Researchers in R&D in North America
North America: Researchers in R&D was 5,009 per million people in 2022. ▲ Rising
Researchers in R&D in North America, 1996–2022
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in per million people.
Analysis
In 2022, researchers in r&d in North America stood at 5,009 per million people. That is the highest value across all 27 years on record.
The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 30.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, researchers in r&d in North America peaked at 5,009 per million people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 3,192 per million people, in 1996.
That places North America 2nd out of 23 groups with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Researchers in R&D in North America, year by year
| Year | per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 3,192 per million people | — |
| 1997 | 3,291 per million people | +3.1% |
| 1998 | 3,441 per million people | +4.5% |
| 1999 | 3,517 per million people | +2.2% |
| 2000 | 3,552 per million people | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 3,607 per million people | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 3,651 per million people | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 3,855 per million people | +5.6% |
| 2004 | 3,746 per million people | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 3,694 per million people | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 3,737 per million people | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 3,720 per million people | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 3,848 per million people | +3.4% |
| 2009 | 3,936 per million people | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 3,745 per million people | -4.9% |
| 2011 | 3,859 per million people | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 3,826 per million people | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 3,898 per million people | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 3,980 per million people | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 4,009 per million people | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 3,948 per million people | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 4,062 per million people | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 4,363 per million people | +7.4% |
| 2019 | 4,417 per million people | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 4,628 per million people | +4.8% |
| 2021 | 4,963 per million people | +7.2% |
| 2022 | 5,009 per million people | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3,360 per million people | 3,192 per million people | 3,517 per million people | 4 |
| 2000s | 3,735 per million people | 3,552 per million people | 3,936 per million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,011 per million people | 3,745 per million people | 4,417 per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 4,867 per million people | 4,628 per million people | 5,009 per million people | 3 |
Countries ranked near North America
More science & technology data for North America
- Scientific and technical journal articles 494,654 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0013 units per person (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per square kilometre 0.0276 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Digital connectivity composite index 0.9882 standard deviations from the yearly mean (2025)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, annual growth rate -3.84 % change on previous year (2023)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 357,699 (2020)
- Patent applications, residents 274,038 (2020)
- Research and development expenditure 3.3% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is researchers in r&d in North America?
- Researchers in r&d in North America was 5,009 per million people in 2022, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest researchers in r&d recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 5,009 per million people in 2022.
- What is the lowest researchers in r&d recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,192 per million people in 1996.
- How does North America rank for researchers in r&d?
- North America ranks 2nd out of 23 groups with data for 2022.
- Is researchers in r&d rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 30.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North America data come from?
- The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Researchers in R&D (per million people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The number of researchers engaged in Research &Development (R&D), expressed as per million. Researchers are professionals who conduct research and improve or develop concepts, theories, models techniques instrumentation, software of operational methods. R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development.