Post cites 10,109 doctoral experts leaving federal jobs

Michael Dunlap posted on X on May 16 that “10,109 doctoral experts” left federal jobs last year, using the figure to argue the government was losing scientific talent. The post also invoked Isaac Newton, Nikola Tesla and Michael Faraday in arguing that religious belief and scientific work are not incompatible, before pivoting to the federal workforce number. The statistic itself traces to a January 2026 analysis by *Science* magazine, not to a government press release or a new federal study. The underlying data came from workforce records posted by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, according to *Science*. ### Where did the 10,109 figure come from? *Science* reported on January 29, 2026, that 10,109 doctoral-trained experts in science and related fields left federal jobs in 2025. The magazine said it analyzed employment data posted by the White House Office of Personnel Management and focused on employees with Ph.D.s in science, technology, engineering, math or health fields. (science.org) The same analysis said those departures took place from January 1 through November 30, 2025. That date range matters because the number does not appear to represent a full calendar year through December 31. ### What does the 14% claim refer to? *Science* said the 10,109 departures represented 14% of the total number of Ph.D.s in STEM or health fields employed by the federal government at the end of 2024. (science.org) In the same passage, the magazine said the departing experts accounted for 3% of the 335,192 federal workers who exited government jobs last year. (aacrjournals.org) The article framed the number as an unusually large loss among a specialized slice of the workforce rather than the entire federal payroll. *Science* compared the 2025 figure with 4,576 STEM and health Ph.D. departures over the same January-through-November period in 2024. ### Which agencies were hit most heavily? (science.org) The National Institutes of Health recorded more than 1,100 departures, compared with 421 in 2024, according to the *Science* analysis. The magazine said every one of the 14 research agencies it examined lost far more STEM Ph.D.s in 2025 than in 2024. The same analysis said departures exceeded new hires by 11 to one across those 14 agencies, producing a net loss of 4,224 STEM Ph.D.s. (aacrjournals.org) It highlighted scientist-heavy agencies including the National Science Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. ### Was this a governmentwide count of all Ph.D. holders? (science.org) The *Science* article described the total as federal employees in science and health positions with Ph.D.s in STEM fields. That means the figure was narrower than all federal workers with doctorates, and narrower than all scientists in government regardless of degree. (science.org) OPM maintains the workforce data system used for federal employment counts, while agencies also publish separate information on pay scales and scientific positions. OPM says Scientific and Professional positions are high-level research and development jobs above GS-15 in physical, biological, medical or engineering sciences, but the 10,109 figure in *Science* was based on a broader analysis of science and health roles across agencies, not just that pay category. (aacrjournals.org) ### What can be verified about the X post itself? An X post at the URL provided was cited as appearing on May 16 and repeating the 10,109 figure. Reuters could not independently retrieve readable text from the X page through web access in this session, but the number and its wording match the January 2026 *Science* analysis closely. The next place to check the claim is the original *Science* article and the OPM workforce data it cited. *Science* published the analysis on January 29, 2026, and OPM’s FedScope system remains the federal source for workforce records. (opm.gov) (science.org) (x.com)