10,000+ Science PhDs Departed U.S. Government Jobs Last Year

Mass Exodus of Science Experts from Government

• 📉 Over 10,000 experts with science and related doctorate degrees left U.S. government jobs last year, according to the White House Office of Personnel Management.
• 📊 An analysis by Science Magazine revealed a net loss of more than 4,200 STEM PhDs across 14 federal agencies in 2025, as departures outpaced hiring.
• ⚠️ Agencies like the National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Environmental Protection Agency saw the highest numbers of departures.

Factors Driving Departures

• 🗣️ While many departures were voluntary (quitting or early retirement), they are strongly suspected to be influenced by fear of termination or profound policy disagreements with the Trump administration.
• 📉 The departure rate was extremely high, with 11 scientists leaving for every one hired.

Impact on Research and Government Functions

• 🔬 The exodus results in a loss of talented scientists and a failure to bring in new, creative minds, impacting the quality and quantity of research.
• 🚀 Agencies like NASA, which manage complex programs like space missions, are losing employees with an average tenure of 20 years, representing a significant loss of experience.
• 💰 For agencies like the National Science Foundation that fund external research, fewer experienced scientists mean potential declines in program creation and the selection of high-quality research projects.