#21 nationally · R1 · Tennessee

Vanderbilt University research spending

Vanderbilt University spent $1.25B on research and development in fiscal year 2023, ranking #21 among US R1 and R2 universities and #1 in Tennessee.

$1.25Btotal R&D, FY2023
#21of 297 nationally
#1 of 7in Tennessee (79% of the state's listed total)
Yesmedical school

Nearest peers by research spending

RankUniversityStateTierR&D
18Yale University MedCTR1$1.33B
19University of Minnesota-Twin Cities MedMNR1$1.32B
20Texas A&M University-College Station MedTXR1$1.28B
21Vanderbilt University MedTNR1$1.25B
22University of Florida MedFLR1$1.25B
23Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus MedPAR1$1.21B
24Washington University in St Louis MedMOR1$1.17B

Research office

Funding opportunities, sponsored programs, and research development for Vanderbilt University run through its research office: https://research.vanderbilt.edu/

See every Tennessee research university.

Questions

How much does Vanderbilt University spend on research?
Vanderbilt University reported $1.25B in total research and development expenditures in fiscal year 2023, per the NSF HERD Survey.
Where does Vanderbilt University rank nationally for research spending?
#21 of the 297 R1 and R2 universities listed here, and #1 of 7 in Tennessee.
Is Vanderbilt University an R1 university?
Vanderbilt University is classified R1 (very high research spending and doctorate production) in the 2025 Carnegie Classification.