R2 universities ranked by research expenditures, FY2024
132 R2 institutions reported to the NSF HERD survey in FY2024, and together they spent $8.1 billion, 6.9% of the US total. Wichita State University leads at $392.3 million — #88 nationally, ahead of Wake Forest University at $344.5 million. 113 spent more than in FY2023 and 19 spent less. The list runs down to Azusa Pacific University at $3.4 million; every name on it links to that institution's own page.
R2 is the 2021 Carnegie basic classification "Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity".
- Institutions
- 132
- FY2024 R&D
- $8.1 billion
- Share of the US total
- 6.9%
R2 universities ranked, FY2024
| In R2 | Institution | US rank | State | FY2024 R&D | Change on FY2023 | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wichita State University | #88 | Kansas | $392.3M | +6.9% | down 1 |
| 2 | Wake Forest University | #101 | North Carolina | $344.5M | +11.5% | up 2 |
| 3 | Thomas Jefferson University | #120 | Pennsylvania | $271.2M | +5.0% | down 5 |
| 4 | University of Dayton | #127 | Ohio | $252.5M | +10.4% | up 1 |
| 5 | University of Alaska Fairbanks | #128 | Alaska | $246.3M | +13.0% | up 6 |
| 6 | University of Vermont | #129 | Vermont | $246.2M | +5.3% | down 5 |
| 7 | University of North Dakota | #143 | North Dakota | $197.4M | +8.4% | up 1 |
| 8 | San Diego State University | #147 | California | $181.6M | +14.9% | up 4 |
| 9 | University of Wyoming | #152 | Wyoming | $167.3M | +11.4% | held |
| 10 | Augusta University | #153 | Georgia | $166.2M | +19.5% | up 8 |
| 11 | Texas State University | #154 | Texas | $165.0M | +16.8% | up 6 |
| 12 | Brigham Young University, Provo | #156 | Utah | $158.3M | +14.9% | up 6 |
| 13 | New Mexico State University | #162 | New Mexico | $142.9M | +13.1% | up 5 |
| 14 | University of Idaho | #163 | Idaho | $140.4M | +3.3% | held |
| 15 | University of Rhode Island | #166 | Rhode Island | $137.5M | −4.5% | down 9 |
| 16 | University of Massachusetts Lowell | #171 | Massachusetts | $120.7M | +2.8% | held |
| 17 | Michigan Technological University | #177 | Michigan | $106.9M | +3.0% | down 3 |
| 18 | Howard University | #178 | District of Columbia | $101.8M | +20.1% | up 6 |
| 19 | Saint Louis University | #180 | Missouri | $95.8M | +11.5% | up 3 |
| 20 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte, The | #181 | North Carolina | $94.9M | +3.1% | down 1 |
| 21 | William & Mary | #182 | Virginia | $94.6M | +15.6% | up 6 |
| 22 | Northern Arizona University | #183 | Arizona | $93.7M | +20.9% | up 9 |
| 23 | University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, The | #185 | Texas | $90.6M | +9.9% | up 1 |
| 24 | Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis | #186 | Indiana | $89.0M | +1.5% | down 4 |
| 25 | Florida Atlantic University | #188 | Florida | $87.9M | +13.3% | up 3 |
| 26 | Cleveland State University | #189 | Ohio | $85.8M | −2.4% | down 8 |
| 27 | South Dakota State University | #191 | South Dakota | $82.2M | +15.3% | up 6 |
| 28 | North Carolina A&T State University | #192 | North Carolina | $81.8M | +31.4% | up 15 |
| 29 | Rochester Institute of Technology | #197 | New York | $78.5M | +8.4% | down 1 |
| 30 | American University | #198 | District of Columbia | $78.4M | +3.0% | down 4 |
| 31 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro, The | #199 | North Carolina | $77.4M | +27.6% | up 14 |
| 32 | University of California, Merced | #200 | California | $77.2M | +24.0% | up 8 |
| 33 | University of Massachusetts Boston | #203 | Massachusetts | $74.6M | +5.1% | down 4 |
| 34 | University of Toledo, The | #205 | Ohio | $73.2M | +8.2% | down 4 |
| 35 | East Carolina University | #206 | North Carolina | $72.5M | +8.1% | down 4 |
| 36 | City University of New York, The, The City College | #207 | New York | $71.7M | +13.5% | down 1 |
| 37 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | #208 | Massachusetts | $71.6M | +7.8% | down 5 |
| 38 | Stevens Institute of Technology | #209 | New Jersey | $70.7M | +16.6% | up 3 |
