3 Va. universities make top 100 in national R&D rankings

The University of Virginia, Virginia Tech and Virginia Commonwealth University landed in the top 100 in the National Science Foundation’s fiscal 2022 rankings by expenditures on research and development.

NSF determines the rankings with data from its annual Higher Education Research and Development Survey, which surveys U.S. colleges and universities that expended at least $150,000 in separately accounted for research and development in the fiscal year. Survey results were released in late November.

For FY22, U.Va. placed No. 48 overall, with $662.6 million in R&D expenditures. U.Va. was No. 30 among public institutions, the same place it held last year.

With $591.86 million in research expenditures, Virginia Tech ranked 53rd among all institutions and 35th for public institutions, up from 38th in the previous fiscal year.

“Virginia Tech’s increase in ranking is a reflection of our faculty’s success attracting sponsored support for the impactful research, innovation and discovery they lead. We are especially proud that our growth in externally and federally sponsored research significantly outperformed peers,” Dan Sui, senior vice president and chief research and innovation officer at Virginia Tech, said in a statement.

VCU was No. 73 overall and No. 47 in the public institutions’ rankings, rising from No. 50 in the previous year. VCU’s R&D expenditures totaled almost $405.9 million. The FY22 total is the first time VCU has passed the $400 million mark, according to a news release.

“A public research university’s role is to advance discovery, creativity and innovation in ways that few other institutions achieve as we endeavor to improve the quality of life everywhere,” VCU President Michael Rao said in a statement. “This NSF ranking is a testament to VCU’s commitment to research for the public good. Thanks to my faculty colleagues, our research enterprise has grown exponentially.”

The remaining public Virginia universities were ranked as follows:

• George Mason University, No. 117 overall, No. 78 in public institutions;
• William & Mary, No. 180 overall, No. 130 in public institutions;
• Old Dominion University, No. 191 overall, No. 137 in public institutions;
• Eastern Virginia Medical School, No. 278 overall, No. 202 in public institutions;
• James Madison University, No. 308 overall, No. 225 in public institutions;
• Virginia State University, No. 333 overall, No. 243 in public institutions;
• Norfolk State University, No. 471 overall, No. 328 in public institutions;
• Christopher Newport University, No. 514 overall, No. 358 in public institutions;
• University of Virginia’s College at Wise, No. 522 overall, No. 360 in public institutions;
• Virginia Military Institute, No. 578 overall, No. 386 in public institutions;
• University of Mary Washington, No. 614 overall, No. 403 in public institutions.

Four Virginia private schools were included in the NSF rankings:

• Hampton University, No. 338 overall, No. 91 in private institutions;
• Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, No. 384 overall, No. 104 in private institutions;
• University of Richmond, No. 518 overall, No. 159 in private institutions;
• Marymount University, No. 608 overall, No. 207 in private institutions.

In total, academic institutions spent $97.8 billion on research and development in FY22, roughly $8 billion more than in FY21. The next NSF HERD Survey results will be released in November 2024.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story listed Marymount University’s rank among private institutions incorrectly. This story has been updated with the correct ranking.