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What Is a Doctorate Degree?

A doctorate is usually the most advanced degree someone can get in an academic discipline, higher education experts say.

What Is a Doctorate?

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It's unwise to apply to a doctoral program if you don't have a clear idea of how you might use a doctorate in your career.

In many academic disciplines, the most advanced degree one can earn is a doctorate. Doctorate degree-holders are typically regarded as authorities in their fields, and many note that a major reason for pursuing a doctorate is to increase professional credibility.

"If someone wants to be respected as an expert in their chosen field, and also wants to have a wider array of options in research, writing, publishing, teaching, administration, management, and/or private practice, a doctorate is most definitely worth considering," Don Martin, who has a Ph.D. in higher education administration , wrote in an email.

A doctoral degree is a graduate-level credential typically granted after multiple years of graduate school, with the time-to-degree varying depending on the type of doctoral program, experts say.

Earning a doctorate usually requires at least four years of effort and may entail eight years, depending on the complexity of a program's graduation requirements. It also typically requires a dissertation, a lengthy academic paper based on original research that must be vetted and approved by a panel of professors and later successfully defended before them for the doctorate to be granted.

Some jobs require a doctorate, such as certain college professor positions, says Eric Endlich, founder of Top College Consultants, an admissions consulting firm that helps neurodivergent students navigate undergraduate and graduate school admissions.

Endlich earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree, commonly known as a Ph.D., from Boston University in Massachusetts. He focused on psychology and notes that a doctoral degree is generally required to be a licensed psychologist.

"Since a Ph.D. is a research-focused degree, it can be advantageous to those seeking high-level research positions in scientific fields such as astrophysics or biotechnology," he says.

How Long it Takes to Get a Doctorate Degree

Martin, founder and CEO of Grad School Road Map, an organization that helps grad school applicants navigate the admissions process, says obtaining a doctorate is often a lengthy endeavor.

"Typically it can take between four and six years to complete any doctoral program," he says. "If comprehensive examinations and a dissertation are part of the graduation requirements, it may take a year or two longer. There is no standard amount of time – some students take seven to 10 years to finish."

Endlich says doctoral degree hopefuls should be aware that completing a dissertation may take a long time, especially if unexpected hurdles arise.

"My dissertation, for example, involved recruiting college students to complete questionnaires, and it took much longer than I anticipated to recruit enough subjects for my study," he says.

The standards for a dissertation, which include the proposal and research, are rigorous and usually involve a review and approval by a faculty committee, says Hala Madanat, vice president for research and innovation at San Diego State University in California.

"As part of dissertation requirements, some programs will require publication of the research in high-impact peer-reviewed journals," Madanat wrote in an email.

Types of Doctoral Degree Programs

According to professors and administrators of doctoral programs, there are two types of doctorates.

Doctor of Philosophy

A doctor of philosophy degree is designed to prepare people for research careers at a university or in industry, and teach students how to discover new knowledge within their academic discipline. Ph.D. degrees are offered in a wide range of academic subjects, including highly technical fields like biology , physics, math and engineering; social sciences like sociology and economics; and humanities disciplines like philosophy.

A Ph.D. is the most common degree type among tenure-track college and university faculty, who are typically expected to have a doctorate. But academia is not the only path for someone who pursues a Ph.D. It's common for individuals with biology doctorates to work as researchers in the pharmaceutical industry, and many government expert positions also require a Ph.D.

Professional or clinical doctorates

These are designed to give people the practical skills necessary to be influential leaders within a specific industry or employment setting, such as business, psychology , education or nursing . Examples of professional doctoral degrees include a Doctor of Business Administration degree, typically known as a DBA; a Doctor of Education degree, or Ed.D.; and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, or DNP.

A law degree, known as a juris doctor or J.D., as well as a Doctor of Medicine degree, or M.D., are also considered professional doctorates.

How to Get a Doctorate

Getting a doctorate is challenging. It ordinarily requires a series of rigorous classes in a field of study and then passage of a qualification exam in order to begin work on a dissertation, which is the final project.

