Since President Trump took office, the US government has lost more than 10,000 PhDs in science, engineering, and medicine.

Since President Donald Trump made massive cuts to federal jobs, 10,109 PhD holders in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and medical fields have left their jobs by 2025.

US government has lost more than 10,000 STEM Ph.Ds since Trump took office | Science | AAAS

During the second Trump administration, President Trump reviewed several government agencies and research programs and pursued policies to cut off government funding, resulting in the loss of some researchers' positions.

A group of over 50,000 scientists has released a letter to President-elect Donald Trump and members of Congress urging them to 'protect research and scientists' - GIGAZINE

According to a study by the journal Science, there was a noticeable decline in the number of PhD holders in STEM and medical fields in 2025 compared to before President Trump took office, with 10,109 people leaving their jobs between January 1 and November 30. This is a significant difference from 4,576 in 2024.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) had the most turnover, with 1,112 employees. The NIH has reportedly seen a significant drop in government funding.

It has become clear that the US National Institutes of Health's grants have decreased by more than 450 billion yen compared to the previous year since the Trump administration took office - GIGAZINE

At all 14 institutions surveyed by Science, the number of employees leaving by 2025 was about three times higher than the previous year, and 11 times higher than the number of new hires in 2025. The National Science Foundation (NSF) suffered particularly heavy losses, dropping from 517 PhD graduates before the Trump administration to 312 by 2025.

The reasons for leaving varied by agency, but most were voluntary, retirement, or the elimination of positions. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) saw a particularly high number of employees leaving due to the elimination of positions. Meanwhile, there were relatively few employees leaving due to downsizing.

While PhD holders will account for only 3% of the 335,192 government employees who leave their jobs in 2025, they represent 14% of the total number of PhD holders employed at the end of 2024.