Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center rank 24th among U.S. institutions in the 2024 National Science Foundation’s latest Higher Education Research and Development Survey results, which were released this month. Vanderbilt has ranked in the top 25 in the HERD Survey each year since 2021, which reflects its continued national strength in research and development expenditures.
Combined R&D expenditures for Vanderbilt and VUMC totaled $1.33 billion in fiscal year 2024, placing Vanderbilt 10th among private research universities.
“Maintaining a top 25 position nationally reflects the strength, competitiveness and collaborative culture of Vanderbilt’s faculty,” said Elizabeth Zechmeister, senior associate provost for research and development and interim chief research officer. “We are continuously innovating to diversify our funding and strengthen strategic partnerships that advance high-impact research.”
The HERD Survey is the federal government’s primary source of information on research spending at colleges and universities.
Nationwide, higher education expenditures reached $117.7 billion, an 8.1 percent increase over the previous year, according to an NSF analysis. Federal funding drove much of that growth nationally, while institutional funding, state and local governments, businesses and nonprofits also contributed.
Within Tennessee, Vanderbilt and VUMC account for more than 60 percent of all higher education R&D expenditures, which demonstrates Vanderbilt’s central role in the state’s research ecosystem.
