UW–Madison now ranks fifth in the U.S. for its investment in research, according to the Higher Education Research and Development Survey, an annual census conducted by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

During fiscal year 2024, UW directed a record-high $1.93 billion toward research. Extramural grants secured by CALS scientists are a major part of this figure, which increased by 11.6% over the previous year. The fifth-place ranking (out of 925 institutions) is the university’s highest since 2014.

UW receives critical research funding from state and local government, industry, non-profits, foundations, and private philanthropy. But nearly half of UW’s total research expenditures come from U.S. federal agencies, such as NSF, the Department of Agriculture, the National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Energy. Recent policy shifts have led to declines in this major source of support, which has caused significant disruptions for research projects and related student jobs.

The rankings highlight the crucial role of the decades-long partnership between universities and the federal government in efforts to tackle society’s greatest challenges, to generate discoveries that benefit the state and nation, to fuel the economy, and to prepare students for the workforce.