Median number of years it takes for a doctoral candidate to earn a degree in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) field: 6.3
 

Median years for black and Hispanic candidates: About 6.8

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Proportion of black graduates who accrued student debt while earning a STEM Ph.D.: 1/2
 

Proportion of Hispanic graduates: More than 1/3
 

Proportion of Asian and white graduates: Less than 1/3

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Percentage of black graduates who accrue graduate school debt, even when taking the same amount of time (the median 6.3 years) as everyone else to earn a doctorate: 43
 

Percentage of Hispanic graduates: 32
 

Percentage of Asian and white graduates: 23

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Percentage of black graduates who accrue more than $30,000 in debt: 25
 

Percentage of Hispanic graduates: 14
 

Percentage of Asian and white graduates: 10

Sources: The Price of a Science Ph.D.: Variations in Student Debt Levels Across Disciplines and Race/Ethnicity (2013) and How Long Does it Take? STEM Ph.D. Completion for Underrepresented Minorities (2012)