Searching for Commonality in STEM Occupation Definitions
The media often reports that STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) jobs are in-demand. They have been growing, are expected to...
Real-Time Demand for STEM
Jobs in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM [1] ) are expected to grow faster than the average occupation over the next...
Patrick Clapp
February 02, 2021
Jobs in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM[1]) are expected to grow faster than the average occupation over the next 10 years, but what does demand for STEM vs. non-STEM look like today? Real-time intelligence from online job ads can help compare these occupation groups.
In 2017, STEM ads closed at about the same rate as non-STEM ads but took a slightly longer time to fill, suggesting it may be harder for employers to fill openings for STEM occupations. Out of the nearly 27 million deduplicated online ads collected in 2017, more than 2 million were for STEM-related occupations. Over this period, 85% of both STEM and non-STEM ads were closed (a proxy for hiring). However, on average, STEM jobs were active online for a median duration of 29.5 days, nearly two days longer than the average median duration for non-STEM ads (27.8 days). The table below shows the STEM occupations with the longest median durations.
| SOC | Occupations | Median Duration (days) | Total Ads |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17-3025 | Environmental Engineering Technicians | 42 | 2,303 |
| 25-1054 | Physics Teachers, Postsecondary | 42 | 0,839 |
| 25-1052 | Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary | 41 | 1,539 |
| 25-1022 | Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary | 40 | 2,568 |
| 25-1061 | Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary | 37 | 0,706 |
| 15-2021 | Mathematicians | 34 | 0,130 |
| 19-1029 | Biological Scientists, All Other | 34 | 3,906 |
| 19-1032 | Foresters | 34 | 1,851 |
| 19-1099 | Life Scientists, All Other | 34 | 1,940 |
| 25-1032 | Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | 34 | 1,820 |
| Source: JobsEQ |
Though STEM ads as a whole were generally online longer, many individual non-STEM occupations had longer median durations, also suggesting difficulty filling these positions. The table below shows duration and total ads for non-STEM occupations that were active online the longest in 2017. Note that some of these occupations are healthcare related, and often included in definitions of STEM-H occupations.
| SOC | Occupations | Median Duration (days) | Total Ads |
|---|---|---|---|
| 49-9043 | Maintenance Workers, Machinery | 129 | 0,929 |
| 51-9194 | Etchers and Engravers | 56 | 1,127 |
| 29-1131 | Veterinarians | 51 | 8,448 |
| 29-1041 | Optometrists | 49 | 4,264 |
| 19-3041 | Sociologists | 48 | 0,073 |
| 29-1127 | Speech-Language Pathologists | 47 | 81,381 |
| 25-1064 | Geography Teachers, Postsecondary | 46 | 0,147 |
| 47-2071 | Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators | 45 | 5,596 |
| 25-1062 | Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 43 | 1,283 |
| 33-9092 | Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers | 41 | 18,294 |
| Source: JobsEQ |
From this analysis, it seems STEM ads may generally take somewhat longer to fill than non-STEM jobs, but some detailed occupations within both groups appear especially difficult to fill. Further analysis of online job ads may yield additional insights. For example, differences in hard and soft skills most often required or differences in advertised wages may be the subject of future blogs.
[1] STEM occupations were identified based on the SOC Policy Committee recommendations to the Office of Management and Budget; health occupations were excluded. For more on defining STEM, see our related blog