Analysis | Working Paper

Developing Public Use Longitudinal Synthetic Microdata with Applications to the Survey of Doctorate Recipients

This working paper outlines the research conducted to develop public use synthetic microdata for the longitudinal sample of the Survey of Doctorate Recipients (LSDR) and summarizes the findings that led to the construction of the synthetic data file. Synthetic microdata were generated by using a ...

• January 12, 2026
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/ncses25221

Data Tables | Data Tables (Package)

Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey 2024

This publication releases data tables for the FY 2024 Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey. The tables present data on research and development expenditures at higher education institutions across all academic disciplines and include R&D expenditures by institution, R&D field, ...

• December 23, 2025
• surveys/higher-education-research-development/2024

Survey

Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey 2024

• December 23, 2025
• surveys/higher-education-research-development/2024

Analysis | InfoBrief

State Government Agencies’ Expenditures for R&D Increase 11% from FY 2023 to FY 2024

State government agencies’ expenditures for research and development (R&D) rose nearly 11% in FY 2024 from the prior year to $3.3 billion. Although state government expenditures for R&D are relatively small within the national portfolio of R&D performance, state agencies in FY 2024 performed $812...

• December 11, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf26303

Data Tables | Data Tables (Package)

Survey of State Government Research and Development 2024

The tables in this report present FY 2024 and time series data for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Data are available on total R&D expenditures; intramural and extramural performers; source of funds; and R&D by governmental function by state and department or agency, emp...

• December 11, 2025
• surveys/state-government-research-development/2024

Survey

Survey of State Government Research and Development 2024

• December 11, 2025
• surveys/state-government-research-development/2024

Data Tables | Data Tables (Package)

Federal Facilities Research and Development (FFRD) Survey 2024

These data tables are from the FY 2024 Federal Facilities Research and Development (FFRD) Survey. These tables present data on research and experimental development (R&D) expenditures for all federally owned and operated facilities in the United States. This new survey is the unique source of fed...

• December 09, 2025
• surveys/federal-facilities-research-development/2024

Survey

Federal Facilities Research and Development (FFRD) Survey 2024

• December 09, 2025
• surveys/federal-facilities-research-development/2024

Analysis | InfoBrief

R&D Performance within Federal Facilities Totaled $49.1 Billion in FY 2024

In FY 2024, $49.1 billion of research and experimental development (R&D) was performed within federally owned and operated facilities. Data presented in this InfoBrief are from the Federal Facilities Research and Development Survey sponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering Stat...

• December 09, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf26300

Survey

Business Enterprise Research and Development (BERD) Survey 2023

• September 29, 2025
• surveys/business-enterprise-research-development/2023

Data Tables | Data Tables (Package)

Business Enterprise Research and Development (BERD) Survey 2023

The tables in this report present data from the Business Enterprise Research and Development (BERD) Survey. The BERD Survey is the primary source of information on domestic and global research and development (R&D) expenditures and the R&D workforce for companies with 10 or more employees operati...

• September 29, 2025
• surveys/business-enterprise-research-development/2023

Analysis | InfoBrief

Business R&D Performance in the United States Increases to $722 Billion in 2023

Businesses continued to increase their research and development (R&D) performance in 2023, spending $722 billion on R&D in the United States, a 4.4% increase from 2022. Funding from the companies’ own sources accounted for $635 billion of this spending in 2023, a 4.5% increase from 2022. Funding ...

• September 29, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf25353

Data Tables | Data Tables (Package)

Nonprofit Research Activities (NPRA) Survey 2023

These tables present the results of the Nonprofit Research Activities FY 2023 module of the 2024 Annual Business Survey, funded by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the U.S. National Science Foundation. It is the fourth collection of nonprofit R&D data by the Annua...

• September 24, 2025
• surveys/nonprofit-research-activities/2023

Survey

Nonprofit Research Activities (NPRA) Survey 2023

• September 24, 2025
• surveys/nonprofit-research-activities/2023

Analysis | InfoBrief

U.S. Nonprofits Spent $31 Billion on R&D Activities in FY 2023

U.S. nonprofit organizations spent an estimated $30.8 billion on research and experimental development (R&D) performed within their organizations in FY 2023, an increase of 10% in current dollars from FY 2022. The largest funding source for nonprofit R&D in FY 2023 was the federal government, con...

