Global R&D

This report illustrates that the U.S. spent nearly a trillion dollars on Research & Development (R&D) in 2024, with 77% performed by the business sector, 11% performed by higher education, 3% performed by nonprofit research organizations, and 8% performed by the federal government. Of all of this, approximately 15% is for basic research. At universities and nonprofit research organizations, which perform most of the nation’s basic research, the federal government is the largest funder, followed by university institutional funds and philanthropic and nonprofit support. How does the U.S. investment in R&D overall and across sectors compare to countries around the world? Here, we use data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to explore global trends, with a focus on the higher education and nonprofit sectors and on basic research. For more information and analysis, see the AAAS R&D Budget and Policy Program Report: U.S. R&D and Innovation in Global Context: The 2026 Data Update (AAAS).

Newly released in July 2026 with the latest available OECD data.