R1 universities ranked by research expenditures, FY2024
147 R1 institutions reported to the NSF HERD survey in FY2024, and together they spent $94.5 billion, 80.2% of the US total. Johns Hopkins University leads at $4.1 billion — #1 nationally, close to twice University of Pennsylvania's $2.2 billion. 141 spent more than in FY2023 and 6 spent less. The list runs down to University of Colorado Denver at $24.3 million; every name on it links to that institution's own page.
R1 is the 2021 Carnegie basic classification "Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity".
- Institutions
- 147
- FY2024 R&D
- $94.5 billion
- Share of the US total
- 80.2%
R1 universities ranked, FY2024
| In R1 | Institution | US rank | State | FY2024 R&D | Change on FY2023 | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johns Hopkins University | #1 | Maryland | $4.1B | +8.6% | held |
| 2 | University of Pennsylvania | #2 | Pennsylvania | $2.2B | +10.9% | up 1 |
| 3 | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor | #4 | Michigan | $2.1B | +9.6% | held |
| 4 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | #5 | Wisconsin | $1.9B | +11.6% | up 1 |
| 5 | University of California, Los Angeles | #6 | California | $1.9B | +10.1% | up 1 |
| 6 | University of California, San Diego | #7 | California | $1.9B | +10.3% | up 1 |
| 7 | University of Washington, Seattle | #8 | Washington | $1.7B | −2.5% | down 3 |
| 8 | Stanford University | #9 | California | $1.6B | +6.8% | up 1 |
| 9 | Cornell University | #10 | New York | $1.6B | +11.1% | up 3 |
| 10 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, The | #11 | North Carolina | $1.6B | +3.2% | down 2 |
| 11 | Ohio State University, The | #12 | Ohio | $1.6B | +9.1% | up 2 |
| 12 | Duke University | #13 | North Carolina | $1.6B | +4.8% | down 2 |
| 13 | University of Maryland | #14 | Maryland | $1.5B | +11.1% | up 4 |
| 14 | Georgia Institute of Technology | #15 | Georgia | $1.5B | +8.8% | up 1 |
| 15 | Yale University | #16 | Connecticut | $1.5B | +14.5% | up 4 |
| 16 | University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh | #17 | Pennsylvania | $1.5B | +7.6% | held |
| 17 | New York University | #18 | New York | $1.5B | +3.0% | down 6 |
| 18 | Harvard University | #19 | Massachusetts | $1.5B | +4.1% | down 4 |
| 19 | Columbia University in the City of New York | #20 | New York | $1.4B | +8.0% | down 1 |
| 20 | University of Minnesota, Twin Cities | #21 | Minnesota | $1.4B | +6.8% | held |
| 21 | Texas A&M University, College Station and Health Science Center | #22 | Texas | $1.4B | +9.1% | held |
| 22 | Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center | #24 | Tennessee | $1.3B | +6.0% | held |
| 23 | Pennsylvania State University, The, University Park and Hershey Medical Center | #25 | Pennsylvania | $1.3B | +8.0% | up 1 |
| 24 | University of Florida | #26 | Florida | $1.3B | +1.8% | down 1 |
| 25 | University of Southern California | #27 | California | $1.3B | +9.5% | up 1 |
| 26 | Northwestern University | #28 | Illinois | $1.3B | +12.9% | up 1 |
| 27 | Emory University | #29 | Georgia | $1.2B | +13.9% | up 1 |
| 28 | Washington University in St. Louis | #30 | Missouri | $1.2B | +6.4% | down 3 |
| 29 | University of Texas at Austin, The | #31 | Texas | $1.1B | +10.4% | up 1 |
| 30 | University of California, Berkeley | #32 | California | $1.1B | +4.6% | down 1 |
| 31 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | #33 | Massachusetts | $1.1B | +6.5% | held |
