R&D personnel by sector of performance, professional position and sex in Spain

Spain: R&D personnel by sector of performance, professional position and sex was 295,290 Full-time equivalent (FTE) in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
295,290 Full-time equivalent (FTE)
Change on year
up 4.6%
World rank
12th
of 50 countries
All-time high
295,290 Full-time equivalent (FTE)
in 2024
All-time low
35,496 Full-time equivalent (FTE)
in 1980
Years of data
45
1980–2024

R&D personnel by sector of performance, professional position and sex in Spain, 1980–2024

0100.0k200.0k300.0k1980200220241980: 35.5k Full-time equivalent (FTE)1981: 36.2k Full-time equivalent (FTE)1982: 35.5k Full-time equivalent (FTE)1983: 36.2k Full-time equivalent (FTE)1984: 39.3k Full-time equivalent (FTE)1985: 40.7k Full-time equivalent (FTE)1986: 45.3k Full-time equivalent (FTE)1987: 48.5k Full-time equivalent (FTE)1988: 54.8k Full-time equivalent (FTE)1989: 63.2k Full-time equivalent (FTE)1990: 69.7k Full-time equivalent (FTE)1991: 72.4k Full-time equivalent (FTE)1992: 73.3k Full-time equivalent (FTE)1993: 75.7k Full-time equivalent (FTE)1994: 80.4k Full-time equivalent (FTE)1995: 80.0k Full-time equivalent (FTE)1996: 87.3k Full-time equivalent (FTE)1997: 87.2k Full-time equivalent (FTE)1998: 97.1k Full-time equivalent (FTE)1999: 102.2k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2000: 120.6k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2001: 125.8k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2002: 134.3k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2003: 151.5k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2004: 161.9k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2005: 174.8k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2006: 189.0k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2007: 201.1k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2008: 215.7k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2009: 220.8k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2010: 222.0k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2011: 215.1k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2012: 208.8k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2013: 203.3k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2014: 200.2k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2015: 200.9k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2016: 205.9k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2017: 215.7k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2018: 225.7k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2019: 231.4k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2020: 231.8k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2021: 249.5k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2022: 263.4k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2023: 282.4k Full-time equivalent (FTE)2024: 295.3k Full-time equivalent (FTE)

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Full-time equivalent (FTE).

Analysis

In 2024, r&d personnel by sector of performance, professional position and sex in Spain stood at 295,290 Full-time equivalent (FTE). That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.

That represents a change of up 4.6% on the previous year and up 47.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, r&d personnel by sector of performance, professional position and sex in Spain peaked at 295,290 Full-time equivalent (FTE) in 2024 and was at its lowest, 35,496 Full-time equivalent (FTE), in 1980.

Spain ranks 12th of 50 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

R&D personnel by sector of performance, professional position and sex in Spain, year by year

Annual values for R&D personnel by sector of performance, professional position and sex in Spain, 1980 to 2024.
Year Full-time equivalent (FTE) Change
1980 35,496 Full-time equivalent (FTE)
1981 36,221 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +2.0%
1982 35,530 Full-time equivalent (FTE) -1.9%
1983 36,169 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +1.8%
1984 39,287 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +8.6%
1985 40,654 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +3.5%
1986 45,261 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +11.3%
1987 48,486 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +7.1%
1988 54,807 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +13.0%
1989 63,155 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +15.2%
1990 69,684 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +10.3%
1991 72,406 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +3.9%
1992 73,320 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +1.3%
1993 75,734 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +3.3%
1994 80,399 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +6.2%
1995 79,988 Full-time equivalent (FTE) -0.5%
1996 87,263 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +9.1%
1997 87,150 Full-time equivalent (FTE) -0.1%
1998 97,098 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +11.4%
1999 102,237 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +5.3%
2000 120,618 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +18.0%
2001 125,750 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +4.3%
2002 134,258 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +6.8%
2003 151,487 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +12.8%
2004 161,933 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +6.9%
2005 174,773 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +7.9%
2006 188,978 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +8.1%
2007 201,108 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +6.4%
2008 215,676 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +7.2%
2009 220,777 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +2.4%
2010 222,022 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +0.6%
2011 215,079 Full-time equivalent (FTE) -3.1%
2012 208,831 Full-time equivalent (FTE) -2.9%
2013 203,302 Full-time equivalent (FTE) -2.6%
2014 200,233 Full-time equivalent (FTE) -1.5%
2015 200,866 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +0.3%
2016 205,873 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +2.5%
2017 215,744 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +4.8%
2018 225,696 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +4.6%
2019 231,413 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +2.5%
2020 231,769 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +0.2%
2021 249,474 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +7.6%
2022 263,407 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +5.6%
2023 282,415 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +7.2%
2024 295,290 Full-time equivalent (FTE) +4.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 43,507 Full-time equivalent (FTE) 35,496 Full-time equivalent (FTE) 63,155 Full-time equivalent (FTE) 10
1990s 82,528 Full-time equivalent (FTE) 69,684 Full-time equivalent (FTE) 102,237 Full-time equivalent (FTE) 10
2000s 169,536 Full-time equivalent (FTE) 120,618 Full-time equivalent (FTE) 220,777 Full-time equivalent (FTE) 10
2010s 212,906 Full-time equivalent (FTE) 200,233 Full-time equivalent (FTE) 231,413 Full-time equivalent (FTE) 10
2020s 264,471 Full-time equivalent (FTE) 231,769 Full-time equivalent (FTE) 295,290 Full-time equivalent (FTE) 5

Countries ranked near Spain

  1. 10 Italy 351,433 Full-time equivalent (FTE) compare
  2. 11 Türkiye 310,472 Full-time equivalent (FTE) compare
  3. 13 Poland 198,219 Full-time equivalent (FTE) compare
  4. 13 Poland 198,219 Full-time equivalent (FTE) compare
  5. 15 Netherlands 198,165 Full-time equivalent (FTE) compare
  6. 15 Netherlands 198,165 Full-time equivalent (FTE) compare

See the full ranking of 54 places →

More science & technology data for Spain

All data for Spain →

Frequently asked questions

What is r&d personnel by sector of performance, professional position and sex in Spain?
R&d personnel by sector of performance, professional position and sex in Spain was 295,290 Full-time equivalent (FTE) in 2024, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest r&d personnel by sector of performance, professional position and sex recorded in Spain?
The highest recorded value was 295,290 Full-time equivalent (FTE) in 2024.
What is the lowest r&d personnel by sector of performance, professional position and sex recorded in Spain?
The lowest recorded value was 35,496 Full-time equivalent (FTE) in 1980.
How does Spain rank for r&d personnel by sector of performance, professional position and sex?
Spain ranks 12th out of 50 countries with data for 2024.
Is r&d personnel by sector of performance, professional position and sex rising or falling in Spain?
Over the last ten years it is up 47.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Spain data come from?
The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of R&D personnel by sector of performance, professional position and sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

R&D personnel by sector of performance, professional position and sex in Spain. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/r-and-d-personnel-by-sector-of-performance-professional-position-and-sex/spain/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/r-and-d-personnel-by-sector-of-performance-professional-position-and-sex/spain/">R&D personnel by sector of performance, professional position and sex in Spain</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
R&D personnel by sector of performance, professional position and sex
Unit
Full-time equivalent (FTE)
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
54 places, 1,706 data points, 1980–2024
Last refreshed