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Research & development spending as a share of GDP in United States

United States: Research & development spending as a share of GDP was 3.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
3.4%
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
4th
of 116 countries
All-time high
3.5%
in 2022
All-time low
2.5%
in 1996
Years of data
28
1996–2023

Research & development spending as a share of GDP in United States, 1996–2023

01231996200920231996: 2.5 % of GDP1997: 2.5 % of GDP1998: 2.5 % of GDP1999: 2.5 % of GDP2000: 2.6 % of GDP2001: 2.6 % of GDP2002: 2.5 % of GDP2003: 2.6 % of GDP2004: 2.5 % of GDP2005: 2.5 % of GDP2006: 2.5 % of GDP2007: 2.6 % of GDP2008: 2.7 % of GDP2009: 2.8 % of GDP2010: 2.7 % of GDP2011: 2.7 % of GDP2012: 2.7 % of GDP2013: 2.7 % of GDP2014: 2.7 % of GDP2015: 2.8 % of GDP2016: 2.8 % of GDP2017: 2.9 % of GDP2018: 3 % of GDP2019: 3.1 % of GDP2020: 3.4 % of GDP2021: 3.5 % of GDP2022: 3.5 % of GDP2023: 3.4 % of GDP

Source: UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.

Analysis

In 2023, research & development spending as a share of gdp in United States stood at 3.4%.

That represents a change of down 1.2% on the previous year and up 27.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, research & development spending as a share of gdp in United States peaked at 3.5% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 2.5%, in 1996.

That places United States 4th out of 116 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 2.5% 2.5% 2.5% 4
2000s 2.6% 2.5% 2.8% 10
2010s 2.8% 2.7% 3.1% 10
2020s 3.5% 3.4% 3.5% 4

Countries ranked near United States

  1. 1 Israel 6.3% compare
  2. 2 South Korea 4.9% compare
  3. 3 Sweden 3.6% compare
  4. 5 Japan 3.4% compare
  5. 6 Belgium 3.3% compare
  6. 7 Austria 3.3% compare

See the full ranking of 116 places →

More science & technology data for United States

All data for United States →

Frequently asked questions

What is research & development spending as a share of gdp in United States?
Research & development spending as a share of gdp in United States was 3.4% in 2023, according to UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest research & development spending as a share of gdp recorded in United States?
The highest recorded value was 3.5% in 2022.
What is the lowest research & development spending as a share of gdp recorded in United States?
The lowest recorded value was 2.5% in 1996.
How does United States rank for research & development spending as a share of gdp?
United States ranks 4th out of 116 countries with data for 2023.
Is research & development spending as a share of gdp rising or falling in United States?
Over the last ten years it is up 27.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United States data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Research & development spending as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 28 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Research & development spending as a share of GDP
Unit
% of GDP
Source
UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
116 places, 2,375 data points, 1996–2024
Last refreshed

Includes basic research, applied research, and experimental development.