Dissertations are difficult to write, says David Harpool, vice president of graduate and online programs at Newberry College in South Carolina. Some research indicates that only about half of doctoral students go on to finish their degree, and a main reason is that many never finish and successfully defend their dissertation

"Many of them are in programs that permit them to earn a master’s on the way to a doctorate," Harpool, who earned a Ph.D. from Saint Louis University in Missouri and a J.D. from the University of Missouri , wrote in an email. "The transition from mastering a discipline to creating new knowledge (or at least applying new knowledge in a different way), is difficult, even for outstanding students."

Learn about how M.D.-Ph.D. programs

There is a often a "huge shift in culture" at doctoral programs compared to undergraduate or master's level programs, says Angela Warfield, who earned a Ph.D. in English from the University of Iowa.

Doctoral professors and students have more of a collaborative relationship where they function as colleagues, she says. And there's pressure on each student to produce "significant and original research."

Many full-time doctoral students work for the school as researchers or teaching assistants throughout their program, so time management is crucial to avoid burnout. However, the dissertation "is by far the biggest battle," she says. The goal is to avoid an "ABD," she says, meaning "all but dissertation."

"In my writing group, we had two motivational slogans: 'ABD is not a degree,' and 'a good dissertation is a done dissertation,'" Warfield, now the principal consultant and founder of admissions consulting firm Compass Academics, wrote in an email.

How Are Doctorate Admissions Decisions Made?

Admissions standards for doctoral programs vary depending on the type of doctorate, experts say.

The quality of a candidate's research is a distinguishing factor in admissions decisions, Madanat says. Meanwhile, leaders of clinical and professional doctorate programs say that the quality of a prospective student's work experience matters most.

Doctoral programs typically expect students to have a strong undergraduate transcript , excellent letters of recommendation and, in some cases, high scores on the Graduate Record Examination , or GRE, Endlich says.

"The size of the programs may be relatively small, and universities need to be sure that applicants will be able to handle the demands of their programs," he says.

Because professional doctorates often require students to come up with effective solutions to systemic problems, eligibility for these doctorates is often restricted to applicants with extensive first-hand work experience with these problems, according to recipients of professional doctorates.

In contrast, it's common for Ph.D. students to begin their programs immediately after receiving an undergraduate degree. The admissions criteria at Ph.D. programs emphasize undergraduate grades, standardized test scores and research projects , and these programs don't necessarily require work experience.

Admissions decisions may also depend on available funding, says Madanat, who works with doctoral students to provide funding, workshops and faculty support to help their research.

Who Is a Good Fit for a Doctoral Program?

Doctoral degree hopefuls "should be interested in making a deep impact on their field, open-minded, eager to learn, curious, adaptable and self-motivated," Madanat says. "Doctoral programs are best suited for those whose goals are to transform and change the fields they are studying and want to make a difference in the way the world is."

Someone who loves to study a subject in great depth, can work alone or in teams, is highly motivated and wants to develop research skills may be a good candidate for a doctoral program, Endlich says.

Because of the tremendous effort and time investment involved in earning a doctorate, experts say it's foolish to apply to a doctoral program if it's unclear how you might use a doctorate in your career.

"The students are being trained with depth of knowledge in the discipline to prepare them for critical thinking beyond the current state of the field," Madanat says. "Students should consider the reasons that they are pursuing a doctoral degree and whether or not it aligns with their future professional goals, their family circumstances and finances."

Rachel D. Miller, a licensed marriage and family therapist who completed a Ph.D. degree in couples and family therapy at Adler University in Illinois in 2023, says pursuing a doctorate required her to make significant personal sacrifices because she had to take on large student loans and she needed to devote a lot of time and energy to her program. Miller says balancing work, home life and health issues with the demands of a Ph.D. program was difficult.

For some students, the financial component may be hard to overlook, Warfield notes.

"Student debt is no joke, and students pursuing graduate work are likely only compounding undergraduate debt," she says. "They need to really consider the payoff potential of the time and money sacrifice."

