Early Science Career Patterns of Recent Graduates from Leading Research Universities

This study examines the extent that the tight academic job market of the 1970’s enabled less prestigious institutions to attract new employees with doctorates from the most prestigious universities. A refinement of the Carnegie Council on Policy Studies in Higher Education categories is introduced in analysing data from two national surveys conducted by the National Academy of Sciences. Results point to an uneven “trickle-down” effect, as well as shifts within the Carnegie Council categories as to new Ph.D.’s employed.