear Engineering

Quality Control and Safety Technologies

Surveying Technology


National STEM Report

Notes1. When individuals register for the ACT, they are asked to choose a college major they plan to enter as well as

an occupational choice from a list of 294 major and occupational titles. Of these 294 titles, 93 have been identified as STEM related. Assignment of ACT titles to STEM titles was conducted by an expert panel of ACT staff members with knowledge of labor market trends and postsecondary academic programs. Panel decisions were informed by three sources of information: (1) STEM-designated occupations from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), (2) STEM-designated degree programs from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and (3) ACT Interest Inventory score profiles for students planning to enter the major/occupation. ACT titles were assigned to STEM when both the corresponding BLS and ICE titles were included in STEM or when the corresponding BLS title was included in STEM and the profile of measured interests of students planning to enter this occupation peaked on the Science and Technology scale. These two guidelines accounted for 89 of the 93 ACT titles assigned to STEM. The remaining four titles were assigned to STEM based on the judged intensiveness of their math and science coursework (major) or work tasks (occupation). ACT titles in the Social Sciences were excluded from this STEM list because many STEM taxonomies do not include majors and occupations in this field.

2. Students were assigned to one of three STEM cohorts: Expressed and Measured, Expressed Only, or Measured Only. These cohorts were based on the pairing of Expressed and Measured STEM interest types, where:• Students with expressed STEM interest planned on a STEM major or occupation following high school.• Students with measured STEM interest had a highest ACT Interest Inventory score in Science or had a

highest ACT Interest Inventory score in Technology and a second-highest score in Science.Within each STEM cohort, students were also assigned to one of four STEM areas: Science, Computer Science and Mathematics, Medical and Health, or Engineering and Technology. STEM areas for students in the Expressed and Measured Interest cohort and the Expressed Interest Only cohort were based on the STEM area of students’ planned major. If planned major was not STEM, then the STEM area of their planned occupation was used. For students in the Measured Interest Only cohort, STEM area was based on the correlation of ACT Interest Inventory scores and the interest profile of the planned major. Using a national sample of 2-year students in their second year and 4-year students in their third year who have a declared major and a grade point average of at least 2.0 (N=62,494), each major’s profile was estimated as the mean ACT Interest Inventory scores for students in that major.

3. Mattern, K., Radunzel, J., & Westrick P. (2015). Development of STEM readiness benchmarks to assist career and educational decision making. (ACT Research Report 2015-3). Iowa City, IA: ACT, Inc.

4. Crouse, J., Harmston, M., & Radunzel, J. (2016). Validity evidence for STEM interest identification. (ACT Research Technical Brief). Iowa City, IA: ACT, Inc.

ACT’s Commitment to STEMEveryone must work together to get more students prepared to succeed in STEM careers. This is a critical step if the United States is to remain a world leader. ACT is committed to research and assessment practices that make enhanced STEM opportunities for students a reality. Although gains have been made in STEM readiness, the data show that far too many STEM-interested students are still not well prepared to succeed in the type of rigorous college math and science coursework required of STEM majors. ACT research indicates that students who meet or surpass the ACT STEM Benchmark are much more likely than those who don’t to persevere in college and earn a STEM degree within six years.ACT recently developed the ACT Aspire® assessment system, focused on grades 3–10. ACT Aspire covers the same subjects as the ACT: English, reading, math, science, and writing. To complement the information in the STEM report, an ACT Aspire STEM score has been developed. This score gives educators and STEM leaders an early and ongoing view of the STEM pipeline within their states. ACT WorkKeys® and the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate™ are additional assessment tools available to students, individuals, and companies to assist in determining work readiness for STEM-related jobs.

© 2016 by ACT, Inc. All rights reserved. The ACT® test is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc., in the USA and other countries. The ACT National Curriculum Survey®, ACT Aspire®, ACT KeyTrain®, and ACT WorkKeys® are registered trademarks of ACT, Inc. The ACT National Career Readiness Certificate™ is a trademark of ACT, Inc.

31

ACT is an independent, nonprofit organization that provides assessment, research, information, and program management services in the broad areas of education and workforce development. Each year, we serve millions of people in high schools, colleges, professional associations, businesses, and government agencies, nationally and internationally. Though designed to meet a wide array of needs, all ACT programs and services have one guiding purpose—helping people achieve education and workplace success.

This report can be found at www.act.org/stemcondition

*070804160* Rev 2

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