To offset costs, some programs are fully funded, waiving tuition and fees and providing an annual stipend. Some offer health insurance and other benefits. Students can also earn money by teaching at the university or through fellowships, but those adding more to their plate should possess strong time management skills, experts say.

"Graduate school, and higher education in general, can be brutal on your physical and mental health," Miller wrote in an email.

But Miller says the time and effort invested in her doctoral program paid off by allowing her to conduct meaningful research into the best way to provide therapy to children affected by high-conflict divorce and domestic violence. She now owns a therapy practice in Chicago.

Miller urges prospective doctoral students to reflect on whether getting a doctorate is necessary for them to achieve their dream job. "Really know yourself. Know your purpose for pursuing it, because that's what's going to help carry you through."

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What Is a PhD?

A PhD is often the highest possible academic degree you can get in a subject. Learn more about whether earning a PhD could benefit your career.

A Doctor of Philosophy, often known as a PhD, is a terminal degree —or the highest possible academic degree you can earn in a subject. While PhD programs (or doctorate programs) are often structured to take between four and five years , some graduate students may take longer as they balance the responsibilities of coursework, original research, and other degree requirements with raising families or working full time. 

With a PhD, you may find opportunities to work as a university professor, a researcher in a commercial or government laboratory, a consultant, or a subject matter expert (SME). If you have the intellectual curiosity and dedication, earning a PhD can be a rewarding experience. In this article, we’ll go over what it takes to earn a PhD, the requirements to apply for a PhD program, and other factors worth considering.

Learn more: What Does ‘PhD’ Stand For?

PhD: Key facts

Generally, students begin their PhD after earning a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree . However, some doctoral programs may offer you the chance to earn your master’s while pursuing your PhD, so that may not be an admissions requirement.  

What can you get a PhD in?

It’s possible to earn your PhD in a number of academic disciplines, including the natural sciences , humanities , arts, and social sciences . The 2021 Survey of Earned Doctorates, from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, offers a numerical breakdown of actual degrees earned in broad academic fields [ 1 ]:

Engineering: 10,240

Biological and biomedical sciences: 8,149

Social sciences: 4,878

Physical sciences: 4,693

Psychology: 3,797

Computer and information sciences: 2,361

Health sciences: 2,331

Mathematics and statistics: 2,012

Agricultural sciences and natural resources: 1,334

Geosciences, atmospheric sciences, and ocean sciences: 1,064

Education: 4,252

Humanities and arts: 4,137

Business: 1,392

Other fields: 1,610

Depending on the university you attend, you may find that the broad academic fields above break down into more specific disciplines. For example, within a physical science department, you might get a PhD in physics or chemistry. Within an engineering department, you might get a PhD in electrical or mechanical engineering. Philosophy, theology, history, or English might fall within a humanities department, while economics or social work could fall within a social sciences department. Marketing could be a specific PhD major within a business department.

In terms of your PhD coursework and research, you will likely be expected to concentrate in some area of your larger subject. For example, PhDs in biology may focus on biochemistry or biostatistics, whereas a PhD in English may concentrate on twentieth-century American literature. 

Requirements to get a PhD

PhD programs typically require at least two years of advanced coursework, as well as comprehensive exams, and the successful completion of a dissertation. Let’s break that down on a year-by-year basis: 

Years 1 and 2: Take classes to develop advanced knowledge in your subject area. 

Year 3: Study for and successfully pass your comprehensive exams. 

Years 4 and 5: Research, write, and defend your dissertation. 

Once you have successfully passed your comprehensive exams, you’re typically considered “All But Dissertation” or ABD, which signals that you’ve finished everything in your doctoral program except your dissertation. 

Research supervisor 

PhD students often choose a faculty member who specializes in their area of interest to serve as the research supervisor. It can help to identify professors or programs that will support your research endeavors before applying, so you can establish a relationship with your potential research advisor early. 

The average cost of a PhD program in the US is $106,860, though that figure can differ based on the type of institution you attend and what you study [ 2 ].

