Research expenditures by university in Iowa, FY2024

11 institutions in Iowa reported to the NSF HERD survey in FY2024, and together they spent $1.2 billion, 1.0% of the US total. University of Iowa leads at $703.3 million — #53 nationally, half as much again as Iowa State University's $462.3 million. 3 spent more than in FY2023 and 8 spent less. The list runs down to Cornell College at $440 thousand; every name on it links to that institution's own page.

Institutions
11
FY2024 R&D
$1.2 billion
Share of the US total
1.0%

Universities in Iowa ranked, FY2024

The 11 institutions in Iowa ranked by total research and development expenditures, NSF HERD FY2024.
In IowaInstitutionUS rankFY2024 R&DChange on FY2023Rank change
1University of Iowa#53$703.3M+6.2%down 2
2Iowa State University#78$462.3M+9.9%held
3Grinnell College#414$7.1M−6.1%down 21
4University of Northern Iowa#486$4.4M−3.4%down 21
5Des Moines University#500$3.9M−1.1%down 16
6Drake University#639$1.5M−13.9%down 39
7Palmer College of Chiropractic, Davenport#753$750K−56.5%down 154
8Coe College#757$734K−8.5%down 42
9Dordt University#797$533K−25.1%down 62
10Luther College#800$521K+140.1%up 84
11Cornell College#827$440K−21.8%down 61
All 11$1.2B

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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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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