| 32 | University of Arizona, The | #35 | Arizona | $1.0B | +6.0% | up 1 |
| 33 | University of California, Davis | #36 | California | $1.0B | +4.5% | down 1 |
| 34 | Arizona State University | #37 | Arizona | $1.0B | +11.0% | held |
| 35 | Michigan State University | #38 | Michigan | $931.8M | +10.4% | up 3 |
| 36 | Purdue University, West Lafayette | #39 | Indiana | $931.5M | +10.3% | up 1 |
| 37 | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | #40 | Illinois | $906.8M | +10.4% | up 3 |
| 38 | Indiana University, Bloomington | #41 | Indiana | $897.0M | +5.1% | down 3 |
| 39 | University of Alabama at Birmingham, The | #44 | Alabama | $865.9M | +10.9% | up 1 |
| 40 | Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick | #45 | New Jersey | $836.8M | +0.6% | down 3 |
| 41 | University of Virginia, Charlottesville | #46 | Virginia | $813.8M | +13.9% | up 2 |
| 42 | University of Utah, The | #47 | Utah | $789.3M | +9.1% | held |
| 43 | Boston University | #48 | Massachusetts | $784.4M | +1.4% | down 2 |
| 44 | University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus | #49 | Colorado | $741.6M | +8.1% | up 1 |
| 45 | University of Cincinnati | #50 | Ohio | $739.9M | +5.9% | down 1 |
| 46 | University of Colorado Boulder | #51 | Colorado | $717.9M | +10.1% | up 1 |
| 47 | North Carolina State University | #52 | North Carolina | $717.0M | +13.2% | up 1 |
| 48 | University of Iowa | #53 | Iowa | $703.3M | +6.2% | down 2 |
| 49 | University of Chicago, The | #54 | Illinois | $680.8M | +8.3% | held |
| 50 | University of Nebraska, Lincoln and Medical Center | #55 | Nebraska | $657.5M | +6.5% | held |
| 51 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | #56 | Virginia | $656.9M | +9.8% | up 1 |
| 52 | University of California, Irvine | #57 | California | $644.9M | +5.8% | down 1 |
| 53 | Case Western Reserve University | #58 | Ohio | $642.5M | +16.0% | up 1 |
| 54 | University of Georgia | #59 | Georgia | $628.1M | +10.0% | down 1 |
| 55 | University of Miami | #61 | Florida | $559.0M | +9.6% | up 1 |
| 56 | Princeton University | #62 | New Jersey | $558.6M | +8.8% | down 1 |
| 57 | University of Kansas | #63 | Kansas | $546.1M | +17.1% | up 9 |
| 58 | State University of New York, University at Buffalo | #65 | New York | $541.9M | +14.9% | up 6 |
| 59 | University of Illinois Chicago | #66 | Illinois | $532.2M | +8.0% | up 1 |
| 60 | University of Kentucky | #67 | Kentucky | $527.7M | +4.7% | down 4 |
| 61 | Virginia Commonwealth University | #68 | Virginia | $524.3M | +12.5% | up 5 |
| 62 | University of South Florida | #69 | Florida | $521.9M | +13.1% | up 6 |
| 63 | University of Missouri, Columbia | #70 | Missouri | $508.6M | +10.0% | up 4 |
| 64 | Carnegie Mellon University | #71 | Pennsylvania | $505.3M | +4.2% | down 2 |
| 65 | University of Rochester | #73 | New York | $492.4M | +2.3% | down 3 |
| 66 | University of Oklahoma, The | #74 | Oklahoma | $474.0M | +8.5% | up 2 |
| 67 | State University of New York, University at Albany | #75 | New York | $471.6M | +232.9% | up 84 |
| 68 | Colorado State University, Fort Collins | #76 | Colorado | $466.4M | −6.4% | down 12 |
| 69 | University of Delaware | #77 | Delaware | $465.8M | +8.8% | held |
| 70 | Iowa State University | #78 | Iowa | $462.3M | +9.9% | held |
| 71 | Florida State University | #79 | Florida | $460.7M | +11.2% | held |
| 72 | Utah State University | #80 | Utah | $451.4M | +12.4% | held |
| 73 | California Institute of Technology | #81 | California | $445.2M | −9.3% | down 13 |
