The Vice President for Research and Innovation tracks key research metrics for the University of Minnesota, including national rankings, proposals and awards, sponsored expenditures, and technology commercialization performance measures. Several of these metrics are part of Commitments 2 and 3 in the University’s MPact 2025 dashboard and progress card. Faculty and staff seeking detailed data, including college level statistics from previous years, can access the RIO Research Reporting Center.
Annual Report on the Research Enterprise
University of Minnesota researchers fueled another record-breaking year in annual research expenditures, according to fiscal year (FY) 2023 data (the most recent available) from the National Science Foundation HERD Survey. FY23 totals were up 10% over the previous year—$1.35 billion systemwide and $1.32 billion for the Twin Cities campus, maintaining its rank of 12th among US public research universities.
Vice President for Research and Innovation Shashank Priya presented an analysis of the University’s FY24 research accomplishments to the Board of Regents at its December 2024 meeting. View a video of the Annual Report presentation, the Annual Report presentation slides, Research At-A-Glance, and the printed annual report.
R&D Expenditures
In the FY23 HERD survey data release, the most recent figures available, the University posted over $1.32B in R&D expenditures at the Twin Cities campus, a 10% increase over FY22. That expenditure level resulted in the University again ranking 12th among US public research universities, matching FY22’s ranking. Systemwide expenditures totalled $1.35B.
From FY15-23, the University has increased research expenditures year-over-year at the Twin Cities campus, as highlighted below, and across the UMN system.
UMTC Research Expenditures (FY15-23)
UMTC ranked 10th among the same group according to another ranking, the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU/Shanghai), and 47th among all world universities.
Top US Public Research Institutions
Academic Ranking of World Universities
Research Awards
A $1.06 billion research award total in FY24 represents the third largest total in history and the fourth year of awards over $1 billion.
Awards by Source: All Campuses, FY24
The University received over half of its sponsored research funding (59.4%) directly from federal sources. In FY24, federal awards totaled $628 million and non-federal awards totaled $420 million. Of the federal research support, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) continued to be the University’s largest single federal funding source, totaling $356 million. This amount represents a decrease (18.2%) compared to the previous year. The National Science Foundation (NSF) is the second largest federal sponsor of University research totaling $83.2 million in FY24. This total represents a $1.2 million or 1.4% decrease from the previous year.
Over a five-year period (FY20-FY24), the University’s awards have grown by 20.1%, including a 25.0% increase in the number of high-dollar awards.
Awards by College and Campus: All Campuses, FY24
The Medical School and Other Health Sciences received $571.3M or 54.0% of total awards. Colleges with significant increases from FY23 include: Dentistry (+38.7%) and the Office of Academic Clinical Affairs (+18.8%), (both part of Other Health Sciences), and the College of Education and Human Development (+44.0%). The Office of Academic Clinical Affairs increase is due in part to the first $7.7M installment of a large NIH award for clinical and translational research to be dispersed over the next seven years.
Technology Commercialization
University-developed technologies reach the market through UMN Technology Commercialization, which facilitates the transfer of University research to licensee companies for the development of new products and services that benefit the public good, foster economic growth, and generate revenue to support the University’s mission. In 2024, Tech Comm spun out a record number of startups and launched Discover→Advance→Impact™ to significantly scale UMN’s commercialization capabilities, including doubling the number of research-based startups spun out annually.
The University’s technology transfer work has been recognized for its excellence in national and global rankings, including:
- UMN launched 25 startups in FY24, meeting the University's MPact 2025 goal, "25 by 2025," a full year ahead of schedule
- The University has spun out more than 260 startups since the formation of the Venture Center within UMN Technology Commercialization in 2006, and is the largest single source of startups in Minnesota
- UMN is in the top 20 public universities for five key tech transfer metrics: startups (3rd), deals (7th), disclosures (11th), New Patent Applications (16th), and License Income (17th); AUTM 2022 Survey
- 17th globally for universities granted US Utility Patents; National Academy of Inventors Top 100, 2023
- First for technology transfer within the 20-state heartland region, and fifth among all US public universities; Heartland Forward 2022
See UMN Technology Commercialization Statistics for new tech transfer metrics for FY24.
Developing New Research Directions
At the December 2024 Board of Regents meeting, VPR Priya also presented on developing new research directions, focused on the two themes below, and gave examples in each area:
Sustainable Technologies and Systems
- Green Energy - Green Iron: Natural Resources Research Institute
- Future of Advanced Agriculture Research in Minnesota (FAARM)
- Minnesota Engine for Biomanufacturing
- Sustainable GeoCommunities
National Security
- Minnesota MicroElectronics Consortium (MNMEC)
- Hypersonics
Watch the "Developing New Areas of Research Funding" presentation from December 12 and see the presentation slides.