Research Expenditures

University of Minnesota researchers fueled another record-breaking year in annual research and development (R&D) expenditures, according to FY24 data (the most recent available) from the National Science Foundation HERD Survey. In the FY24 HERD survey data release, the University posted over $1.41 billion in R&D expenditures at the Twin Cities campus, a 7.0% increase over FY23. That expenditure level resulted in the University again ranking 12th among U.S. public research universities, matching FY23’s ranking.

Owing to HERD survey reporting requirements imposed by NSF, the University’s $1.41 billion represents only research expenditures for the Twin Cities campus. When all University of Minnesota campuses are reported together, total systemwide R&D expenditures are $1.44 billion, which represents a 6.7% increase over FY23.
 

UMTC Research Expenditures (FY16-24)

UMTC ranked 10th among the same group according to another ranking, the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU/Shanghai), and 51st among all world universities.
 

Top US Public Research Institutions

Fiscal year 2026 was another landmark year for the University of Minnesota’s Technology Commercialization office (Tech Comm), defined by historic milestones and new programs designed to fast-track UMN research into the marketplace to maximize real-world impact: saving lives, protecting the environment, and boosting the economy. 

This year, Tech Comm passed a momentous benchmark by officially passing 300 startups launched since 2006. This sustained excellence places UMN in elite company; Tech Comm remains one of only four institutions nationwide (public or private) to have launched 20+ startups every year for the past five years. In FY26 alone, Tech Comm spun out a record 27 new companies, reflecting the deep entrepreneurial talent of the faculty, staff, and students. This year, Tech Comm also introduced two strategic initiatives to target distinct commercial pathways: 

• Superior Fruit Innovations (SFI): A novel, grower-focused licensing model allowing direct-market farmers to license premium UMN fruit varieties directly. 
• Software Startup Development (SSD) Program: A competitive, two-phase funding program designed to guide software innovations from an early-stage concept to a formal company launch. 

Tech Comm's core innovation pipeline remains exceptionally robust, yielding 437 invention disclosures, 259 licensing deals, and 167 issued patents this year. These milestone metrics keep UMN firmly ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities for spinning out companies and translating research to the market.

See UMN Technology Commercialization Statistics for new tech transfer metrics for FY26.