Ohio State University reported $1.68 billion in research and development expenditures for fiscal year 2025, a 6% increase over the prior year and the institution's largest annual total on record.

"This extraordinary achievement is a clear signal that public and private partners trust that when they invest in Ohio State innovation, they'll get results," President Walter "Ted" Carter Jr. said Tuesday in announcing the figures.

The totals reflect aggregated R&D outlays across 15 colleges, compiled by the university's Enterprise for Research, Innovation and Knowledge. Expenditures combine federal, state, industry and institutional support — they measure resources flowing into sponsored work, not downstream output such as patents, licenses or clinical-trial enrollments.

How is the federal pie divided?

Federal sponsors supplied more than $797 million, a 3% year-on-year rise. The National Institutes of Health contributed nearly $420 million, up 5%.

The Department of War — the department's rebranded name — delivered $83.8 million, a 12% jump that tracks the Pentagon's pivot toward autonomy, propulsion and biomedical research. NASA funding climbed 15% to $10.1 million.

Agencies did not release award counts, success rates or negotiated indirect-cost rates. Without those, R&D managers benchmarking portfolio mix against peers should treat Carter's headline number as an input, not a verdict on productivity.

Where is industry money flowing?

Industry-sponsored research grew 10% to $174.8 million, outpacing federal growth. Carter highlighted battery-technology work with Honda and a continuing collaboration with Starlab Space LLC on commercial low-earth-orbit science spanning materials, human health and agriculture.

The Fisher College of Business hosts the Nationwide Center for Advanced Customer Insights, bankrolled by Nationwide Insurance. Industry totals typically fold in fee-for-service testing alongside co-developed programs. The university did not separate pass-through subcontracts from direct awards, a distinction that matters when comparing partnership depth against Carnegie R1 peers.

Where does Ohio State sit nationally?

The National Science Foundation Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) survey for FY2024 ranked Ohio State 12th among U.S. universities by total expenditures, ahead of Harvard, Duke and Yale. The HERD metric counts gross spending across all sources, including internal funds, a method that benefits large medical centers. Ohio State's Wexner Medical Center, with its sizable clinical-research budget, helps explain the slot.

What stands out in the year-over-year change?

Three of Ohio State's largest funders — NIH, the Department of War and NASA — each outpaced the university-wide growth rate of 6%. The pattern signals concentration of wins in select agencies rather than broad-based expansion across the federal portfolio. Industry-sponsored research rising 10% suggests corporate partners, not federal agencies, are now driving the marginal dollar.

What should research directors read into the figures?

John M. Horack, vice president for research, tied the gains to faculty effort: "These results are a direct testament to the dedication of our faculty, staff, students and partners who push the boundaries of discovery every day."

The 12% lift from the Department of War and 15% rise from NASA indicate where Columbus is winning peer-reviewed competitions — a useful reference for institutions recalibrating their federal portfolios as FY2026 agency budgets firm up. Administrators must now show whether that federal momentum translates into licensing revenue, startup formation or clinical milestones before the next HERD cycle.