> Skip to content
FEATURED:
  • Student-Success Resource Center
Sign In
  • News
  • Advice
  • The Review
  • Data
  • Current Issue
  • Virtual Events
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
Sign In
  • News
  • Advice
  • The Review
  • Data
  • Current Issue
  • Virtual Events
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
  • News
  • Advice
  • The Review
  • Data
  • Current Issue
  • Virtual Events
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
Sign In
ADVERTISEMENT
Data
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Show more sharing options
Share
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Copy Link URLCopied!
  • Print

Higher Ed’s Research Footprint Is Growing

By  Audrey Williams June
March 20, 2023

Higher education’s hunger for conducting research is typically measured in terms of grant dollars. Another way to look at the sector’s deep investment in the research enterprise is by looking at how much space it develops and dedicates to this purpose. Recently released data from the National Science Foundation show that research space at colleges and universities increased by more than 30 million square feet over a decade.

According to the NSF’s biennial survey, academic institutions had 236.1 million square feet of science and engineering research space in the 2021 fiscal year, the most recent data available, up from 202.2 million square feet in the 2011 fiscal year. Biological and biomedical sciences largely fueled that growth.

We're sorry. Something went wrong.

We are unable to fully display the content of this page.

The most likely cause of this is a content blocker on your computer or network.

Please allow access to our site, and then refresh this page. You may then be asked to log in, create an account if you don't already have one, or subscribe.

If you continue to experience issues, please contact us at 202-466-1032 or help@chronicle.com

Higher education’s hunger for conducting research is typically measured in terms of grant dollars. Another way to look at the sector’s deep investment in the research enterprise is by looking at how much space it develops and dedicates to this purpose. Recently released data from the National Science Foundation show that research space at colleges and universities increased by more than 30 million square feet over a decade.

According to the NSF’s biennial survey, academic institutions had 236.1 million square feet of science and engineering research space in the 2021 fiscal year, the most recent data available, up from 202.2 million square feet in the 2011 fiscal year. Biological and biomedical sciences largely fueled that growth.

From the 2019 fiscal year, the amount of research space rose 4.1 percent by 2021 — the same fiscal year in which colleges conducted almost $85 billion in science and engineering research. Five fields accounted for nearly 84 percent of research space in the 2021 fiscal year: biological and biomedical sciences, engineering, health sciences, agricultural sciences, and physical sciences.

According to the survey, which reflected 584 institutions, even more research space is set to be built in the future. Colleges reported that they planned to start 10.6 million square feet of new construction on research space in the 2022 or 2023 fiscal years, at a projected cost of $12.8 billion. The planned total is the highest since the 2009 fiscal year, when construction projects reported by colleges totaled 13.4 million square feet.

ADVERTISEMENT

Here’s more data on higher education’s research space:

ADVERTISEMENT

A version of this article appeared in the August 18, 2023, issue.
We welcome your thoughts and questions about this article. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.
DataScholarship & ResearchFinance & Operations
Audrey Williams June
Audrey Williams June is the news-data manager at The Chronicle. She explores and analyzes data sets, databases, and records to uncover higher-education trends, insights, and stories. Email her at audrey.june@chronicle.com, or follow her on Twitter @audreywjune.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
  • Explore Content
    • Latest News
    • Newsletters
    • Letters
    • Free Reports and Guides
    • Professional Development
    • Virtual Events
    • Chronicle Store
    • Chronicle Intelligence
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    Explore Content
    • Latest News
    • Newsletters
    • Letters
    • Free Reports and Guides
    • Professional Development
    • Virtual Events
    • Chronicle Store
    • Chronicle Intelligence
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
  • Know The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • Write for Us
    • Work at The Chronicle
    • Our Reporting Process
    • Advertise With Us
    • Brand Studio
    • DEI Commitment Statement
    • Accessibility Statement
    Know The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • Write for Us
    • Work at The Chronicle
    • Our Reporting Process
    • Advertise With Us
    • Brand Studio
    • DEI Commitment Statement
    • Accessibility Statement
  • Account and Access
    • Manage Your Account
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Institutional Subscriptions
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
    Account and Access
    • Manage Your Account
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Institutional Subscriptions
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
  • Get Support
    • Contact Us
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • User Agreement
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
    Get Support
    • Contact Us
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • User Agreement
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037
© 2023 The Chronicle of Higher Education
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • youtube
  • facebook
  • linkedin