The share of tertiary graduates who earn degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) provides an important lens into a country’s educational priorities and potential future strength in innovation and technology.
According to the report by Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET), in 2020 several countries stood out for having very high percentages of their graduates in STEM fields.
Below is an exploration of each of these countries and what the share of STEM graduates suggests about their higher-education systems.
1. China
In China, over 40 percent of all tertiary graduates earn a STEM degree. This places China at the top of the list in terms of proportion of STEM graduates, illustrating how its higher education system has been oriented strongly toward science, engineering and technology disciplines.
Such a high share reflects China’s strategic push to build capacity in cutting-edge technical fields, and suggests a deliberate alignment of university programs with the country’s industrial and research priorities.
The large volume of students enrolled in STEM majors may help fuel China’s innovation ecosystem, although the quality of outcomes, match to employment, and international comparability remain important questions.
2. Russia
Russia sees around 37 percent of its tertiary graduates finishing in STEM fields. This relatively high proportion reflects Russia’s long tradition of strong science and engineering education dating back to the Soviet era.
The system remains oriented toward technical specializations and may contribute to the country’s engineering and research workforce.
However, the challenge for Russia is not just producing STEM graduates, but ensuring that the economy and research environment can absorb and productively leverage them in globally competitive sectors.
3. Germany
Germany’s share of STEM graduates stands at approximately 36 percent. Germany’s tertiary-education system benefits from an engineering-strong industrial base and a dual system that connects vocational training with higher education.
For Germany, the high share offers a strong foundation for its manufacturing, automation and R&D-intensive economy, though it must continue to innovate in terms of pedagogy and international competitiveness.
4. Iran
In Iran, about 33 percent of graduates obtain STEM degrees. Despite facing economic and geopolitical constraints, Iran’s higher-education system appears to maintain a significant emphasis on science, technology and engineering fields.
This high share suggests that the country is investing in technical education as a way to build capacity and perhaps offset other structural limitations.
The challenge will be whether these STEM graduates can translate their education into productive research, innovation and industry engagement under Iran’s national circumstances.
5. India
India registers roughly 30 percent of its tertiary graduates in STEM disciplines. Given India’s large population and rapidly expanding university system, this share implies a vast absolute number of STEM graduates entering the system each year.
The fact that nearly one-third of graduates are in STEM fields shows India’s ambition to grow its technical talent pool.
That said, ensuring quality, relevance to industry, regional equity and effective absorption into the economy remain key factors for India’s future in STEM-driven growth.
6. France
In France, about 26 percent of tertiary graduates are in STEM fields. While this is lower than the highest proportions above, it is still significant and places France ahead of many other developed countries in the STEM-share metric.
This indicates that science and engineering remain important disciplines in France’s higher education system, though the headline share also suggests that the broader university landscape remains diversified across humanities, social sciences and other fields.
For France, one implication is balancing the depth of STEM training with the broad offerings of a comprehensive higher-education system.
7. United States
In the United States about 20 percent of tertiary graduates hold STEM degrees. This proportion is lower than those of China, Russia, Germany and Iran. It reflects the U.S. system’s broader diversity of majors and a more pluralistic higher education model.
While the share is modest, the U.S. benefits from significant research infrastructure, industry-academia linkages, and global attractiveness to international STEM students.
Thus, while the percentage is not among the highest, the U.S. still holds substantial strength in STEM through quality, innovation ecosystems, and global outreach.
8. Indonesia
Indonesia also has about 20 percent of its tertiary graduates in STEM fields according to broader sources covering the share of science and technology-related studies in the region.
For a developing country with large demographic pressure and expanding tertiary-education enrolment, this figure shows an important focus on STEM disciplines, though the share is still at the same level as the U.S. and lower than many emerging-economy peers.
For Indonesia, the challenge is to increase both the share and the absolute number of STEM graduates, while improving infrastructure, teaching quality, and alignment with the labor market.
