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 and engineering support by type of activity, as well as rankings by state, agency, and individual institution. This survey is the only source of comprehensive data on federal science and engineering funding to individual academic and nonprofit institutions

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 instruction in S&E; S&E fellowships, traineeships, and training grants; and other general support for S&E. Estimates are from the FY 2023 Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support module within the Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development, conducted by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the U.S. National Science Foundation.

Federal government funding for science and engineering support to higher education goes to a select few institutions. For example, in FY 2022, out of nearly 1,100 institutions subject to federal obligations, 100 accounted for 80% of all federal S&E support. This InfoBrief will provide data users with information on the federal government’s science and engineering support to various types of minority-serving institutions. Estimates are from the FY 2022 Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions, conducted by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the U.S. National Science Foundation.

In FY 2022, federal agency obligations to universities and colleges for science and engineering (S&E) activities increased 3% from FY 2021 to a historical high of nearly $45 billion. S&E activities include research and development (R&D); R&D plant; facilities and equipment for instruction in S&E; fellowships, traineeships, and training grants; and other general support for S&E. Estimates are from the FY 2022 Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support module within the Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development, conducted by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the U.S. National Science Foundation.

These tables present FY 2022 data on federal direct support of higher education and nonprofit institutions' research and development. Data include science and engineering support by type of activity, as well as ranking by state, agency, and individual institution. Data are from the Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the U.S. National Science Foundation. This survey is the only source of comprehensive data on federal science and engineering funding to individual academic and nonprofit institutions.

In FY 2021, federal agency obligations to universities and colleges for science and engineering (S&E) activities increased to a historical high of nearly $43 billion, up 10.5% from FY 2020. S&E activities include research and development (R&D); R&D plant; facilities and equipment for instruction in S&E; fellowships, traineeships, and training grants; and other general support for S&E. Estimates are from the FY 2021 Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions, conducted by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the National Science Foundation.

The Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions is a congressionally mandated census completed by federal agencies that obligated money in the survey year for direct support of higher education and nonprofit institutions' research and development. The Federal S&E Support Survey is the only source of comprehensive data on federal science and engineering funding to individual academic and nonprofit institutions. As of the FY 2021 data collection, the survey was incorporated as the Federal Science and Engineering Support module within the Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development.

Latest visualization from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics using data from the Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions on federal obligations for R&D and R&D plant to nonprofit organizations by selected agencies for FY 2020.

In FY 2020, across higher education institutions, the ratio of federal obligations for research & development (R&D) and fellowship, training, and traineeship grants (FTTGs) per full-time equivalent enrolled student was $5,5000 per student for R&D and $200 per student for FTTGs. For universities with very high research activity (Carnegie Classification R1), the ratios nearly doubled. Compared to R1 schools, all other institution types had lower R&D obligations per student. But for FTTG obligations, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) equaled the ratio of R1 schools, and tribal colleges and universities exceeded it.

In FY 2020, federal agency obligations to universities and colleges for science and engineering (S&E) activities increased to a historical high of $39.1 billion in current dollars, up 3% from FY 2019. Federal obligations to higher education institutions from pandemic-related stimulus funds totaled $1.4 billion during the same period. Estimates are from the FY 2020 Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions, conducted by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the National Science Foundation.