In 2021, 16.1% of companies reported pursuing design as a structured, creative process, which is similar to the minority of companies that reported product innovation between 2019 and 2021 (9.4%). This InfoBrief presents data from the 2022 Annual Business Survey (ABS) (data year 2021) on the design approaches used by U.S. businesses. The ABS is cosponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the U.S. National Science Foundation and by the Census Bureau. It collects data related to innovation, intellectual property, technology, and business owner characteristics from both microbusinesses and companies with 10 or more employees.

This set of data tables presents data on the research and development (R&D) outlays and obligations of federal agencies. Outlays are provided by agency for total R&D and total R&D plant. Obligations are provided for R&D by agency for type of work (basic research, applied research, and experimental development), field of R&D (for basic research, applied research, and experimental development), type of performer, and geographic area. Obligations are provided for R&D plant by agency for type of performer and geographic area. These data, collected by the Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the U.S. National Science Foundation, are the primary source of information about federal funding for R&D in the United States.

Federal obligations for research and experimental development decreased 2.1% in FY 2023. However, federal agency obligations for FY 2024 indicate federal funding for R&D is estimated to increase by 5.0%. These data are from the latest edition of the Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development, sponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the U.S. National Science Foundation.

This report provides current data on the levels of and key trends in the performance and funding of research and development (R&D) in the United States, with comparisons to the historical record (back to 1953). Detailed statistical tables present data on U.S. R&D expenditures by performing sector, source of funds, type of R&D, and state. Data are drawn from multiple surveys from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the U.S. National Science Foundation.

New data from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the U.S. National Science Foundation indicate that research and experimental development (R&D) performed in the United States totaled $892 billion in 2022. The estimated total for 2023, based on performer-reported expectations, is $940 billion. The ratio of U.S. R&D to GDP was 3.43% in 2022, exceeding the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average of 2.73%.

Roughly three-quarters of the science and engineering (S&E) doctorate recipients on temporary visas who received their degrees from U.S. higher education institutions from 2017 to 2019 remained in the United States approximately 5 years after graduation. China and India were by far the most common countries of origin during this time. The short-term stay rates for S&E doctorate recipients from China (83%) and India (86%) were among the highest and were significantly higher than the average across all countries of origin (73%). Data are from the Survey of Earned Doctorates and the Survey of Doctorate recipients, both conducted by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the U.S. National Science Foundation.

State government agencies across the 50 states and the District of Columbia employed nearly 10,000 people in FY 2023 for intramural research and development (R&D). Intramural state agency personnel in New York, Florida, Washington, and California state government agencies combined accounted for more than half (55%) of all state agencies’ intramural R&D personnel. Data are from the Survey of State Government R&D, conducted by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the U.S. National Science Foundation.

This InfoBrief presents findings from the Survey of Doctorate Recipients (SDR), which is conducted by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the U.S. National Science Foundation and cosponsored by the National Institutes of Health. The latest wave of the SDR was conducted in 2023 and included new questions related to retirement and volunteering, providing an opportunity to understand U.S.-trained doctorate holders in science, engineering, and health fields, including their ongoing contribution to the workforce postretirement and the capacity to return to work for those who have fully retired.

Tables from the 2023 Survey of Doctorate Recipients (SDR) present data on the demographic characteristics, labor force status, occupations, employment sector, and median annual salaries of individuals with a U.S. research doctoral degree in a science, engineering, or health (SEH) field. The 2023 cycle of the SDR also asked respondents ages 55 to 75 questions about retirement and volunteering and about physical health and capacity to work either full or part time for those who were not working. The SDR is sponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the U.S. National Science Foundation and by the National Institutes of Health.

Between 2022 and 2023, the enrollment of graduate students in science, engineering, and health (SEH) fields continued its multiyear increase. The combined total of full-time and part-time students in master’s and doctoral degree SEH programs increased by 2.4%, from 798,534 in 2022 to 818,095 in 2023. The numbers of overall postdoctoral appointees rose 4.9% between 2022 and 2023, from 62,750 to 65,850. These and other findings in this report are from the 2023 Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering, conducted by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the U.S. National Science Foundation and by the National Institutes of Health.