It has been widely quoted that the U.S. awards only 70,000 B.S. engineering degrees each year, whereas India churns out 350,000 and China 650,000. The National Research Council cited the numbers in a recent report on the U.S. need to beef up its scientific talent pool, and senators flogged them last month in introducing a bill to increase U.S. support for science. But a group at Duke University group led by sociologist Gary Gereffi and high tech entrepreneur Vivek Wadhwa suggests that any degree disparity may actually favor the U.S.

After much legwork, the researchers obtained degree data from India's National Association of Software and Service Companies, China's Ministry of Education, and individual universities in both countries. The numbers, it turned out, include information technology and computer science degrees, as well as graduates of 2- and 3-year programs. When the researchers broadened the U.S. definition of engineering degrees accordingly, the U.S. total grew threefold, to 221,000 degrees (memp.pratt.duke.edu/outsourcing). The group also found that India's figures double-counted many students and were based on estimated enrollments, suggesting that 215,000 would be more accurate.

A revised per capita comparison gives the United States a considerable lead over both countries (see graphic, above). Gereffi says that the data don't change the fact that the United States should be concerned about its competitiveness. "I'm not saying we don't have a problem," he says. "All we wanted to do is set the record straight."

CREDIT: DUKE UNIVERSITY