Researchers in R&D in OECD members

OECD members: Researchers in R&D was 4,464 per million people in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
4,464 per million people
Change on year
up 2.7%
Rank
4th
of 23 groups
All-time high
4,464 per million people
in 2022
All-time low
2,491 per million people
in 1996
Years of data
27
1996–2022

Researchers in R&D in OECD members, 1996–2022

01.0k2.0k3.0k4.0k1996200920221996: 2.5k per million people1997: 2.5k per million people1998: 2.6k per million people1999: 2.7k per million people2000: 2.7k per million people2001: 2.8k per million people2002: 2.8k per million people2003: 2.9k per million people2004: 3.0k per million people2005: 3.1k per million people2006: 3.2k per million people2007: 3.1k per million people2008: 3.2k per million people2009: 3.3k per million people2010: 3.3k per million people2011: 3.3k per million people2012: 3.4k per million people2013: 3.3k per million people2014: 3.4k per million people2015: 3.5k per million people2016: 3.5k per million people2017: 3.6k per million people2018: 3.9k per million people2019: 4.0k per million people2020: 4.1k per million people2021: 4.3k per million people2022: 4.5k per million people

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 OECD members stood at 4,464 per million people. That is the highest value across all 27 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.7% on the previous year and up 32.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, researchers in r&d in OECD members peaked at 4,464 per million people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 2,491 per million people, in 1996.

That places OECD members 4th out of 23 groups with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.

Researchers in R&D in OECD members, year by year

Annual values for Researchers in R&D (per million people) in OECD members, 1996 to 2022.
Year per million people Change
1996 2,491 per million people
1997 2,518 per million people +1.1%
1998 2,600 per million people +3.3%
1999 2,671 per million people +2.7%
2000 2,719 per million people +1.8%
2001 2,791 per million people +2.6%
2002 2,822 per million people +1.1%
2003 2,940 per million people +4.2%
2004 3,013 per million people +2.5%
2005 3,064 per million people +1.7%
2006 3,160 per million people +3.1%
2007 3,146 per million people -0.5%
2008 3,236 per million people +2.9%
2009 3,270 per million people +1.1%
2010 3,285 per million people +0.4%
2011 3,327 per million people +1.3%
2012 3,374 per million people +1.4%
2013 3,324 per million people -1.5%
2014 3,402 per million people +2.4%
2015 3,471 per million people +2.0%
2016 3,482 per million people +0.3%
2017 3,631 per million people +4.3%
2018 3,892 per million people +7.2%
2019 4,023 per million people +3.3%
2020 4,112 per million people +2.2%
2021 4,348 per million people +5.7%
2022 4,464 per million people +2.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 2,570 per million people 2,491 per million people 2,671 per million people 4
2000s 3,016 per million people 2,719 per million people 3,270 per million people 10
2010s 3,521 per million people 3,285 per million people 4,023 per million people 10
2020s 4,308 per million people 4,112 per million people 4,464 per million people 3

Countries ranked near OECD members

  1. 1 South Korea 9,472 per million people compare
  2. 2 Sweden 8,911 per million people compare
  3. 3 Denmark 8,838 per million people compare
  4. 4 Singapore 8,782 per million people compare
  5. 5 Finland 8,315 per million people compare
  6. 6 Norway 7,451 per million people compare
  7. 7 Austria 6,634 per million people compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More science & technology data for OECD members

All data for OECD members →

Frequently asked questions

What is researchers in r&d in OECD members?
Researchers in r&d in OECD members was 4,464 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 OECD members?
The highest recorded value was 4,464 per million people in 2022.
What is the lowest researchers in r&d recorded in OECD members?
The lowest recorded value was 2,491 per million people in 1996.
How does OECD members rank for researchers in r&d?
OECD members ranks 4th out of 23 groups with data for 2022.
Is researchers in r&d rising or falling in OECD members?
Over the last ten years it is up 32.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this OECD members 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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Researchers in R&D in OECD members. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/researchers-in-r-and-d-per-million-people/oecd-members/

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About this data

Indicator
Researchers in R&D (per million people)
Unit
per million people
Source
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
128 places, 2,361 data points, 1996–2024
Last refreshed

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.