| 74 | University of Connecticut | #82 | Connecticut | $433.5M | +11.1% | down 1 |
| 75 | Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge | #83 | Louisiana | $431.4M | +12.3% | held |
| 76 | Dartmouth College and Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center | #85 | New Hampshire | $418.4M | +14.1% | up 1 |
| 77 | Washington State University | #86 | Washington | $403.4M | +6.5% | down 2 |
| 78 | Auburn University, Auburn | #87 | Alabama | $393.6M | +12.7% | up 3 |
| 79 | University of Tennessee, The, Knoxville | #89 | Tennessee | $386.9M | +14.2% | up 3 |
| 80 | George Washington University, The | #90 | District of Columbia | $381.6M | +5.9% | down 2 |
| 81 | Georgetown University | #91 | District of Columbia | $376.6M | +11.7% | up 3 |
| 82 | University of Hawaii at Manoa | #92 | Hawaii | $375.6M | +20.0% | up 10 |
| 83 | Brown University | #93 | Rhode Island | $374.5M | +5.9% | down 4 |
| 84 | Oregon State University | #94 | Oregon | $371.9M | +10.0% | down 1 |
| 85 | University of New Mexico, The | #97 | New Mexico | $354.9M | +12.3% | up 4 |
| 86 | Northeastern University | #99 | Massachusetts | $346.9M | +20.2% | up 8 |
| 87 | University of Notre Dame | #100 | Indiana | $345.8M | +4.2% | down 3 |
| 88 | Mississippi State University | #102 | Mississippi | $342.1M | +7.0% | down 2 |
| 89 | Clemson University | #103 | South Carolina | $338.5M | +18.2% | up 6 |
| 90 | Florida International University | #104 | Florida | $325.8M | +6.3% | held |
| 91 | State University of New York, Stony Brook University | #106 | New York | $319.3M | −1.6% | down 7 |
| 92 | Temple University | #107 | Pennsylvania | $315.0M | +7.9% | down 1 |
| 93 | University of California, Santa Barbara | #111 | California | $303.4M | −0.7% | down 6 |
| 94 | Wayne State University | #112 | Michigan | $291.7M | +16.3% | up 6 |
| 95 | University of Central Florida | #113 | Florida | $284.9M | +15.2% | up 7 |
| 96 | University of Massachusetts Amherst | #114 | Massachusetts | $281.7M | +4.9% | down 2 |
| 97 | George Mason University | #115 | Virginia | $281.7M | +11.7% | up 2 |
| 98 | Tufts University | #116 | Massachusetts | $278.3M | +12.5% | up 3 |
| 99 | Rice University | #117 | Texas | $277.7M | +8.8% | down 1 |
| 100 | University of South Carolina, Columbia | #118 | South Carolina | $277.3M | +5.8% | down 5 |
| 101 | Tulane University | #119 | Louisiana | $275.9M | +6.8% | down 5 |
| 102 | Kansas State University | #121 | Kansas | $265.0M | +21.5% | up 14 |
| 103 | West Virginia University | #122 | West Virginia | $259.1M | +5.2% | down 1 |
| 104 | Montana State University, Bozeman | #123 | Montana | $257.9M | +12.3% | up 4 |
| 105 | Texas Tech University | #124 | Texas | $256.9M | +7.0% | down 2 |
| 106 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | #125 | Louisiana | $254.9M | +12.8% | up 5 |
| 107 | Oklahoma State University, Stillwater | #126 | Oklahoma | $253.8M | +12.0% | up 3 |
| 108 | Georgia State University | #130 | Georgia | $241.1M | +1.5% | down 7 |
| 109 | University of Houston | #132 | Texas | $239.0M | +3.0% | down 6 |
| 110 | University of California, Riverside | #133 | California | $231.6M | +7.8% | up 3 |
| 111 | University of Arkansas, Fayetteville | #134 | Arkansas | $230.6M | +4.1% | down 2 |
| 112 | University of New Hampshire | #135 | New Hampshire | $230.2M | +2.9% | down 4 |
| 113 | University of Louisville | #137 | Kentucky | $225.0M | +2.0% | down 4 |
