A brief summary of data gathered from the Survey of Earned Doctorates during the academic year 1976-1977 is presented in this, the eleventh in a series of yearly summaries of data, a series that began in 1967. Data was obtained from questionnaires filled out by the graduates as they completed all requirements for their doctoral degrees, and refers to doctorates earned during the period July 1, 1976 to June 30, 1977, exclusive of professional degrees such as the M.D., D.D.S. and D.V.M. Statistics show that the 31,672 doctorates awarded by U.S. universities in 1977 was a 3.8 percent decrease from the 1976 figure of 32,936. In an analysis of 10 selected fields, graduate programs in mathematics, physics, chemistry, electrical engineering, zoology, and German rated as distinguished in earlier studies showed smaller percentage decrease in numbers of Ph.D.'s than programs with lower ratings. This was not true in mechanical engineering, entomology, geography and the classics. The number of doctorates awarded to men decreased by 5.6 percent from 25,253 in 1976 to 23,827 in 1977 while the number of doctorates awarded to women increased by 2.1 percent from 7,683 in 1976 to 7,845. It is also shown that the proportion of Ph.D.'s still seeking postdoctoral study at time of Ph.D. increased from 4.4 percent in 1976 to 4.8 percent in 1977 and the proportion of Ph.D.'s still seeking employment at time of Ph.D. in 1977 was 21.3 percent, unchanged from 1976. (SPG)