U.S. Census Bureau say certain undergrad degrees aren’t being used

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – New data shows degrees in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math aren’t being used.Of all the people who get an undergrad degree in a STEM field, the U.S. Census Bureau shows that 74% of them are in careers outside the STEM umbrella.

However, Laura Loyacono, the Executive Director of the KC STEM Alliance, says it’s really due to a problem with the definition. She uses the local example of Hallmark, which is classified as a manufacturing company, despite employing all kinds of workers.

“They employee hundreds of engineers, engineering technologists, but they also employ computer scientists, programmers. Color chemists is my favorite career at Hallmark, but wouldn’t be considered by any stretch of the imagination an engineering field,” said Loyacono.

One notable field is healthcare. If an undergrad gets a bachelor’s in biology, then goes to med school and becomes a doctor, he or she is not considered to be working in a STEM field.