Sweden vs United States of America: Research and development expenditure

Sweden
3.6%
in 2023
United States of America
3.4%
in 2023
Sweden rank
3rd
United States of America rank
4th

Research and development expenditure over time

  • Sweden
  • United States of America
01234199620092023

How they compare

Sweden currently reports 3.6% against 3.4% in United States of America, a difference of 0.2%.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 24 shared years of data; in 1997 it was Sweden ahead.

Sweden ranks 3rd and United States of America ranks 4th of 116 countries.

Sweden has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Sweden United States of America Difference Ahead
1990s 3.3% 2.5% 0.8% Sweden
2000s 3.5% 2.6% 0.9% Sweden
2010s 3.3% 2.8% 0.5% Sweden
2020s 3.5% 3.5% 0.0% Sweden

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher research and development expenditure, Sweden or United States of America?
Sweden, at 3.6% against 3.4% in United States of America as of 2023.
What is the difference in research and development expenditure between Sweden and United States of America?
0.2%, with Sweden ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Sweden and United States of America?
24 years are reported by both, from 1997 to 2023.
How do Sweden and United States of America rank globally for research and development expenditure?
Sweden ranks 3rd and United States of America ranks 4th of 116 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Research and development expenditure (% of GDP). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Sweden vs United States of America: Research and development expenditure. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/compare/research-and-development-expenditure-percent-of-gdp/sweden/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator
Research and development expenditure (% of GDP)
Unit
% of GDP
Source
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
147 places, 3,092 data points, 1996–2024
Last refreshed

Gross domestic expenditures on research and development (R&D), expressed as a percent of GDP. They include both capital and current expenditures in the four main sectors: Business enterprise, Government, Higher education and Private non-profit. R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development.