• September 24, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf25355

Analysis | InfoBrief

The College-Graduate Workforce in the Transition to a Post-Pandemic Labor Market: Trends in Employment, Professional Engagement, and Work Arrangements

The number of college graduates living in the United States reached 71.7 million in 2023, of which approximately 70.9 million had ever held a job. The number of employed college graduates increased by 4.3 million (8.3%) between 2021 and 2023, and the number of college graduates not working decrea...

• September 23, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf25331

Analysis | InfoBytes

Federal Funding for Research Increased from 2010 to 2022, yet the Federal Government’s Share of Total Research Funding Declined

Latest visualizations from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics using data from the National Patterns of R&D Resources (annual series) on federally funded research and development.

• September 16, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf25337

Analysis | InfoBrief

New Pilot Data on the Prevalence of Work-Related Credentials among STEM Workers from the National Training, Education, and Workforce Survey

In 2022, there were 36 million individuals working in a STEM occupation; 51% had a sub-baccalaureate credential as their highest level of education attainment and 49% had a bachelor’s degree or higher. Additionally, 22 million STEM workers (15% of all workers) held a non-degree work credential. T...

• September 10, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf25352

Data Tables | Data Tables (Package)

Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) 2024

These tables release data from the 2024 Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED), an annual census of research doctorate recipients from U.S. universities. The tables include long-term trend data on doctorate recipients by field; educational pathways to the doctorate and sources of financial support; po...

• August 28, 2025
• surveys/earned-doctorates/2024

Survey

Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) 2024

• August 28, 2025
• surveys/earned-doctorates/2024

Survey

FFRDC Research and Development Survey 2024

• August 26, 2025
• surveys/ffrdc-research-development/2024

Data Tables | Data Tables (Package)

FFRDC Research and Development Survey 2024

These data tables provide data on research and development (R&D) expenditures for federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs). Expenditures data are displayed for individually named FFRDCs, by source of funding and type of R&D. Data are from the FY 2024 FFRDC Research and Developme...

• August 26, 2025
• surveys/ffrdc-research-development/2024

Analysis | InfoBrief

R&D Spending at Federally Funded R&D Centers Surpassed $31 Billion in FY 2024

Federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) in the United States enable federal agencies to meet their research and development (R&D) needs through government-owned, contractor-operated research centers. These centers provide capabilities that cannot be met as effectively through o...

• August 26, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf25351

Analysis | InfoBrief

Open-Access Publishing in a Global Context

The number and share of Open-access (OA) articles has grown since 2003 from an infrequent type of peer-reviewed publication to almost half of global publications in 2022. OA publications are peer-reviewed research articles that are accessible to any reader without a journal subscription or paymen...

• August 06, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf25347

Analysis | Reports

Discovery: R&D Activity and Research Publications

The funding and performance of research and experimental development (R&D) activities and the publication of peer-reviewed research, an output of R&D activity, serve as important indicators of the competitiveness of U.S. science and engineering in a global context. According to internationally co...

• July 23, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsb20257

Analysis | InfoBrief

Impact of the 2024 GSS Institutional Eligibility Review on Counts of GSS Master’s Students

In preparation for the 2024 Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering (GSS), a comprehensive eligibility review was conducted of institutions in the 2023 GSS with six or fewer organizational units. The eligibility review was focused on identifying whether instituti...

• July 16, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf25346

Analysis | InfoBrief

Relationship Between Product Innovation and Business Owner Demographics Varies by Industry

Of the 4.9 million for-profit U.S. businesses with at least one employee, 9.0% introduced a product innovation during 2018–20. Rates vary by demographic characteristics of business owners, such as sex, minority status, and place of birth. These differences may be explained in part by varying rate...

• July 15, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf25343

Analysis | InfoBrief

Relationships Between Business Owner Age, Education, and Experience and Product Innovation

U.S. businesses with younger owners reported product innovation at higher rates than did businesses with older owners in 2020. The estimated share of businesses that introduced a product innovation during 2018–20 was 15.0% for businesses majority-owned by persons under 25 years of age, compared w...

