The National Survey of College Graduates (NSCG) is a survey sponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the National Science Foundation (NSF). The U.S. Census Bureau is responsible for the NSCG data collection.

The NSCG began in the 1970s and has been conducted approximately every two to three years. The survey provides data on the number and characteristics of individuals with a bachelor's or higher degree, with a special focus on individuals with education and/or employment in science or engineering.

The NSF uses the information to prepare congressionally mandated biennial reports such as Diversity and STEM: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities and Science and Engineering Indicators. These reports enable NSF to fulfill the legislative requirement to act as a clearinghouse for current information on the science and engineering workforce.

The survey serves other purposes as well:

• Government agencies use these data to assess the college-educated resources available in the U.S. to business, industry, and academia, and to provide a basis for the formulation of the nation's education and employment policies.
• Educational institutions use the NSCG data in establishing and modifying scientific and technical curricula.
• Employers in all sectors (education, industry, and the government) use the results to understand trends in employment opportunities and salaries in all fields and to evaluate the effectiveness of equal opportunity efforts.

Some key variables collected on the NSCG include the following:

The NSCG uses a trimodal data collection approach: online survey, mail questionnaire, and telephone interview. Sample members are started in one mode depending on their past preference and their available contact information. At any time during data collection, sample members can choose to complete the survey using any of the three data collection modes.

Thanks to our participants for completing the survey. It makes a difference!

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