Demographics of Inventors
Above all, inventions and inventors highly link to literacy and math competency. Since the 1800s, the United States has the world’s highest literacy rate. Math competency is even more important than literacy in regard to inventions and technology. Interestingly, the Equality of Opportunity Project led by Raj Chetty (Stanford University), Alex Bell (Harvard University),Xavier Jaravel (London School of Economics), Neviana Petkova (US Treasury), and John Van Reenen (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) produced data on inventor demographics. When analyzed, income tax records from 1 million USA inventors explain the demographics of inventors.
Inventor Demographics
Growing up in cities is far more linked to inventions than a rural upbringing. Children born to the top 1% of income parents are 10x more likely to become an inventor than one born to a below average income family. Males are 3x more likely to become inventors than females. Asians are 2x more likely than whites to become inventors and 4x more likely than blacks or latinos. Whites are 2x more likely than blacks or latinos to become inventors (Vox, Matthew Yglesias, 2017).
The typical inventor is Asian or white, Protestant, male, middle aged, rich, math skilled, educated, mobile, and urban.
While exposure to appropriate inventor role models contributes highly to invention development, being raised in a technology rich urban environment is important as well.
Also, according to the Demographics of Innovation in the United States by Adams Nager, David Hart, Stephen Ezell and Robert Atkinson in February, 2016:
1) 35% of US innovators were born outside of the USA
and 17% were not even US citizens. Half of foreign born innovators came from Asia, one third came from Europe. Less than 10% came from Latin America and Africa combined. First generation immigrants comprise 35% of innovators but only 13% of US population.
2) women were 12% of the innovators in the USA
and 7% in Europe. 3) minorities, including Asian Americans, represented 8% of US born innovators.
3) The median age of an innovator was 47
at the time of the innovation.
4) 80% of innovators hold at least one advanced degree,
46% of US innovators had a Ph.D. Of the immigrant innovators, 2/3 held doctorates in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, mathematics). Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) was the most common institution educating innovators.
5) 60% of private sector innovations originate from large companies
with over 500 employees whereas only 16% of innovations originate from businesses with fewer than 25 employees.
6) Innovators tend to live in different states than which they were born.
The high percentage of immigrants and state switching innovators suggests a significantly greater mobility in innovators.
The American Patent Act of 1790 opened the door for anyone, male or female, to receive a US Patent. Mary Kies in 1809 became the first American woman to receive a patent for a weaving technique of silk and straw. Thomas L. Jennings was the first African American to receive a US Patent in 1821 for a method of dry cleaning clothes.
The university system in the United States ranks #1 top in the world. University cities are centers of technology. Major technology universities link to regional centers of technology: Stanford University and Silicon Valley, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Northeast USA. Lower business tax rates and stronger intellectual property protections contribute to the United States being the world leader in inventions and technology development.
According to Entrepreneur.com and Stephen Key, 2015
Summary of Inventor Demographics
- Math skilled> verbal skilled > unskilled
- Males 3:1 versus females (82% male)
- Asians 4:1, Whites 2:1 versus blacks and Hispanics, in USA 4 whites:1 black/Hispanic
- Protestant>Catholic>Muslim
- Rich>middle class>poor (top 1% income by birth 10: 1 below median income)
- Highly educated>partial education>illiterate
- Urban>rural
- Greater mobility -1/3 immigrants with US innovators, high percentage switch states of residence in US
- Median age of 47 at time of innovation
- Employed in large company
Does religion hinder creativity? A national level study on the roles of religiosity and different denominations. Frontiers in Psychology, 2018, 9: 1912.