Reasons to get a PhD

Earning your PhD can be an immensely rewarding experience, but the degree can be a big commitment, requiring significant time, money, and work. 

Here are some more reasons you may want to pursue a PhD:

Become a subject matter expert in a particular field.

Conduct the research you are passionate about.

Develop transferable skills that can help in your professional life. 

Make a difference in the world with new research.

Make connections with scholars in your academic community.

Open up career avenues in academic and research work.

Completing a PhD can reveal to employers that you possess a wide range of competencies that are valued in both academic and non-academic settings. 

PhD salaries

PhD holders earn a median weekly income of $1,909 compared to master’s degree holders, who earn a median weekly income of $1,574, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) [ 3 ]. They may also experience lower percentages of unemployment. The unemployment rate for PhD graduates is 1.5 percent compared to master’s degree holders at 2.6 percent [ 3 ].

Requirements to apply to a PhD program

PhD programs expect you to meet several requirements before enrolling. Here are some examples of common requirements:

Have an undergraduate degree, usually with at least a 3.0 overall GPA.

Have a master's degree, though some programs may not require it.

Take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and achieve a minimum score.

Submit a sample of your academic writing.

Submit your CV .

Provide letters of recommendation , which should ideally come from academic faculty members who can speak to your research or intellectual abilities.

Requirements differ by program and school, so take time to become familiar with the entry requirements of universities where you’re interested in applying. Admissions staff or departmental staff should be able to give you specific information about their admissions requirements.

If a program is interested in you, based on your application, you may have to complete an interview. The university representatives that interview you will look at your motivation, how prepared you are, and how suitable you are for acceptance into the doctoral degree program.

PhD vs. other terminal degrees

Terminal degrees are the highest degree available in a field of study. While the PhD is the highest academic degree you can earn in a field of study, a Juris Doctor (JD) is the highest degree you can earn in law, and a professional degree , such as a Doctor of Medicine (MD) or a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) , is the highest degree you can earn in these medical professions. 

Learn more: What is a Terminal Degree and Do You Need One?   

Professional doctorates are a different category of doctorate degree. They are usually intended for professionals already working in a field who want to pursue advanced training in their area. The main difference between a professional doctorate and an academic doctorate has to do with subject matter and research. While PhDs are interested in conducting new research, professional degree students take existing models and knowledge and apply them to solve problems. Professional doctorates are also designed to prepare learners for careers in a certain industry rather than academia.  

Examples of professional doctorates include:

DBA (Doctor of Business Administration)

DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice)

EdD (Doctor of Education)

DPH (Doctor of Public Health)

Is someone with a PhD a doctor?

You can use the salutation "Dr" to address people who hold doctorates, including PhDs and other professional degrees. The word "doctor" comes from the Latin word for "teacher," and PhDs are often professors at universities. While it has become more common to refer to medical doctors as “Dr,” some professors use the honorific when addressing students and in professional settings.

Explore career and education options with Coursera

Learning online can be a great way to explore a field you're interested in, discover career paths , and even decide whether a PhD is for you. Consider one of Coursera's Professional Certificates , available from Google, Meta, IBM, Salesforce, and other industry leaders, and gain job-ready skills that employers are looking for.

Ready to get a Master's degree ? Coursera partners with universities to offer online Master's degrees in a range of fields like data science, public health, and business.

Article sources

NCSES. " 2021 Survey of Earned Doctorates , https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf23300/report/field-of-doctorate." Accessed August 1, 2023.

Education Data Initiative. “Average Cost of a Doctorate Degree ,     https://educationdata.org/average-cost-of-a-doctorate-degree.” Accessed August 1, 2023.

US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Earnings and Unemployment rates by educational attainment, 2021 , https://www.bls.gov/emp/chart-unemployment-earnings-education.htm." Accessed August 1, 2023.

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Coursera’s editorial team is comprised of highly experienced professional editors, writers, and fact...

This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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How Long Does It Take To Earn a Doctoral Degree?

