Total research expenditures at Georgia State University rose to $202.4 million in fiscal year (FY)2020, a new institutional record, according to an annual survey conducted by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Since FY2010, Georgia State’s research expenditures have increased 150 percent, making the university the fifth fastest-growing institution in the nation. The university also earned a record-high $150.2 million in external research funding during FY2020.

As reported in the survey, the university is ranked #118 out of 910 institutions in the U.S., and #80 out of 415 public institutions. For the past five years, Georgia State has been the highest-ranked institution without a medical, engineering or agriculture school. This is significant as medical schools account for a quarter of all research expenditures nationally.

“We are proud to have set a new university record for expenditures, particularly during a year in which many institutions were negatively impacted by the pandemic,” said Tim Denning, vice president for research and economic development at Georgia State. “Beyond the numbers, it’s also rewarding to see our diverse community of scholars tackling global challenges that span disciplines. Under the new leadership of university president M. Brian Blake, we plan to pursue continued research growth and impact.”

Georgia State is highly ranked for expenditures in several research disciplines, including education (#11); social work (#13); visual and performing arts (#18); law (#22); social sciences (#31); sociology, demography and population studies (#34); astronomy (#36); and psychology (#53). The university is ranked in the top 10 for expenditures in business administration and business management (#5) and economics (#9). Georgia State is ranked #1 in expenditures for communication and communications technologies.

Across all non-science and engineering fields, the university is ranked #10 in the nation for research expenditures.

Research expenditures are considered an indication of an institution’s contribution to the nation’s research endeavors. Georgia State’s research spending also contributes to the university’s statewide economic impact, which totaled $2.8 billion in FY2020, according to data from the University System of Georgia.

Georgia State researchers are expanding knowledge and developing innovative solutions in public health, sustainability, data science, cybersecurity and beyond. The university is home to centers and institutes that are leading in critical areas such as biomedical sciences, optical interferometry, neuroimaging and health policy.