| 114 | University of Alabama, The, Tuscaloosa | #138 | Alabama | $221.2M | +19.7% | up 4 |
| 115 | University of California, Santa Cruz | #139 | California | $218.4M | +7.1% | down 1 |
| 116 | North Dakota State University | #140 | North Dakota | $199.9M | +5.0% | down 1 |
| 117 | University of Maine | #141 | Maine | $198.9M | +5.4% | down 1 |
| 118 | Syracuse University | #142 | New York | $198.8M | +8.1% | up 1 |
| 119 | University of Nevada, Reno | #144 | Nevada | $194.1M | +3.0% | down 3 |
| 120 | University of Mississippi | #145 | Mississippi | $189.9M | +10.3% | held |
| 121 | University of Texas at Dallas, The | #146 | Texas | $181.8M | +23.9% | up 8 |
| 122 | University of Oregon | #148 | Oregon | $174.8M | +6.3% | down 1 |
| 123 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | #149 | New Jersey | $171.7M | +6.6% | held |
| 124 | University of Texas at San Antonio, The | #150 | Texas | $171.5M | +8.3% | held |
| 125 | Drexel University | #151 | Pennsylvania | $170.2M | +0.4% | down 5 |
| 126 | State University of New York, Binghamton University | #155 | New York | $160.6M | +13.4% | up 3 |
| 127 | University of Texas at El Paso, The | #157 | Texas | $157.6M | +8.1% | down 2 |
| 128 | University of Alabama in Huntsville, The | #158 | Alabama | $154.5M | −5.5% | down 10 |
| 129 | University of Texas at Arlington, The | #159 | Texas | $153.8M | +4.4% | down 6 |
| 130 | University of Maryland, Baltimore County | #160 | Maryland | $150.9M | +4.6% | down 4 |
| 131 | University of Montana, The, Missoula | #161 | Montana | $143.8M | +7.4% | up 3 |
| 132 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | #164 | New York | $140.2M | +15.2% | up 4 |
| 133 | Baylor University | #167 | Texas | $134.9M | +64.3% | up 20 |
| 134 | University of North Texas, Denton | #170 | Texas | $124.2M | +16.5% | up 2 |
| 135 | University of Nevada, Las Vegas | #172 | Nevada | $118.0M | +19.5% | up 6 |
| 136 | Colorado School of Mines | #174 | Colorado | $109.9M | +5.4% | down 1 |
| 137 | University of Memphis, The | #175 | Tennessee | $108.9M | +8.8% | up 2 |
| 138 | Brandeis University | #176 | Massachusetts | $107.1M | +3.3% | down 1 |
| 139 | Boston College | #179 | Massachusetts | $96.3M | +18.3% | up 10 |
| 140 | University of Southern Mississippi, The | #184 | Mississippi | $93.7M | +24.9% | up 11 |
| 141 | City University of New York, The, Graduate Center, The | #193 | New York | $80.8M | +49.4% | up 29 |
| 142 | Old Dominion University | #202 | Virginia | $76.2M | +6.8% | down 4 |
| 143 | Ohio University | #214 | Ohio | $67.4M | +12.6% | held |
| 144 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | #215 | Wisconsin | $66.3M | +9.2% | down 4 |
| 145 | Kent State University | #223 | Ohio | $61.4M | +4.2% | down 7 |
| 146 | University of Denver | #229 | Colorado | $55.6M | +4.0% | down 6 |
| 147 | University of Colorado Denver | #295 | Colorado | $24.3M | +7.9% | down 2 |
| All 147 | $94.5B | |||||
Rank is a competition rank: two institutions that spent the same share a rank and the next one is skipped. Figures are NSF's own, as revised in the FY2024 release, and are shown to one decimal. How these numbers are built.
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Overall
Data: NSF HERD FY2024, built from NSF's published tables on September 8, 2026. Page updated September 13, 2026.
Data: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, National Science Foundation, Higher Education Research and Development Survey, FY2024.
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