| 39 | University of South Alabama | #210 | Alabama | $70.1M | +31.8% | up 16 |
| 40 | Missouri University of Science and Technology | #211 | Missouri | $69.5M | +13.1% | down 2 |
| 41 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | #213 | Florida | $68.7M | +5.4% | down 9 |
| 42 | Rowan University | #216 | New Jersey | $64.0M | +33.8% | up 17 |
| 43 | Southern Methodist University | #217 | Texas | $62.6M | +4.7% | down 2 |
| 44 | Lehigh University | #218 | Pennsylvania | $62.4M | +10.8% | up 2 |
| 45 | Western Michigan University and Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine | #219 | Michigan | $62.1M | +37.4% | up 17 |
| 46 | Southern Illinois University, Carbondale | #220 | Illinois | $61.5M | +5.4% | down 3 |
| 47 | Loyola University Chicago | #221 | Illinois | $61.5M | +17.2% | up 7 |
| 48 | Nova Southeastern University | #224 | Florida | $60.6M | +20.8% | up 6 |
| 49 | Boise State University | #226 | Idaho | $57.7M | +9.0% | up 1 |
| 50 | Catholic University of America, The | #227 | District of Columbia | $57.7M | +14.4% | up 2 |
| 51 | University of Missouri, Kansas City | #228 | Missouri | $57.0M | +4.5% | down 7 |
| 52 | Morgan State University | #230 | Maryland | $55.5M | +26.5% | up 8 |
| 53 | Air Force Institute of Technology | #231 | Ohio | $54.2M | −4.7% | down 12 |
| 54 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | #235 | Texas | $52.2M | +32.7% | up 9 |
| 55 | Portland State University | #236 | Oregon | $51.7M | +11.6% | down 2 |
| 56 | Kennesaw State University | #237 | Georgia | $51.6M | +58.7% | up 21 |
| 57 | Marquette University | #238 | Wisconsin | $49.1M | +2.7% | down 6 |
| 58 | Chapman University | #239 | California | $48.3M | +15.6% | up 2 |
| 59 | Mercer University | #240 | Georgia | $46.5M | +2.8% | down 5 |
| 60 | Georgia Southern University | #241 | Georgia | $46.1M | +15.2% | up 2 |
| 61 | Montclair State University | #243 | New Jersey | $43.8M | +14.6% | up 2 |
| 62 | East Tennessee State University | #246 | Tennessee | $42.5M | +0.5% | down 7 |
| 63 | University of Massachusetts Dartmouth | #247 | Massachusetts | $42.4M | +0.8% | down 7 |
| 64 | San Francisco State University | #248 | California | $42.0M | +21.9% | up 3 |
| 65 | Marshall University | #249 | West Virginia | $39.2M | +16.3% | up 4 |
| 66 | State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry | #250 | New York | $38.7M | +18.3% | up 7 |
| 67 | Oakland University | #251 | Michigan | $38.5M | +3.3% | down 5 |
| 68 | Illinois Institute of Technology | #253 | Illinois | $38.0M | +15.0% | up 2 |
| 69 | Tennessee Technological University | #255 | Tennessee | $36.4M | +75.0% | up 50 |
| 70 | University of Nebraska at Omaha | #256 | Nebraska | $35.1M | +13.9% | up 6 |
| 71 | Tennessee State University | #257 | Tennessee | $35.0M | +24.0% | up 13 |
| 72 | Northern Illinois University | #259 | Illinois | $34.5M | +18.3% | up 8 |
| 73 | Illinois State University | #260 | Illinois | $34.2M | +3.9% | down 4 |
| 74 | Teachers College, Columbia University | #261 | New York | $34.1M | −0.3% | down 9 |
| 75 | California State University, Long Beach | #263 | California | $33.9M | +58.0% | up 38 |
| 76 | California State University, Fullerton | #264 | California | $33.7M | +30.6% | up 13 |
| 77 | University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras | #265 | Puerto Rico | $33.7M | +15.3% | up 1 |
| 78 | Villanova University | #266 | Pennsylvania | $33.1M | +5.0% | down 5 |
| 79 | University of Tulsa | #267 | Oklahoma | $32.8M | +32.0% | up 17 |
| 80 | Texas A&M University-Kingsville | #271 | Texas | $31.8M | +20.3% | up 4 |
| 81 | Prairie View A&M University | #272 | Texas | $31.6M | +45.2% | up 27 |
| 82 | Louisiana Tech University | #273 | Louisiana | $31.2M | −1.4% | down 13 |
| 83 | Creighton University | #276 | Nebraska | $29.3M | +3.1% | down 8 |
| 84 | Miami University | #278 | Ohio | $28.6M | +0.5% | down 9 |
| 85 | Fordham University | #279 | New York | $28.2M | +18.5% | up 8 |
| 86 | University of South Dakota, The | #280 | South Dakota | $27.9M | −6.5% | down 16 |
