Following are a few sites that provide access to publicly accessible data sources that might be useful to ASA members in gaining an understanding of our disciplinary landscape for both departmental and individual advocacy or informational purposes.
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) Interactive Data Tool
Build your own tables and charts using data from NCSES surveys and IPEDS, including the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED), National Survey of College Graduates (NSCG), and Higher Education Research and Development (HERD). Data on degrees awarded, enrollments, R&D funding, institutional characteristics, and more are available in sociology and other science and engineering fields. User tutorials and help menus are available. Learn more.
NSF’s SESTAT: Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System
A comprehensive public-use data system on the demographic, educational, and employment characteristics of scientists and engineers in the United States, including sociologists. The site draws from NSF surveys such as the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) and National Survey of College Graduates (NSCG). Extensive help menus, variable documentation, public-use data downloads, and technical notes are available. Learn more.
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Institute of Education Sciences’ DataLab
This web-based data analysis software provides public access to mostly individual-level education survey data collected by the US Department of Education. Users can build their own analysis tables, covariance matrices (with standard errors) for regression analysis, and, with DAS 2.0, perform weighted least-squares and logistic regression analysis on the web. In nationally representative complex samples, data on sociology majors can be found in the National Education Longitudinal Survey (NELS) and Bachelor’s and Beyond (B&B), while data on sociology faculty can be found in the National Study of Postsecondary Faculty (NSOPF). Click the “User Help Center” link to find step-by-step tutorials. Learn more.
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Institute of Education Sciences IPEDS Data Center
A centralized data retrieval tool from NCES’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Search for tables, charts, and publications, download IPEDS survey data or obtain the IPEDS Institution Unit ID for a given school. A centralized data retrieval tool from NCES’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Search for tables, charts, and publications, download IPEDS survey data or obtain the IPEDS Institution Unit ID for a given school. Visit NCES’s College Navigator data tool to search for an institution by state. Learn more.
If you know of any other publicly available datasets or interactive data tools that provide useful information about our discipline, please email [email protected].
