A new study by Duke University (ranked fifth according to the US News and World Report's 'America's Best Colleges: 2006' list), dispels the notion about India and China being ahead of the US in terms of engineering graduates. The report says that for every one million citizens, the US is producing roughly 750 technology specialists, compared with 500 in China and 200 in India.

The report, Framing the Engineering Outsourcing Debate: Placing the United States on a Level Playing Field with China and India by Dr. GaryGereffi and Vivek Wadhwa, says that poorly cited engineering graduate data has been used to fuel fears that the US losing its technological edge. Typical articles have stated that in 2004 while roughly 70,000 engineers graduated in the US, 600,000 graduated in China and 350,000 in India.

The study points out that:

• The statistics for India and China have included not only four-year degrees, but also three-year degrees and diploma holders. These numbers have been compared against the annual production of accredited four-year engineering degrees in the United States. Additionally, these numbers include not only engineers in traditional engineering disciplines, but information technology specialists and technicians, as well.
  
  The study shows that when compared on a level playing field – the annual production of bachelor's and sub baccalaureate degrees in engineering, computer science and information technology awarded per million citizens, the US is producing roughly 750 technology specialists, compared with 500 in China and 200 in India.
  
  
• The great majority of engineers involved in outsourced professions hold a minimum of a four-year degree. Only half of China's and India's annual engineering and IT graduates are capable of competing in the global outsourcing environment.
  
  
• The reported number of engineers produced by China in 2004 may very well include the equivalent of motor mechanics and industrial technicians. Thus the figure of 644,106 for Chinese engineers may not be comparable to those in the US and India.
  
  
• The jobs of transactional engineers are easily outsourced and are routinely being taken by relatively low paid engineers in countries like India and China. However, high-level engineering and IT jobs require specialised dynamic engineers: individuals with strong interpersonal skills, technical knowledge and the ability to communicate across borders. These are still dominated by engineers from the US.

(Framing the Engineering Outsourcing Debate: Placing the United States on a Level Playing Field with China and India)