More students, 49,562, earned doctorates in the United States last year than ever before, and female scientists are leading that boom, according to the National Science Foundation’s annual survey of doctorates.

That’s a 1.6% jump from 2008. Most of the growth was in science and engineering PhDs, which were up 1.9% from last year to 33,470. Science and engineering doctorates have grown steadily since 2002, when they hit a nadir for the decade at 24,608.

All of last year’s growth in science and engineering doctorates is due to the 13,593 women who earned PhDs, up 4.3% from 2008. Ethnic minorities are also earning more science and engineering PhDs. A total of 4,719 Americans or permanent residents who are minorities earned science and engineering PhDs last year, up 6.4% from 2008 and 34.3% since 2004.

Unfortunately, the job prospects for all these new doctorate holders are less rosy. Compared to 2008, science and engineering PhDs were slightly less likely or just as likely to have a post-doc or other job lined up, depending on the field.

Image courtesy of NSF