STEM Immigration and U.S. STEM Workforce Development at the Intersections of Race/Ethnicity, Gender, and Immigration Status

Immigrants constitute nearly one third of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degree holders in the United States, yet their contributions to diversifying the U.S. STEM workforce are often overlooked. The author examines disparities in the likelihood of holding a STEM degree amo...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Byeongdon Oh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2025-06-01
Series:Socius
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/23780231251348092
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Summary:Immigrants constitute nearly one third of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degree holders in the United States, yet their contributions to diversifying the U.S. STEM workforce are often overlooked. The author examines disparities in the likelihood of holding a STEM degree among college graduates, considering the intersections of race/ethnicity, gender, and immigration status. The analyses reveal that immigrant men and women from all non-White racial/ethnic groups are equally or more likely than their U.S.-born White counterparts to hold a STEM degree. However, compared with the U.S.-born, race/ethnicity and gender disparities are more pronounced among immigrants, particularly the 1.25th generation: those who earned a college degree in the United States after completing K–12 education in their countries of birth. The findings of this study underscore the limitations of social interventions that have narrowly focused on U.S.-born individuals in efforts to foster a more diverse and inclusive STEM workforce.
ISSN:2378-0231