For the seventh consecutive year, the University of Georgia set a research and development record with $654 million in related expenditures during fiscal year 2025, representing a 4.1% increase over the previous year. Since 2015, UGA’s R&D activity has grown by 75%.

“Through purposeful research, the University of Georgia continues to drive discovery and pursue solutions to the greatest challenges facing our state, the nation and beyond,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “Our talented faculty, staff and students set the standard for excellence in research, and I am truly grateful for their efforts in support of our vital mission as a land-grant and sea-grant institution.”

UGA’s federal R&D expenditures rose 11%. The university saw its largest year-over-year percentage growth from agencies including the U.S. Department of Defense, National Science Foundation and NASA, among others.

Research funding from federal, state and private sources provides vital resources that fuel innovation and impact at UGA — from glycoscience to precision agriculture and regenerative medicine to next-gen education — providing solutions to challenges across the state.

Academic research greatly contributes to the university’s annual economic impact on the state of Georgia, which was estimated at $8.4 billion in FY 2024. The FY 2025 R&D expenditures will be used to determine the university’s 2025 ranking in the NSF’s Higher Education Research and Development survey. HERD rankings lag a year behind; in the FY 2024 data, UGA ranked No. 59 out of over 680 surveyed institutions.