Will North Dakota seize the future?

A bright future in STEM jobs awaits North Dakota

ND will enjoy robust STEM growth As in much of the country, STEM jobs in North Dakota will enjoy robust growth ND 2nd in terms of projected overall growth in STEM jobs Engineering expects to grow tremendously; its 40% increase leads the nation! Computing (24%) growth puts ND among the top 5 states in the country ND rank: First in engineering; Tied with VA for 4th in computing; Tied with CO for 2nd overall.

ND STEM jobs pay more than non-STEM ones ND’s STEM employees can earn almost 70% more than their non-STEM contemporaries. In other words, the advantage of having a STEM job pays considerably better.

ND has an excellent employment rate for STEM positions ND enjoys very low unemployment, particularly for STEM jobs; ranking 2nd in the nation! While non-STEM jobs have a good employment rate, STEM positions have less than 1% unemployment. ND rank: 2nd

North Dakota may have trouble meeting the demand for STEM skills

ND’s STEM pipeline is stronger than the US pipeline, but it still loses students at every stage ND graduates students from 4-year degree programs at a lower rate than most other states and below the national average ND ranks near the lowest quartile among all states, graduating only around half of those who enter bachelor programs. ND ranks 37th out of states on its 4-year college graduation rate

ND needs more female engineers! Nearly 7X higher for men North Dakota Only 12 % for women Though North Dakota has increased the number of women earning engineering degrees since 2001, they still greatly trail their male counterparts. In 2015, men have earned about 5,600 more engineering degrees over 2001 levels; while women have seen an increase of less than 850 during the same period, widening the gender gap. ND rank: 49th; second to last in the country!

ND needs more female computing talent! Nearly 6X higher for men North Dakota Was high of 25% Only 14% for women After achieving a high of 25% of computing degrees/certificates awarded in 2003, the number has dropped steadily even as men surged back into the profession. In 2015, ND produced the fewest number of female computing degrees/certificate graduates in more than a decade; a 66% decrease since 2003. ND rank: 16th

Minorities very scarce in engineering Represent 14% of population… …but only 5% of degrees Racial and ethnic minorities are badly underrepresented among those who get degrees and certificates from North Dakota engineering programs. While they make up nearly 15% of college population, just around 5 percent earn these degrees. In relative terms, North Dakota ranks 16th on this measure—which mostly demonstrates how poorly the nation as a whole fares. ND diversity score rank: 16th

The challenge begins in K-12 The challenge begins in K-12. North Dakota has its strengths, but the state is losing ground in key areas

ND math SAT scores exceed the national average ND exceeds the national average for math SAT scores. ND male and female students score among the top 5 across the country. ND rank: males : 4th; females: 5th

Yet the state is slipping in 8th-grade math A vast majority of ND 8th grade math teachers feel they have all or most of needed resources to effectively teach students.

Low-income students have seen the worst declines A vast majority of ND 8th grade math teachers feel they have all or most of needed resources to effectively teach students. ND’s progress has been flat or declining since 2009.

Lower-income ND students lag far behind in math Proficiency levels in math and science for 4th and 8th grade students from lower-income families trail other students significantly. Around 50% of students from ND higher-income families are at or above proficiency; while only about a quarter of lower-income peers are at or above proficiency

ND 8th-graders have also slipped significantly in science ND declined while the U.S. as a whole made significant gains

Again, low-income students declined the most since 2009 ND low income students have trailed wealthier counterparts over the last several years. Since 2009, the achievement gap between students from higher and lower income families has widened.

North Dakota should improve students’ access to STEM education opportunities and resources

More ND students need access to challenging STEM classes ND students need more access to challenging math classes, like calculus and physics. Across all groups of North Dakota students (white and racial minorities), many schools lack the opportunity to take calculus and physics.

ND 8th-grade science teachers have resources, but income gaps persist A vast majority of ND 8th grade science teachers feel they have all or most of needed resources to effectively teach students. ND leads the nation

ND 8th-graders have science lab facilities, but income gaps persist While ND 8th graders typically perform better than the national average, there still exists a sizable achievement gap between high- and low-income students.

ND students’ access to individual lab stations is declining Less than a decade ago, the vast majority of ND 8th graders’ schools reported having adequately stocked science lab. Since then, while the US as a whole has increased the number of schools reporting their science labs have supplies and materials “to a large extent,” ND schools have seen a precipitous drop in this area.

ND students’ access to lab supplies is also declining

Can North Dakota fulfill its promise in STEM? STEM fields are critical to the state’s future ND students have outperformed national averages, but their lead is slipping Low-income students are losing most ground. Facilities and resources for science education have declined If the state does not reverse course, ND might not be able to fulfill its promise in STEM fields

Contact Information Claus von Zastrow cvonzastrow@changetheequation.org 202.626.5740 www.changetheequation.org Facebook.com/changetheequation Twitter.com/changeequation