| 87 | Texas Christian University | #282 | Texas | $27.7M | +15.0% | up 3 |
| 88 | Central Michigan University | #283 | Michigan | $27.4M | +8.1% | down 1 |
| 89 | Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark | #288 | New Jersey | $26.2M | −12.0% | down 23 |
| 90 | Clarkson University | #289 | New York | $26.1M | +3.0% | down 8 |
| 91 | Tarleton State University | #291 | Texas | $24.9M | +6.6% | down 3 |
| 92 | Jackson State University | #292 | Mississippi | $24.7M | +27.2% | up 21 |
| 93 | University of Akron, The | #294 | Ohio | $24.6M | +14.1% | up 6 |
| 94 | New School, The | #297 | New York | $23.9M | +5.4% | down 5 |
| 95 | Loma Linda University | #298 | California | $23.9M | +7.3% | down 3 |
| 96 | University of North Carolina at Wilmington, The | #304 | North Carolina | $22.7M | +3.6% | down 6 |
| 97 | Wright State University | #305 | Ohio | $22.6M | −13.5% | down 29 |
| 98 | James Madison University | #310 | Virginia | $21.4M | +0.6% | down 6 |
| 99 | Bowling Green State University | #312 | Ohio | $19.6M | −5.4% | down 6 |
| 100 | University of North Florida | #313 | Florida | $19.3M | −17.0% | down 24 |
| 101 | University of New Orleans | #314 | Louisiana | $19.3M | −5.3% | down 6 |
| 102 | Texas Southern University | #316 | Texas | $19.0M | +16.9% | up 8 |
| 103 | Long Island University | #317 | New York | $18.8M | +12.9% | up 5 |
| 104 | Duquesne University | #318 | Pennsylvania | $18.3M | +22.4% | up 10 |
| 105 | Florida Institute of Technology | #319 | Florida | $17.8M | +5.8% | up 2 |
| 106 | Idaho State University | #321 | Idaho | $17.5M | −0.3% | down 4 |
| 107 | Sam Houston State University | #322 | Texas | $16.7M | +42.1% | up 22 |
| 108 | Loyola Marymount University | #329 | California | $15.6M | +10.5% | up 4 |
| 109 | University of Missouri, Saint Louis | #333 | Missouri | $14.7M | +14.8% | up 8 |
| 110 | California State University, Fresno | #336 | California | $14.4M | +26.3% | up 14 |
| 111 | California State University, East Bay | #337 | California | $14.3M | −32.9% | down 34 |
| 112 | Clark Atlanta University | #341 | Georgia | $13.4M | +30.1% | up 20 |
| 113 | University of Maryland Eastern Shore | #342 | Maryland | $13.4M | +25.1% | up 13 |
| 114 | Ball State University | #345 | Indiana | $13.1M | +12.4% | held |
| 115 | Clark University | #348 | Massachusetts | $12.7M | +10.1% | held |
| 116 | University of San Diego | #350 | California | $12.6M | −2.0% | down 10 |
| 117 | California State University, San Bernardino | #359 | California | $11.3M | −13.8% | down 21 |
| 118 | Eastern Michigan University | #362 | Michigan | $11.2M | +33.9% | up 19 |
| 119 | Arkansas State University, Jonesboro | #365 | Arkansas | $10.9M | +49.5% | up 33 |
| 120 | DePaul University | #371 | Illinois | $10.5M | −20.7% | down 35 |
| 121 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | #372 | Arkansas | $10.5M | +20.4% | up 3 |
| 122 | Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Camden | #377 | New Jersey | $9.8M | +3.4% | down 8 |
| 123 | Seton Hall University | #381 | New Jersey | $9.5M | +34.1% | up 20 |
| 124 | Middle Tennessee State University | #387 | Tennessee | $8.7M | −8.8% | down 19 |
| 125 | University of New England | #399 | Maine | $8.1M | +19.8% | up 9 |
| 126 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs | #409 | Colorado | $7.5M | +7.4% | down 6 |
| 127 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | #421 | Pennsylvania | $6.9M | +12.0% | down 3 |
| 128 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania | #424 | Pennsylvania | $6.6M | +8.5% | down 3 |
| 129 | Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge | #458 | Louisiana | $5.5M | +5.4% | down 12 |
| 130 | Claremont Graduate University | #473 | California | $4.8M | −33.8% | down 74 |
| 131 | University of Texas at Tyler, The | #514 | Texas | $3.6M | +4.2% | down 16 |
| 132 | Azusa Pacific University | #526 | California | $3.4M | −44.2% | down 107 |
| All 132 | $8.1B | |||||
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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