• July 15, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf25342

Analysis | InfoChart

Since the 1950s, Over Half of R&D Expenditures at U.S. Colleges and Universities Have Been Funded by the Federal Government

Since the 1950s, over half of R&D expenditures at U.S. colleges and universities have been funded by the federal government, with the share of institution funding increasing to a fourth of the total in recent years. Data are from the Higher Education Research and Development Survey, conducted by ...

• July 10, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf25345

Analysis | InfoChart

U.S. R&D-to-GDP Ratio Reached 3.43% in 2022, Driven by Experimental Development

The ratio of U.S. research and development (R&D) to gross domestic product (GDP) reached 3.43% in 2022. An increase in the R&D-to-GDP ratio from 2010 to 2022 can primarily be attributed to experimental development, which comprised 67% of total U.S. R&D in 2022. Basic research comprised 15% of tot...

• July 08, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf25335

Analysis | InfoBrief

Geographic Distribution of Business R&D Performance in 2021

From 2001 to 2021, expenditures for research and development (R&D) performed by for-profit businesses in the United States doubled. Over half of the growth in U.S. business R&D over this period can be attributed to 2 states: California and Washington. In 2001, the 10 largest states in terms of bu...

• July 01, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf25340

Analysis | InfoChart

Since the 1950s, Federal R&D Funding Has Shifted from Development to Research

Between FY 1956 and FY 2024, the share of federal obligations for research, including both basic and applied research, increased from 26% to 49% of the federal government’s total of research and development (R&D) and R&D plant, whereas the share for development decreased from 65% to 48%. During t...

• June 18, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf25344

Analysis | InfoBrief

In FY 2023, Federal Science and Engineering Support for Higher Education Totaled $49 Billion; Federal R&D to Nonprofits Totaled $12 Billion

In FY 2023, federal agency obligations to universities and colleges for science and engineering (S&E) activities increased 9.7% from FY 2022 to a historical high of nearly $49 billion. S&E activities include research and experimental development (R&D); R&D plant; facilities and equipment for inst...

• June 02, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf25341

Survey

Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions 2023

• June 02, 2025
• surveys/federal-support-survey/2023

Data Tables | Data Tables (Package)

Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions 2023

These tables present the results of the FY 2023 Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions (now the Federal Science and Engineering Support module within the Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development). Data include science an...

• June 02, 2025
• surveys/federal-support-survey/2023

Analysis | InfoChart

Business Sector Funded Half of U.S. Research Performance in 2022

In 2022, U.S. research expenditures reached $247 billion (using constant 2017 dollars). The business sector continued to be the main driver of U.S. research expenditure funding, increasing from $65 billion (38% of total) in 2010 to $123 billion (50% of total) in 2022. Federal government research ...

• May 29, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf25333

Analysis | InfoBytes

Nearly Half of 2023 U.S. Doctorate Recipients with Temporary Visas Were from China or India

Latest visualizations from the 2023 Survey of Earned Doctorates on the topic of temporary visa holders earning U.S. doctorates.

• May 07, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf25336

Analysis | InfoChart

New Data on Federal Funding for R&D to Individual U.S. Territories Available for the First Time for FY 2023

The latest results from the Survey of Federal Funds for R&D show, for the first time, federal agency obligations to each of the individual U.S. territories. Data are from the Survey of Federal Funds for R&D, conducted by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the U.S. N...

• May 06, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf25338

Reference

Definitions of Research and Development: An Annotated Compilation of Official Sources

This document provides definitions of research and development (R&D) from U.S. and international sources and by performing sector. By providing this resource, the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the U.S. National Science Foundation aims to facilitate a better underst...

• April 28, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/ncses25215

Analysis | InfoChart

Long-Term Trends Show Decline in Federally Funded R&D as a Share of GDP while Business-Funded R&D Share Increases

The ratio of U.S. research and development (R&D) to gross domestic product (GDP) reached 3.43% in 2022. The U.S. business-funded R&D-to-GDP ratio climbed to 2.59% in 2022, with business funding 75% of domestic R&D, compared to 31% in 1964. Federally funded R&D was 0.63% of GDP and 18% of domestic...

• April 24, 2025
• ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf25334