Written By: Usmaan Farooqui

Published: 1/31/2022

Key Insights:

• Doctorates take multiple years of graduate study to achieve, with most programs lasting an average of 7.5 years
• Students must meet several requirements to earn this degree, including completing advanced coursework, passing multiple exams, and successfully completing a practicum or dissertation project
• Times to completion vary based on many factors, including the chosen discipline, type of doctorate, specific program rules, and individual circumstances

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As the highest possible level of formal education, a doctorate trains students to become experts in their chosen field of study. Those interested in pursuing this terminal degree should note that it is a significant undertaking, with students having to meet multiple academic milestones as well as navigate many practical considerations along the way.

Given the rigorous, often challenging nature of higher education at the doctoral level, it is no surprise that it takes an average of 7.5 years to achieve this credential after starting graduate school. However, completion times vary on a case-by-case basis. Many factors can affect the length of a doctorate, including the nature of the discipline, individual program rules, and the type of doctoral degree a student is pursuing. The time it takes to earn a doctorate may also depend on a student's specific research topic, access to financial aid, and personal commitments. This article provides an overview of the steps to earning a doctorate as well as information on how different considerations, such as the program type and individual circumstances , may affect completion periods for individual students.

Given the rigorous, often challenging nature of higher education at the doctoral level, it is no surprise that it takes an average of 7.5 years to achieve this credential after starting graduate school.

Check out our ranked list of the best online doctorates .

Steps to Earning a Doctoral Degree

In general, a doctoral program consists of coursework, exams, and a final research project . Each of these requirements can take several semesters — or even years — to finish, which is why a doctorate can sometimes take twice as long as a bachelor's degree to achieve.

Students typically spend the first 2-3 years of graduate school taking advanced classes and training in multiple research methods. The precise number of credits varies, but most doctoral degree programs are 60-120 credit hours long. Once they gain a solid foundation in the theories and methods of their discipline, students take comprehensive exams in specific subfields to demonstrate their mastery of the subject matter. This process can take anywhere from a few days to a couple of semesters, depending on the student's chosen degree specialization and subject area. For instance, while qualifying exams in the physical and life sciences usually culminate in a written test after students meet coursework requirements, other disciplines — particularly in the humanities and social sciences — take longer because the exams often include researching and writing an academic paper.

After meeting these prerequisites, graduate students advance to degree candidacy, also known as the all-but-dissertation (ABD) phase. This is typically the most research-intensive part of a doctoral program, with candidates having to convene a committee of faculty and propose a suitable topic before researching, writing, and publicly defending an original, book-length capstone project that advances original knowledge in their field. Given that it involves multiple overlapping steps, a dissertation may take several more years to finish after achieving candidacy.

Applied Doctorates vs Research Doctorates

Not all doctoral degrees emphasize research, and those that don't may be achieved comparatively quicker than those that do. Applied doctorates — also known as professional doctorates — usually don't include a dissertation element . Instead, they require students to finish advanced classes and pass exams. Examples of such degrees include medical doctorates, juris doctorates, and business doctorates. Unlike a Doctor of Philosophy, these credentials are designed to be completed in 3-4 years of full-time study.

Completion Times Vary by Discipline

The length of time a student spends in graduate school can change depending on their field of study. According to the Survey of Earned Doctorates — a yearly report compiled by the National Science Foundation — the time frame of a doctoral degree in the U.S. varies considerably by discipline . For example, it takes an average of 7.9 years to earn a doctorate in psychology and the social sciences compared to 6.3 years in physical and earth sciences. By contrast, humanities and arts doctorates can take significantly longer, with students finishing their degree in approximately 9.6 years. Meanwhile, students pursuing a doctoral degree in education may take over a decade to complete their program.

On average, students can earn doctorates in science and engineering quicker due to a greater emphasis on research earlier in these programs. For example, students pursuing a Ph.D. in biology or physics may finish coursework relatively fast, spending the majority of their graduate career taking part in research assistantships with faculty and peers. As these factors likely lead to more research and networking opportunities sooner in a doctoral student's career, they can also result in more rapid degree attainment.

