NDSU once again reached a new all‑time high for research activity, leading all North Dakota higher education institutions in overall research expenditures for the most recently reported fiscal year 2024.

According to the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research and Development Survey, released Dec. 23, 2025, NDSU achieved $199.8 million in research expenditures in FY24. This new institutional high marks the sixth consecutive year of record-breaking expenditures. It places NDSU among the top 100 public research universities nationwide, ranking 98th out of 422 public institutions in the HERD survey for FY24.

Research expenditures are the funds a university spends on carrying out research and development activities during a specified period, such as a fiscal year. They come from external sponsors, such as federal agencies, state government, industry, and foundations, and from internal institutional funds. They are used to support research staff, equipment, supplies and related project costs.

In FY24, NDSU had notable increases in research expenditures supported by federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture (+25.3%), the Department of Defense (+18.8%), and the National Science Foundation (+18.1%).

NDSU’s research strength is also reflected in its R1 designation from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, a status reserved for doctoral universities with the highest levels of research activity. Only 187 institutions nationwide hold this prestigious designation, and sustaining it remains one of NDSU’s top institutional priorities.

Heidi Grunwald, NDSU interim vice president for research and creative activity, credited the campus community for the achievement.

“NDSU’s R1 status is not just a label; it is a reflection of the daily reality for faculty and researchers and intensity, quality, and impact of the research enterprise we have built together,” she said. “Maintaining this level of activity is one of our highest priorities because it expands opportunities for students, attracts and retains top faculty, and fuels innovation that benefits communities across the state, the region and the globe. Thank you for your tireless dedication to discovery and for positioning North Dakota at the forefront of global innovation.”

As North Dakota’s only land‑grant university, NDSU is uniquely positioned to transform discoveries into practical solutions that strengthen the economy, improve health and support resilient communities.

In FY24, NDSU researchers continued to make important breakthroughs in many areas critical to the state, the country and the world, ranging from health and biomedical science to materials development to precision agriculture and AgTech. NDSU researchers are delivering breakthroughs that directly serve the people of North Dakota.

Grunwald emphasized the diversity and statewide impact of NDSU’s research portfolio.

“The breadth of research occurring at NDSU is truly remarkable — from AgTech innovations to cutting‑edge materials and coatings research, to computer science and bioscience breakthroughs. These results demonstrate that when the state, federal partners, industry and NDSU work together, North Dakota competes — and wins — on the national stage. Continued investment in research is an investment in the state’s future workforce, economic diversification, and quality of life for North Dakotans.”

These results are drawn from the NSF’s Higher Education Research and Development Survey, the primary source of information on R&D expenditures at U.S. colleges and universities. LINK: https://ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/higher-education-research-development/2024

About the NSF HERD Survey
The NSF HERD Survey is the primary source of information on research and development expenditures at U.S. colleges and universities. The survey collects R&D expenditure information by field of research and source of funds, along with information about the types of research, expenses and headcounts of R&D personnel from each institution.

The NSF HERD Survey is developed and conducted by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics; a principal statistical agency located within the National Science Foundation. NCSES is mandated to collect, interpret, analyze, and disseminate objective data on the science and engineering enterprise.

For more information about NDSU’s HERD results, see reports and data on the NDSU Office of Research and Creative Activity webpage.