By contrast, those in disciplines such as history or English may spend more time taking courses, honing their research skills, and settling on a research topic. According to the Survey of Earned Doctorates mentioned above, humanities students pursuing their doctorate also rely more heavily on part-time work, such as teaching assistantships, for funding. In some cases, this may limit the time a student can spend on individual research and slow their progress.

Completion Times Vary Due to Program Requirements

Completion times may change depending on specific program rules at a given university. Ph.D. programs tend to reflect an academic department's methodological and theoretical focus. As a result, programs within the same discipline are likely to have additional requirements based on faculty members' strengths and research interests. For instance, Ph.D. programs in political science that emphasize research in other countries may require students to learn a foreign language and take oral exams in order to demonstrate their verbal proficiency, thus increasing the time it takes to earn a doctorate after enrollment.

Online doctorates, which are designed to be completed in 3-5 years, offer accelerated classes to help students achieve the necessary 60-120 credit hours in fewer semesters than traditional Ph.D. programs.

Several other program-specific factors can also extend the length of a doctoral degree. One such factor is on-campus residency. Defined as a set number of semesters during which Ph.D. students must conduct research on campus, the residency requirement varies between 1-3 years and can significantly affect a student's timeline to completion. Additionally, many departments expect enrollees to complete a certain amount of teaching hours while also meeting coursework and research goals, which can take extra semesters.

Though extra prerequisites can affect a doctoral degree's length, some programs are specifically designed to be completed on a shorter than average timeline. For example, competitive programs may impose strict deadlines for students to complete coursework, thus shortening the number of semesters it takes to reach ABD status. Similarly, online doctorates, which are designed to be completed in 3-5 years, offer accelerated classes to help students achieve the necessary 60-120 credit hours in fewer semesters than traditional Ph.D. programs. These programs typically eliminate residency requirements and employ an embedded dissertation model. So, rather than waiting for ABD status, students begin making progress toward their dissertation while still taking classes.

Situational Factors That Affect Program Length

In addition to discipline and program requirements, an individual's previous education, research goals, and personal situations may also greatly affect the number of years it takes to graduate from a doctoral program. Below are some examples of individual circumstances to consider that may extend the length of a doctorate program.

Students who have a master's degree from an accredited institution may transfer credits to shorten the length of their doctoral studies as long as they meet coursework requirements for their particular program.

Depending on their research topic, some doctoral candidates may have to conduct extended fieldwork trips — usually in a foreign country — to collect the necessary data. These trips can last several months, resulting in a dissertation that can take significantly longer to write and defend. In comparison, students who complete the majority of their research on-campus, either in labs or by using readily available data sources, are likely to finish in less time.

While most programs guarantee a set number of funded years in the form of teaching or research assistantships, departmental support can dry up completely after five or six years. In these circumstances, students may need to spend additional time identifying and applying for external sources of funding. Furthermore, external financial assistance is particularly crucial for Ph.D. candidates who need to conduct research abroad or pay for equipment and software that isn't available on campus. Failure to secure a grant or scholarship for an academic year can substantially increase the time it takes to complete a dissertation and graduate.

Students who pursue a part-time doctorate due to personal or professional commitments are likely to take much longer to obtain their degree. While accelerated and online programs can reduce the length of a program, a research doctorate typically requires a full-time commitment.

Conclusion: Earning a Doctorate is a Substantial Time Commitment

Achieving a doctoral degree can be a rewarding experience, as it may not only expand an individual's career opportunities but perhaps also increase their earning potential . While the time it takes to earn a doctorate can vary based on many factors, prospective students should expect to spend several years researching, writing, taking classes, and working toward their degree. Individuals interested in a doctoral degree should therefore carefully consider whether they are willing to spend an extended period of time in graduate school.

Unsure about pursuing a doctoral degree but still interested in attending graduate school? Check out our ranked list of the best online master's programs.

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